Showoff

December 15, 2011
Intrepid man-with-a-plan Griffin is up to his old tricks in his fourth outing, accompanied by a cast of patient middle-school best friends, all on a mission to save an overly energetic dog. After Savannah's gigantic Doberman, Luthor, inexplicably trashes a public appearance by show dog Electra, resulting in an unfortunate tail injury to the valuable beagle, Electra's owner sues her family and she's forced to relinquish her beloved pet to the animal shelter. Classmates Griffin and Ben bring the dog home, which is not too difficult since Griffin's parents are touring Europe, trying to sell a quirky new invention. All the boys need to do is hide Luthor in Griffin's garage, train him, win a dog show championship and then turn the money that will pour in afterward over to Electra's owner. If this scheme sounds highly improbable, well, that's half the fun. Eventually, they end up at the world's grandest dog show, with Luthor competing for the championship--if only they can thwart the wily criminal who's trying to upset their efforts. This tale stands alone well, with marginal character development taking second place to the narrative's nearly believable twists and turns. Ample dog-show details will appeal to pet enthusiasts. A bumpy, plot-driven ride that moves along at a brisk pace, enthusiastically catapulting toward a potentially disastrous and hilarious conclusion. (Fiction. 8-12)

(COPYRIGHT (2011) KIRKUS REVIEWS/NIELSEN BUSINESS MEDIA, INC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.)

May 1, 2012

Gr 5-7-Former attack dog Luthor is in the brig for disrupting a dog show and injuring top contender Electra, and her owners are suing Savannah Drysdale's family for seven million dollars. Meanwhile, Savannah's friend Griffin is staying at Ben's house for a summerlong sleepover while his parents are in Europe trying to sell his dad's latest invention, the Spritz-O-Matic. Knowing Griffin, Ben's mom is sure that something will go wrong, but he has assured her that he has absolutely no "Plans." But they just have to save Luthor from the fate that befalls all dogs left at the pound, don't they? And they can't really do that without a Plan, can they? Newest in the much-loved stories about "The Man with the Plan," Showoff will please current fans and is also great as a stand-alone. Zany and full of wild, unpredictable turns, the action never stops. Hilarious moments with Luthor, a Doberman "the size of a small pony," abound. A fun read that will keep even reluctant readers immersed in the story.-Terry Ann Lawler, Phoenix Public Library, AZ

Copyright 2012 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

January 1, 2012
Grades 3-6 When Savannah takes her huge, lumbering Doberman, Luthor, to see a champion dog show, it proves to be an ill-conceived move. Luthor causes a stage to collapse, injuring the three-time national champion, and resulting in a massive lawsuit against Savannah's parents. Fortunately, Griffin Bing, the Man with the Plan, is on hand. Griffin and his friend Ben rescue Luthor from the pound and, unlikely as it seems, turn him into a champion show dog. The plotwhich combines elements of farce and mysteryis entertaining and features the same characters as Korman's three previous Man with the Plan books.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2012, American Library Association.)