M is for Mama's Boy (NERDS Book Two)

August 15, 2010
Turncoat former member of National Espionage Rescue & Defense Society (aka NERDS) Simon (once known as "Choppers"), who can hypnotize with his enormous buckteeth, craves revenge against his erstwhile teammates, enhanced fifth graders whose weaknesses have become superstrengths. Simon recruits Albert Nesbit, a 37-year-old mama's boy and computer genius, to create a machine that will control all computers. When Albert zaps the NERDS team, the nanobytes in their bodies that give them their superskills go haywire. Most members rely on their training to continue their spy work, but Duncan "Gluestick" Dewey is in crisis (and requires several "man up" talks from various bosses and cohorts). Can the NERDS (especially Duncan) save the world by defeating Simon, Albert and, most frightening of all, Albert's overprotective mother? Peppered with lessons on cracking codes, ciphers and invisible ink, the second adventure in Buckley's silly spy-kids spoof is as frenetically goofy as the first. Beaver's illustrations and Chad W. Beckerman's art direction make for a terrific package for reluctant readers or book lovers out for thrills, gadgets and larfs. (Adventure. 8-12)

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December 1, 2010

Gr 5-7-Duncan (aka Gluestick) and his fellow NERDS are back for a second wacky caper. The fifth-grade superspies are called into action after a series of unusual bank heists, all committed by a masked criminal who appears to mesmerize his victims. They recognize their traitorous former comrade Simon ("Choppers"), whose ability to control minds with his enormous buckteeth is a useful skill for a would-be supervillain. Following his humiliating defeat in NERDS (Abrams, 2009), Simon has returned to seek revenge against his former teammates and, incidentally, to conquer the world. His adult ally in this fiendish plot is an obese computer whiz with an addiction to superhero comics. Albert, who still lives in his mother's basement, yearns for real superpowers of his own. Simon promises to provide them-if his new minion can figure out a way to nullify the NERDS. Without their special powers, how can the NERDS foil Simon's evil scheme? Like the first story, this one is presented as a secret spy file. Buckley periodically breaks page to address readers directly with humorously sarcastic comments and coded messages that must be solved before proceeding. The action-filled, black-and-white cartoon illustrations add to the fun. Fans of the first book will welcome this new adventure.-Elaine E. Knight, Lincoln Elementary Schools, IL

Copyright 2010 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

September 15, 2010
Grades 4-7 The NERDS are a crack team of fifth-grade operatives who work on government missions from a secret headquarters in their schools basement. Each NERD team member has superhuman abilities, and even though they are picked on in school, they frequently represent humankinds best hope. To this funny premise, Buckley adds many hilarious lines and situations. This time, the superspies face a 37-year-old computer genius who lives in his mothers basement and a former NERD gone rogue, both of whom team up to strip the NERDS of their superpowers. Fans of the first novel will find even more laughs here.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2010, American Library Association.)