Melonhead and the Big Stink

July 1, 2010
Gr 3–6—-ising fifth graders Melonhead and Sam are determined to see the titan arum (corpse flower), a plant that weighs 100 pounds, emits a smell like rotting meat, and only blooms once every seven years. The only problem is that they need to get one of their parents to take them to New York City and they can't seem to stay out of trouble. They form the B.I.G F.A.R.T.S.S., a Boys' Improvement Guide for Acting Responsible Till Stink Sunday, to remind themselves to think before acting. Of course, it's not so easy, and they end up throwing curtain rods out of windows, swimming in public fountains, and destroying an elderly woman's prized plant. As a result, Melonhead's mother makes him work for Mrs. Wilkins. Predictably, she turns out to be quite a bit nicer and more generous than Melonhead originally thought. In the end, they do get to see the "bunga bangkai" with Mrs. Wilkins. Some of the characters and their relationships are not fully explained, so familiarity with "Melonhead"(Delacorte, 2009) helps. Readers will enjoy the humorous adventures of a good-hearted boy who makes bad decisions. The short chapters, frequent dialogue, and pencil drawings generously dispersed throughout make this an accessible read for reluctant readers.—"Clare A. Dombrowski, Amesbury Public Library, MA"

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