Trouble Magnet

Gr 2–4—eorge Brown suffers from an unusual malady: burps get him into major trouble. After each enormous belch, the fourth grader loses control of his body and ends up involved in wild antics that his classmates find hilarious but that infuriate adults. New at his school, George tries his hardest to control the burps to avoid being labeled the class clown, but disaster strikes when he's giving an oral report with a friend and again while he's performing with the class bully's band at the school talent show. Krulik has a good feel for the humor that appeals to beginning-chapter-book readers, and Blecha's black-and-white illustrations on nearly every spread expand on the child's zany behavior. Though George hasn't solved his problem by the end of book, he has learned a little about speaking up for himself and making amends for his actions. Give this to fans of Captain Underpants and Horrid Henry.—"Jackie Partch, Multnomah County Library, Portland, OR" Copyright 2010 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.