Judy Moody & Stink in the School’s Out Collection. Megan McDonald. Illustrated by Peter H. Reynolds. Somerville, MA: Candlewick Press (Distributed in Canada by Random House of Canada), 2007/2014. 3 vol., boxed set, $24.00. ISBN 978-0-7636-8018-3. Contents: The Holly Joliday. (Judy Moody & Stink). Megan McDonald. Illustrated by Peter H. Reynolds. Somerville, MA: Candlewick Press (Distributed in Canada by Random House of Canada), 2007/2008. 84 pp., pbk., $7.50. ISBN 978-0-7636-4113-9. The Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad Treasure Hunt. (Judy Moody & Stink). Megan McDonald. Illustrated by Peter H. Reynolds. Somerville, MA: Candlewick Press (Distributed in Canada by Random House of Canada), 2009/2010. 116 pp., pbk., $8.00. ISBN 978-0-7636-4351-5. The Big Bad Blackout. (Judy Moody & Stink). Megan McDonald. Illustrated by Peter H. Reynolds. Somerville, MA: Candlewick Press (Distributed in Canada by Random House of Canada), 2014. 130 pp., pbk., $8.00. ISBN 978-0-7636-7665-0. See review at Vol. XXI, No. 37, May 29, 2015. Grades 2-5 / Ages 7-10. Review by Crystal Sutherland. **** /4

excerpt:

“Stink, you’re wearing that striped pirate shirt again? Didn’t you even take a bath?”

“Pirates don’t take baths,” said Stink. “Here, smell my armpit.”

“Gross! You smell worse than a pirate’s monkey on a poop deck!”

“Yar,” said Stink.

After Mom and Dad woke up, drank buckets of coffee, and read the paper for a year, they took Judy and Stink to Silver Lake Harbor, where the treasure hunt was about to begin.’ (From The Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad Treasure Hunt.)



‘“That’s it? Just one thing? Snow? That’s not even a present.”

“That’s all I want.”

“Not even snow boots or a snow hat or snow pants of snowshoes or a snowboard?”

“Nope.”

“Not even an inflatable igloo with fake snowballs?”

“Nope.”

“Not even a snow-globe kit or a snow-cone machine?”

“Actually, a snow-cone machine would be nice. But now. All I really want is snow.” (From The Holly Joliday)

The Judy Moody & Stink in the School’s Out Collection is full of what Judy Moody and Stink do best: they keep things fun by finding adventure while staying out of trouble… mostly.

      In The Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad Treasure Hunt, it may be summer vacation, but that doesn’t mean Judy Moody and Stink will be relaxing. On arriving at Artichoke Island, and after Stink recovers from a bad case of sea sickness, they discover a pirate with the last name of Moody. They must be related! A treasure hunt being held is the perfect opportunity for Judy and Stink to prove they have pirates in their family tree!

      After reviewing a list or rules, and nixing rule #6 claiming girls can’t be pirates (because Judy knows the names of famous female pirates, #6 is a rule made to be broken), Judy and Stink are off on their pirate quest, racing against another brother-sister team (‘tall boy’ and ‘smart girl’). Readers will enjoy cheering on Judy and Stink while solving the puzzles along with them, and maybe inspired to create some of their own.

      In The Holly Joliday, Stink has a short but not so simple Christmas wish list; he’s dreaming of a white Christmas. For many, the idea of Christmas without snow would seem odd, but Judy Moody and Stink live in Virginia where snow really would be a miracle. Judy Moody tells her little brother to give up on the idea, but when a new postman named Jack Frost turns up, it becomes impossible to convince Stink to put something a little more realistic, or at least something found in stores, on his Christmas list. His family does the best they can: when Stink’s asleep, they scatter handmade paper snowflakes everywhere, hoping he won’t be disappointed. They wake up to a Hawaiian-themed Christmas, and two special deliveries from Jack Frost and a Christmas no one will forget.

      The third book, The Big Bad Blackout, has been previously reviewed in CM, but the glow-in-the-dark cover is not included in this three volume set.

      Readers will have blast following Judy and Stink as they make their own adventures, whether it’s proving themselves worthy pirate opponents, making the nearly impossible happen at Christmas, or keeping busy while the power’s out. Numerous full-colour, full-page illustrations add to the stories, often portraying Judy and Stink at their silliest. Judy and Stink’s adventures will surely inspire readers to create some of their own.

Highly Recommended.

Crystal Sutherland is a MEd (Literacy) and MLIS graduate living in Halifax, NS.

To comment on this title or this review, send mail to cm@umanitoba.ca.

Copyright © the Manitoba Library Association. Reproduction for personal use is permitted only if this copyright notice is maintained. Any other reproduction is prohibited without permission.

Published by The Manitoba Library Association ISSN 1201-9364

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