From School Library Journal
Grade 5-9–This sequel to
Running with the Reservoir Pups, with a marvelously over-the-top plot and likable, down-to-earth main characters, resembles a well-crafted PG romp like
Spy Kids. Eddie, of Belfast, Northern Ireland, dreams of leading a gang more fearsome than the Mafia, but so far has only one follower, his friend Mo, leader (in her own mind) of the nonexistent Andytown Albinos. He despises his mother's new boyfriend, but his greatest traumas involve avoiding members of a rival gang and starting at a new school that requires students to wear unattractive uniforms. The author is not at all concerned with political correctness: Eddie was wearing his bright purple blazer. He looked like an idiot. A big girl idiot. Life becomes more complicated with the appearance of Pat, an orphan who witnessed the theft of the martyred Oliver Plunkett's head from St. Peter's church. Feeling guilty because he didn't stop the crime, he's convinced that he will go to Hell if it isn't returned before the Pope's impending visit. Plot turns worthy of an adult thriller keep the pages turning, and Bateman's light touch keeps the violence from seeming as frightening as it otherwise might. Secondary characters play notable roles, ranging from a dastardly Bishop and an unscrupulous reporter to a heroic crossing guard and Eddie's bomb-making classmate. A first-rate achievement, and a truly comic novel with a plot that never lets up.
–Coop Renner, Hillside Elementary, El Paso, TX Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
Gr. 4-7. Eddie Malone, first seen in
Running with the Reservoir Pups (2004), is back in this second book of a projected trilogy. Eddie, now 12, is being sent against his will to a posh private school in Belfast. In addition to Eddie's well-portrayed troubles at school and his growing crush on his friend Mo, a savvy, sarcastic albino girl, Bateman adds a plot involving two orphans who witness the theft of the preserved head of an Irish martyr and try to reclaim the relic. Gangsters and other loopy adults (sex-starved parents, sadistic teachers, evil newspaper reporters) abound, as do evil children, who are trying to thwart the "no name gang" of three. There's nothing subtle here, and much that is specifically Irish and Catholic, but readers already familiar with Eddie will enjoy Bateman's wry humor, nutty characters, and swift-moving plot. The many references for readers new to the series make for a somewhat slow start, but the story quickly builds to a swift pace and wild finale.
Debbie CartonCopyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved
