Yuck's Amazing Underpants

September 1, 2012

Gr 3-4-Each of these books has two stories. Yuck loves his underpants because they are full of germs and getting more disgusting by the day. He's been wearing them for six weeks while feeding the germs with mold. He is in a constant state of revenge against his sister, Polly Princess, who has attempted to get his garment washed. While Polly helps her mom with cleaning, he undoes her good deeds. In the second story, a friendly but scary-looking spider hitches a ride to school with Yuck. When it lands on Polly's sausage at lunch, she screams and tells Principal Reaper, who holds the spider hostage and punishes Yuck. The hilarity begins when Yuck enlists the help of his Army of Spiders. The nastiness is so over-the-top that eventually the humor catches hold. In the second book, Polly's Glitter Girl magazine is slimy, and Polly is convinced that her brother and his slugs are the culprits. Yuck claims that the Slime Monster did it, and, when she steps on one of his slugs, he vows to get even. Next, Yuck isn't invited to Polly's birthday party because last year he ate too much cake and threw up on her presents. While his sister and her friends are playing civilized games downstairs, Yuck decides to have a very different party upstairs with his friends. Both books are filled with humorous illustrations that mirror the repulsive fun. Children who love all things gross might find these books entertaining, but Francesca Simon's "Horrid Henry" books (Sourcebooks) are cleverer, classier, and funnier tales of sibling spitefulness.-Diane McCabe, John Muir Elementary, Santa Monica, CA

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