Beach Party Surf Monkey

February 15, 2017
P.T. Wilkie's adventures at the Wonderland Hotel continue following series opener Home Sweet Hotel (2016).P.T. and his Latina best pal, Gloria Ortega, are still riding high on the fame and fortune earned by their entanglement with the Sneemer brothers. P.T.'s mom and grandfather are financially sound for now, but it isn't long before the fancy hotel next door offers to buy the Wonderland in order to expand. The offer's a good one, and while his mom mulls it over, P.T. takes it upon himself to lure pop star Aidan Tyler and Academy Award-winning teen actress Cassie McGinty (both white) to shoot their surf movie Beach Party Surf Monkey at the Wonderland. Complications arise, high jinks ensue, and laughs abound. While this adventure is a bit less chaotic than the first, it remains just as enjoyable and interesting. It's compulsively readable, pulling readers in with smart characters, well-positioned dynamics, and a relentless pace. While the prior volume felt a bit episodic at times, this entry has a clear structure that builds and falls in all the right places. Plus, there's a monkey. The secondary characters are fleshed out well this time around, and the bothersome teacher Mr. Frumpkes makes a minimal appearance. A worthy sequel that improves upon the original and keeps the good times rolling. (Fiction. 8-12)

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June 1, 2017

Gr 4-6-P.T. Wilkie and the crew from Home Sweet Motel return for a second adventure filled with drama, humor, and Hollywood flair. P.T. and his friend Gloria Ortega live in the Wonderland, a Florida beach motel run by P.T.'s grandfather Walt. The owner of the towering new hotel next door wants to buy the Wonderland. P.T. and Gloria hear about a movie being filmed in their neighborhood featuring two teen stars and YouTube performer Kevin the Monkey, and hoping to save the motel from the scheming hotel owner, they pitch the Wonderland as the perfect venue. Between P.T.'s plan and Gloria's business skills, the pair seem to have a chance, but then they encounter a selfish star, trouble from the rival hotel owner's daughter, and the monkey's surfing antics, leading to humorous and dramatic outcomes. The high jinks are nonstop, and the characters are engaging, if lightly sketched. Frequent cartoons and illustrations add to the humor and exaggerated characterizations. Fans of Grabenstein's other books, including several cowritten with James Patterson, will enjoy the humor, the fast-talking protagonist, and the escapades. VERDICT A quick, funny read, perfect for summer vacation.-Beth L. Meister, Milwaukee Jewish Day School, WI

Copyright 2017 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

February 15, 2017
Grades 3-6 Things are looking up for the Wonderland Motel. Not only did P. T. and his friend Gloria save the family business by forestalling foreclosure in Welcome to Wonderland (2016), they've persuaded a Hollywood director to shoot his new film there. What could go wrong? Nearly everything! A pop star who can't act is upstaged by a monkey who can. Filming stops when the monkey is kidnapped. And the oily, land-hungry entrepreneur who owns the luxury hotel next door is making tempting offers to buy the vintage motel. Only an all-out battle of wits and gumption can save the movie and the Wonderland. Known for the Mr. Lemoncello's Library books as well as several series (I Funny, Treasure Hunters) coauthored with James Patterson, Grabenstein continues the adventures of P. T. and Gloria with a fast-paced, highly readable story that delivers humor, adventure, a bit of mystery, and plenty of fun in the Florida sun. Will the series continue? What are the odds that, once again, catastrophe will threaten the Wonderland? Stay tuned. HIGH-DEMAND BACKSTORY: Grabenstein has emerged as a middle-grade powerhouse, evidenced by a national author tour, online chats, floor displays, summer camp promotions (!), and more.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2017, American Library Association.)