When Sneeze's parents ruin his summer plans to take his latest gizmo to the Invention Convention, and enroll him instead in a summer writing class, he decides to get even by pestering them. He turns this obsession into his class project by producing a book of tested ways to annoy parents. When his classmates want to buy copies, he figures that he can make enough money to go to the convention without his parents. Wardlaw (Seventh-Grade Weirdo, 1992, etc.) works hard to be funny--and often is--but the strain shows occasionally: Sneeze and his friends (Hiccup the hypochondriac, Pierre of the fake French accent, Ace the supercool, etc.) don't become believable--or even likable--until the last 30 pages. The title will hook readers, though, and the ending will satisfy them, while the real list of the 101 ways to bug parents that closes the book is likely to elicit guffaws. (Fiction. 10+)

Gr. 3^-6. How many ways can you think of to bug your parents? If you are Sneeze Wyatt, at least 101, since you see them as your collateral to fame, fortune, and the San Francisco Invention Conference. Forced to take a summer school course called "Recipe for a Book: A Class for Young Writers," Sneeze finds the class clamoring for his parent-tested ideas, which he compiles into a book in spite of his teacher's reservations. Wardlaw has written a funny story with more substance than is evident initially. The death of a parent, job insecurity, gifted children, teacher respect, true friendship, and even intellectual freedom all find play here. Although adults may find Sneeze's suggestions predictable and overdone--after all, we've weighed in on both sides of this issue--children will probably continue to turn the pages just to see whether they've overlooked even one idea. --Frances Bradburn

Gr 4-6‘Twelve-year-old Steve Wyatt, a.k.a. Sneeze, won't be attending the Invention Convention this summer due to a money shortage at home. To make matters worse, his parents have signed him up for a summer school class with the hokey name Recipe for a Book: A Class for Young Authors. A money-making scheme presents itself in the form of a book proposal, 101 Ways to Bug Your Parents, Sneeze's revenge for his ruined summer. Everyone in school wants a copy and is willing to pay. Three-dimensional characters in the form of the narrator's best friend, Hiccup; his nemesis, Goldie Laux; and the mysterious, cool Ace populate this fast, fun read. Sneeze grows in awareness and acceptance of himself and others. The humor and depth of the characters are reminiscent of Louis Sachar's There's a Boy in the Girls' Bathroom (Knopf, 1987). Readers will hope for further adventures with Sneeze and his friends.‘Lisa Von Drasek, Brooklyn Public Library (c) Copyright 2010. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.

'Sneeze,' who needs to earn enough money to attend the inventors' convention where he hopes to sell his latest contraption, decides to write a book that he's sure will be a bestseller -- advice on how to bug your parents. The humor is occasionally strained, the characters are caricatures, and the plot is forced, but readers in the mood for a light couch-potato sitcom will laugh anyway. From HORN BOOK 1996, (c) Copyright 2010. The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.