From School Library Journal
Grade 5-7 --The town of Learning faces its arch-rival Pratt Falls in a spring basketball game, but because of lack of height, the Learning Groundhogs look like sure losers. Then Rob and Soup meet Piffle Shootensinker, a seven-foot native of Pretzelstein, and discover that Piffle can play basketball when he hears the music of his beloved spitzentootle. Soup sets about planting a simulated spitzentootle in the high school on the day of the big game, hoping that it will inspire Piff and their team to victory. The "Soup" series shows some signs of getting cold. In this episode, Peck abandons the traditional pastoral hijinks and concocts a plot that strains credulity as much as any 19th-century Viennese operetta. However, the old standby, Janice Riker, is on hand to get dumped in molasses and smash the spitzentootle into crates of fireworks and generally provide the anarchy that Soup's fans expect. So, although this is tepid Soup, for avid fans it might be better than no Soup at all. --Todd Morning, Schaumburg Township Public Library, IL
Copyright 1990 Reed Business Information, Inc.
--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
From the Publisher
Swish! Soup and Rob have basketball fever. The entire town of Learning, Vermont, is psyched up for the big game against their archrival, Pratt Falls. But there's trouble. The Learning Groundhogs' star center, Shorty Smith, has sprained his ankle.
Soup and Rob have a plan. Their new friend Piffle Shootensinker, a seven-foot-tall European basketball star from Pretzelstein, has just moved to town. Piff has a problem. He's homesick, he misses his dog, and can sink a basket only when he hears the music of his homeland on the spitzentootle. What's a spinzentootle? It doesn't take Rob and Soup long to learn. Can they locate one (and also find a dog) in time to inspire Piff to lead the Learning Groundhogs to victory?
--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.