Melonhead And The Big Stink Katy Kelly by Katy Kelly 9780385736589, 0385736584 instant download after payment.

Grade 3-6 Rising 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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The life lesson Adam Melon (Melonhead, 2009) has the most trouble learning is to think before he acts. No need to think too long before picking up this satisfying sequel though, because as summer vacation kicks off for this “now official” fifth-grader and his friends in Washington, D.C., the fun is in bloom. In an attempt to keep his excessive enthusiasm in check, Adam's mom presents him with a “Remind-O-Rama,” and her campaign, which results in a ladybug-infested kitchen and a painted baby, makes for hilarious reading. Grades 3-5. --Andrew Medlar