From Publishers Weekly
Hawes's first book is a collection of six blithe comedies, illustrated by Dodson's energetic, tuned-in drawings. Each story involves Nelson Malone, 11, in a stupendous adventure. "Samantha," for one, concerns magic that saves the boy from the embarrassment of taking his only pet, a hermit crab, to compete with classmates' glamorous animals at the school's Pet Day. A sympathetic neighbor, studying witchcraft, lends Nelson her huge snake Samantha and "ssssshe's" a "sssensssation," causing chaos but winning the prize. In "The Man From Mush-Nut," Nelson's appetite for a candy bar brings him an offer to advertise Mush-Nuts on TV. Although his career is cut short, the experience pays off with a neat, unexpected bonus. Crackling dialogue and the author's affinity with young people add spirit to doings. Readers will hope to find more titles by Hawes after this debut.
Copyright 1987 Reed Business Information, Inc.
--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
From School Library Journal
Grade 4 The unexpected intrudes into 11-year-old Nelson Malone's life in each of these 6 stories. Nelson wants something more exciting than a hermit crab for the pet showand he gets a witch's familiar. Tinkering with his pocket calculator and a doll, Nelson creates an erratic homework machine. Summer camp is run by aliens from another planet. A video game about dental health almost swallows Nelson. Encounters with magic sneakers and mushroom-filled candy complete the lighthearted but forgettable stories. Nelson is a bit like Peter from Judy Blume's Tales of a Fourth Grade Nothing (Dutton, 1972) and a bit like Simon's Einstein Anderson (Viking). The stories are essentially comedy with the fantasy elements reduced to one-line jokes. They are enjoyable as long as readers consume them as they would Mush-Nut candy bars, without pausing to think about the filling. Carolyn Caywood, Virginia Beach Public Lib .
Copyright 1986 Reed Business Information, Inc.
--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
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