The Best of Iggy

October 14, 2019
“All of us do things we wish we hadn’t done” begins this lively illustrated series opener about Iggy Frangi, a mischievous, good-hearted nine-year-old who frequently lands himself in trouble and only sometimes regrets it. The omniscient narrator describes Iggy’s world with a dry tone (“He has to stay in his room until dinnertime. It’s two thirty in the afternoon”), detailing the events—described as “extenuating circumstances”—that have contributed to Iggy’s ill-advised actions. Short chapters tell the story of three occurrences: Iggy inadvertently goading Jeremy Greerson into jumping off the roof onto a trampoline, raiding the family medicine cabinet for an overzealous prank, and racing classroom desks toward an unsuspecting fourth-grade teacher. Of the three, the last inspires regret and thoughtful introspection. With Iggy, Barrows (the Ivy and Bean series) has created a realistic kid—passionate, funny, and sometimes misguided—whom readers will surely root for as he gains awareness of the relationship between choices and consequences. Black-and-white illustrations by Ricks highlight Iggy’s antic nature. Ages 8–12. Author’s agent: Liza Dawson, Liza Dawson Assoc. Illustrator’s agent: Minju Chang, BookStop Literary.

November 1, 2019
The portrait of a boy as a young rascal: Iggy doesn't really mean to be "bad," does he? A narrator in an amusing direct address and somewhat adult voice serves as both apologist and somewhat bemused observer of three incidents recounted in 20 very short chapters. Iggy Frangi is 9 and in fourth grade. He likes his teacher and tolerates his family--mother, father, sisters Maribel (older) and Molly (younger). Like many people his age, Iggy doesn't realize that something is wrong with what he is doing until either he is in the middle of doing it (and is reprimanded) or until it's too late. Ricks' cartoon illustrations portray Iggy and his family as white-presenting and his lively friends as slim boys with dark skin of various shades. In the first story Iggy defends his own honor and dignity with a strategy involving a skateboard, ladder, and trampoline in a way that only just avoids complete disaster. In the second, Iggy's flair for going big gets slightly out of hand when he "los[es] his mind" in an incident involving shaving cream and lipstick. The third story involves his teacher and a minor injury and is an incident Iggy regrets "even years later." Authorial asides combine with amusing cartoons (the universal strikethrough symbol is enlivened by repetitions of "nope" forming the outer circle) to enlist readers as co-conspirators. Funny, silly, and fairly empathetic--and perhaps even consoling to young, impulsive people who hope to be better (someday). (Fiction. 7-10)

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December 1, 2019

Gr 3-7-Iggy isn't a bad kid-he just lives by the motto "It Seemed Like a Good Idea at the Time." He blames his friends, his parents, his teacher, but will he ever take responsibility for his actions? Scene transitions feel choppy, but the plot is amusing and Iggy is relatable-though mischievous, he's a good kid deep down. While character development is thin, the cast is engaging and grows on the reader. Funny, detailed illustrations complement the text well, though the font may be difficult to read for some. VERDICT Fans of Barrows's "Ivy + Bean" series and books about kids who often find themselves landing in trouble will appreciate this laugh-out-loud tale. For libraries where humorous realistic fiction is popular.-Kira Moody, Salt Lake County Library Services

Copyright 2019 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

Starred review from November 15, 2019
Grades 2-5 *Starred Review* Meet Iggy, a mostly good fourth-grader who frequently gets in trouble. As the story opens, he's confined to his bedroom because his parents have (from his point of view) misunderstood the extenuating circumstances that led him to threaten another boy and follow him up the ladder to the shed roof, from which the other boy, screaming, ?Hellllllp, ' leapt onto the trampoline below. The book's narrator, who has nearly as large and colorful a presence here as Iggy, frames the story around people's regrets for their actions. Using three examples involving Iggy, she differentiates between the things he wishes he hadn't just gotten caught doing, things he wishes he hadn't done quite so much, and things he really, really wishes he hadn't done at all. Desk racing, which falls into the latter category, ended with Iggy injuring his favorite teacher, crying, and feeling bad whenever he remembered the incident. Writing with a droll sense of humor, Barrows ensures that kids will enjoy Iggy's antics and perhaps even reflect a bit. Ricks' expressive, zany, black-and-white illustrations capture chaos and amplify the fun. The first of a series, this slender chapter book is inviting to pick up, hard to put down, and near-impossible to read without laughing out loud.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2019, American Library Association.)