The Bathwater Gang

May 1, 1990
Gr 1-3- -Eleven short chapters plus black-line illustrations develop a slight story about Bertie Kidd. She tells her energetic grandmother that she is bored on the second day of summer vacation, and her grandmother suggests that she start a gang. Fifty-nine girls gather for free pizza but only two show up at the first club meeting; the boys form a counter gang and mischief ensues. Finally, a free-for-all mud fight (with Granny improbably unrecognized under all that mud) convinces everyone that it is more fun to do things together. The title refers to the new gang's purpose: providing a mobile pet washing service. A book that's light, entertaining, and broadly limned for readers not quite ready for more substantial fare such as Janice Lee Smith's "Adam Joshua" stories or Ann Cameron's "Julian" series. -Susan Hepler, Alexandria City Public Schools, VA

January 1, 1990
Bored at the start of summer vacation, Bertie takes her Granny's advice and starts a gang. Humor, harmless practical jokes, and a mud-throwing fest follow. This is light, fun fare; the full-page sketches are broadly humorous.

(Copyright 1990 by The Horn Book, Incorporated, Boston. All rights reserved.)