Fake Mustache - a review

Angleberger, Tom. 2012. Fake Mustache: How Jodie O'Rodeo and her Wonder Horse (and some nerdy kid) Saved the U.S. Presidential Election from a Mad Genius Criminal Mastermind. New York: Amulet.

(Advance Reader Copy supplied by publisher)


With another impossibly long title (who can forget last year's hilarious Horton Halfpott: Or, The Fiendish Mystery of Smugwick Manor; or, The Loosening of M'Lady Luggertuck's Corset?), Tom Angleberger is ready to unleash another load of laughs on eagerly waiting middle schoolers in Fake Mustache: How Jodie O'Rodeo and her Wonder Horse (and some nerdy kid) Saved the U.S. Presidential Election from a Mad Genius Criminal Mastermind.

In retrospect, 7th grader, Lenny Flem, Jr., realizes that he never should have loaned his friend Casper Bengue, the ten dollars to buy the Heidelberg Handlebar Number Seven from Hairsprinkle's own Sven's Fair Price Store.  The mustache, combined with the "man-about-town" suit purchased at Chauncey's Big & Small, Short & Tall Shop, enable a chain of events that threaten the town of Hairsprinkle, the presidential election and especially, Lenny Flem, Jr.  A cast of zany characters, including washed-up teen rodeo queen, Jodie O'Rodeo, fill out this funny, improbable adventure story.

Midway through the story, the first-person narration switches from Lenny to Jodie, so the reader doesn't miss any of the action.  Angleberger's humor can be blatantly obvious, as in the "first-ever billion-dollar bank robbery" "carried out by a gang of strolling accordion players," or hidden away for those who take notice. 

One chapter ends,

"No, thanks," I told the mime. "You clowns can either let us both go or get your heinies kicked.  What'll it be?"
"First of all, I'm not a clown.  I'm a mime.  Second of all, do you really think you can kick the heinies of Hairsprinkle's top ten karate instructors?"
"I only see five."
"Look behind you." 

And what, you ask, is the title of the next chapter?  Why, "Behind Me," of course!

Kids looking for a quick and goofy read will devour this book as quickly as a Hairsprinkle Hot Dog!

I look forward to seeing the finished artwork, which was not ready in time for the printing of this Advance Reader Copy.

Note: Just in case you're disappointed with our own election season and are seeking another choice, Tom Angleberger has got you covered.  Get your Vote Fako! bumper sticker.  Heck, he'll even throw in a free mustache (but not the Heidelberg Handlebar Number Seven - it's simply too dangerous!)
 
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Coming to a bookshelf near you on April 1st.

See How They Run: Campaign Dreams, Election Schemes, and the Race to the White House

Goodman, Susan E. 2008. See how they run: Campaign dreams, election schemes, and the race to the White House. Ill. By Elwood H. Smith. New York: Bloomsbury.

A timely book about presidential campaigns, See How They Run is as entertaining as it is informative. This is a primer on campaign politics that explains the basics of presidential elections, as well as the other non-traditional routes to the presidency. (i.e., impeachment, resignation, assassination) The format is engaging and easy to understand, “when we vote for president and vice president, we’re actually voting for a person called an elector. Electors are the ones who elect the president. What’s going on here? How did the writers, or framers, of the Constitution come up with this one? Once again, our Founding Fathers were worried that the American public couldn’t’ or wouldn’t learn about the different candidates. Don’t forget back then people didn’t have TV news or even political parties to supply information. So they gave us electors, who would learn about the candidates and vote for us.” But don’t let this simple explanation lead you to believe that See How They Run glosses over the rough spots. Goodman helps young readers to understand third party politics (“Party Crashers”), election financing and campaigning, (“George Washington ran fro the Virginia state legislature twice and lost twice. The third time was the charm. In 1758, he treated voters to 160 gallons of alcohol and got elected!”), and other more notorious events in presidential campaigning (the Watergate break-in and the famous Boss Tweed, “vote early and often”)

Humorous cartoons by Elwood Smith break up the text and teach political satire. Photos of famous movers, shakers, and candidates are featured as insets, as well as blocks featuring the wisdom of Ben Franklin, “nothing but money is sweeter than honey.”

See How They Run concludes with “A Preachy but True Ending,” a plea for young people to take an interest in the political process.

This should be required reading for 4th grade to adult!

Contains an introduction, five chapters, presidential facts and photos, a glossary, sources and resources, and an index.