Mutant Rat Attack!

January 9, 2017
Cooper, illustrator of the Food Trucks! board book, makes his debut as author with a whirlwind, Spy Kids–esque adventure, first in the Spy Next Door series. Dex Drabner’s dull life in Girder City gets substantially more exciting after the third grader stumbles into a plot involving flatulent rats and radioactive broccoli, then joins an underground organization of young secret agents, the Super-Secret Spy Kids. Cooper’s b&w cartoons fill the pages, crammed with puns and jokey asides (“Chard!” shouts Dex as he attempts to take down a giant mutant rat with a Gas-B-Gone pill). Much like Dex aboard his flying skateboard, the jokes don’t always stick their landings, but fans of over-the-top slapstick silliness will find plenty to laugh over. Ages 7–10. Agent: Teresa Kietlinski, Bookmark Literary.

November 1, 2016
Until recently, Dexter Drabner only dreamed of being a world-famous secret spy. But when a mysterious, mustachioed man gives Dexter's science teacher radioactive broccoli to feed his pet rat for an experiment on harnessing rat gas as a natural energy resource, the white third-grader must find his inner hero to save his school from destruction. While the hyperenergetic illustrations and running fart joke will likely appeal to some young readers, especially boys who may otherwise be reluctant to pick up a book, the plot feels both rushed and underdeveloped. Far too much time is spent on flatulent rats and far too little time on key topics like Dexter's spy training. And whatever happened to the mustache man? He is all but forgotten until a mention on the very last page. The story does, however, have some strengths. Though it is not integral to the plot, it is refreshing to see some diversity suggested in illustrations of the classroom. Additionally, girls will appreciate white seventh-grader Big K, Dexter's handler and a strong, sassy female character. Agent B.O.A.R.D., a souped-up skateboard and Dexter's crime-fighting partner, is a cool gadget with lots of potential for fun. And then there is Dexter, an unassuming Everykid whose willingness to jump right in and save his school makes him easy to root for. A gassed-up, gaseous spy story without much spying. (Adventure. 7-12)

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November 1, 2016

Gr 3-5-Unlike the plethora of books featuring secret agents and dangerous missions, this one centers on an artificial intelligence skateboard and a spy leader with an eye patch. Dexter, a very boring student with very boring parents, wishes for a life of adventure and accidentally finds it. Dexter stumbles upon a secret meeting between his eccentric science teacher, who is trying to harness the electrical power of rat farts, and an unidentified mustachioed man with gamma broccoli and a probably nefarious plan. It is up to Dexter to become the next kid agent, along with a skateboard sidekick, to keep his school safe after the rats become mutated and wreak havoc. With illustrations littered throughout, this will appeal to reluctant readers, with irreverent humor and action that will keep kids turning the pages and waiting anxiously for Agent SK8's next outing. VERDICT Good for general purchase or for collections lacking in "Captain Underpants" read-alikes.-Ashley Prior, Lincoln Public Library, RI

Copyright 2016 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

December 15, 2016
Grades 2-4 Third-grader Dexter is impossibly boring. There's nothing special about him, unlike Dexter's idol, Toby Falcon, a world-famous professional skateboarder and star of the Skate Spy movies. Things change when science teacher Mr. McFur makes the incredible discovery that rat farts can produce energy. With the help of an intelligent skateboard, Dexter is recruited by the Super-Secret Spy Kids Local Girder City Chapter to be a spy in disguise, just like Toby Falcon. His first mission is to stop a rampaging giant mutant rat and recover a cluster of illegal radioactive gamma broccoli. Cartoonish grayscale illustrations dominate the pages, making this series starter a quick read. The irreverent humor in the text is mirrored in the exaggerated characters and their over-the-top facial expressions. The narrative loses its continuity at times, but there's plenty of high-tech gadgets and fast-paced chases to keep readers engaged. Chock-full of lowbrow potty humor, this giggle-inducing, skateboarding adventure will have great appeal for fans of Dav Pilkey's Captain Underpants series.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2016, American Library Association.)