Harry the Poisonous Centipede

July 31, 1997
Despite his mother's warnings to stay close to their home deep inside the earth, Harry the centipede is anxious to visit the "no-top-world," where centipedes are "not the biggest thing around, by any means--or even the fastest!" His mother's scary stories about "flying swoopers," "furry biters," and the dreaded "Hoo-mins" are not enough to dissuade the curious centipede from joining his mischievous friend, George, on forbidden excursions upward. The two have some close calls with monstrous creatures, but manage to outwit their enemies before embarking on their most dangerous journey of all: climbing up the very drain pipe that led Harry's unfortunate father to his untimely death. Banks (The Indian in the Cupboard), presents a slight, episodic picture of Harry's home life and many perils on the earth surface. The plot has the simplicity of a chapter book, but the structure seems geared to older readers. The ideal audience is hard to imagine. Illustrations not seen by PW. Ages 8-up.

September 1, 1997
Gr 3-4-Harry is warned by his mother, Belinda, never to ascend the mysterious "Up Pipe" (drain) or to travel to the "no-top-world" (surface) where the Hoo-Mins (humans) live. Still, encouraged by his fearless friend George, the two centipedes make several trips to these destinations, where they encounter dangerous creatures and barely make it home with their cuticles intact. Later on, when smoke invades their tunnel, the two frantically crawl through the "Up Pipe" and discover a gigantic "meat mountain" that they soon realize is a sleeping Hoo-Min. They escape just in time to scuttle down the pipe and revive the smoke-struck Belinda. Having learned the difference between bravery and foolhardiness, they live happily ever after. This simplistic fantasy is a stretch for even the most accepting readers. The characters never develop but remain insects who have human characteristics uncomfortably imposed upon them. The author is often didactic, defining potentially unfamiliar words or explaining the anatomy of centipedes. The humor is more silly than funny, and this attempt to present things through the eyes of insects is far-fetched and uninteresting. A disappointingly dull book.-Wendy D. Caldiero, New York Public Library

September 15, 1997
Gr. 3^-5. Young centipedes have a lot to learn about the dangers around them--there's water to drown in, the world above with no top on it can dry out a centi's moist surface, and, worst of all, there are Hoo-Mins. Harry (whose name in centipedish is Hxzltl) wants to follow his mother's instructions, but his friend George skillfully goads him into misbehaving. The two centis have several close calls, and their final one will make most readers squirm just like the subtitle says. Banks repeats the phrase "It was really a . . ., but they didn't know that" a few times too many, but, with its short chapters, large type, plentiful funny line drawings, and some laugh-out-loud moments, this is a surefire winner for the third-and fourth-grade crowd. Great for reading aloud, but children may not be willing to wait for the next installment and may have to continue on alone. ((Reviewed September 15, 1997))(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 1997, American Library Association.)