June 25, 2012

Fake Mustache - by Tom Angleberger

Fake mustaches are dangerous, at least when they are worn by criminal masterminds (even seventh-grade ones).  That is one lesson you can take away from this book.  Another lesson may be, "Never mess with a cowgirl."  Perhaps you'll come away with this piece of wisdom: Just because you're a slightly nerdy, shorter-than-average seventh grader who has no friends except for a criminal mastermind, that doesn't mean you can't save the world.  In other words, this is a pretty funny book.

I love the way this book is told in the first-person by Lenny Flem, Jr., a slightly-unsure-of-him-self teen with a weird friend and weirder family.  When he discovers his friend Casper's evil plot to use his new fake mustache to become President of the United States, it's up to Lenny to stop him.  Good news: Lenny soon enlists the help of Jodie O'Rodeo, teen TV singing cowgirl star (retired).  Bad news:  Because of a tip from Casper, the entire country believes Lenny is a bank robber, and the authorities are hunting for him.  With a little disguise of his own, Lenny soon hatches a plan, and the race is on.

It's a goofy story, but it's funny, well-written, and worth reading.  It's not going to win the Newbery or anything, but will probably make you snort milk out your nose from laughing so hard.  Warning:  Don't drink milk while reading this book.  Or if you do, keep a towel handy.

1 comment:

Fake Mustache said...

Thanks for the post about fake mustaches! I don't really understand this trend, but it's definitely growing in popularity. I made sure to give you a Google +1.