School Library Journal
K-Gr 3
Abigail (the Great One) and Jake (the Pain) are back. The theme for this book is traveling, whether it is as close as the local mall, showcasing the Pain's attempt to walk down the up escalator, or as far as the Florida Everglades, where the Great One tries to keep from being bitten by alligators by wearing her leather cowboy boots. An emergency room trip to get a pussy willow removed from the Pain's nose will make readers laugh out loud. The nine short stories beautifully capture the experiences of siblings who love one another but who don't always get along. Their long-suffering cat, Fluzzy, gets his own chapter at the end. Stevenson's drawings perfectly complement the tales. Blume has delivered another funny story collection about two memorable characters.-Kathleen Meulen, Blakely Elementary School, Bainbridge Island, WA
Kirkus Reviews
First- and third-graders Jake and Abigail alternate as narrators to describe a series of trips: boogie boarding at the beach, riding the Gravitron at an amusement park, visiting the emergency room, losing each other in the mall and canoeing the Everglades. The focus is always on the siblings, although adults-extended family and in one case a babysitter-accompany them. A bonus episode is told by the cat, Fluzzy, whose response to their trips is completely convincing. Each story is simply told with quiet humor, sometimes more a vignette than a rounded narrative-but, as always, Blume gets right to the hearts of her characters, revealing their fears, their resentments and their affection for each other. Stevenson's grey-washed cartoon illustrations enliven the pages. Each chapter can stand on its own, making this particularly accessible for the struggling reader. This is the third of a projected quartet of chapter books, sure to be welcomed as enthusiastically as its predecessors were. (Fiction. 6-9)
OCTOBER 2008 - AudioFile
Clearly Kathleen McInerney must have experienced firsthand how young children struggle for power. She captures the know-it-all attitude of older sister Abigail (The Great One—“because she thinks she's so great") and the annoyance of her younger brother, Jake (the Pain). Their quarrelsome behavior will sound familiar to many children and their parents. The two vie to manipulate their grandparents for gifts, fight for their parents' attention, and tease each other endlessly. Yet mutual caring shines through. Abigail performs heroically when Jake gets a pussy willow stuck up his nose and helps look for him when he goes missing at the mall. Lovely nuances make this an enjoyable listening experience for families. S.W. © AudioFile 2008, Portland, Maine