The Terrible Two by Jory John and Mac Barnett

Summary:  Have you every wished that you could pull the biggest prank on a friend or even on your school?  Instead of facing a heap of trouble, I suggest you join Miles as he attempts to prank his new school. Let him take the heat. 

Miles is a pranking genius.  Just when he has all his pranks lined up for his new school, he has to move across the country to boring Yawnee Valley.  A place known for having lots of cows.  Ready to make his mark as a prankster at his new school, he arrives to find that someone has beat him to it.  His new principal's car is parked in front of the school's main entrance.  In a panic, the principal forget they have a back entrance and instructs the students to crawl through his car to enter the school.  He notices the new kids, Miles, and instantly accuses him of the prank.  Will Miles make his mark as a prankster at his new school or has someone else already filled this identity?  Read The Terrible Two to find out.

My Impression:  I loved this book. This book is full of exciting twists and turns.  Kids that like Diary of a Wimpy Kid and Big Nate are sure to be fans of this new series.  Great for students 3rd grade and up.  I would even suggest this to a 2nd grader with a high reading level.  This is bound to be a library favorite.

Suggestions:  If you like The Terrible Two you should try the Tapper Twins series by Geoff Rodkey and P.I.C.K.L.E. by Kim Baker.

Reviews:
Booklist (January 1, 2015 (Vol. 111, No. 9))

Grades 4-6. Miles Murphy isn’t happy about moving to small Yawnee Valley (Welcome sign: “Come look at our cows”) or leaving his friends, but he is determined to be Yawnee Valley Science and Letters Academy’s number one prankster, the title he proudly held at his old school. He is facing serious competition, however, when an anonymous—and, Miles admits, inspired—trickster delays the first day of school by somehow blocking the school’s entryway with the principal’s car. Worse, aptly named Principal Barkin blames Miles and pairs him with goody-two-shoes Niles Sparks; then he is targeted by bully Josh. Undaunted, Miles focuses on achieving premiere prankster status, but he is continually thwarted. Thus begins a rivalry of pranking one-upmanship, but perhaps an alliance is better—and ultimately rewarding in multiple ways. With plenty of humor, quirky characters, interspersed drolly related cow factoids, and fantastical, over-the-top pranking, this entertaining, enjoyable read will especially appeal to Wimpy Kid aficionados. Throughout, lively black-and-white cartoon illustrations depict characters, scenarios, and sundry ephemera with witty details. Readers will be anticipating the prankster pals’ further escapades.

 

"The Terrible Two." Rev. of The Terrible Two, by Jory John and Mac Barnett. Booklist. 1January 2015. Web. 16 May 2016.

 

Horn Book Guide starred (Fall 2015)

Forced to leave behind his proud reputation as class prankster, Miles Murphy dreads starting over in a new town. Miles finds himself paired up with do-gooder Niles at Yawnee Valley Science and Letters Academy and is disappointed to discover that an impressive, anonymous prankster already attends the school. Miles must either out-prank this character...or join forces. Punchy line drawings magnify the text's well-timed comedy and clever details.

 

"The Terrible Two." Rev of The Terrible Two by Jory John and Mac Barnett. Horn Book Guide. Fall 2015. Web. 16 May 2016.

 

Kirkus Reviews (November 1, 2014)

Miles used to live near the sea. Miles had friends. Miles was his school's greatest prankster...how will he survive a move to Yawnee Valley? Yawnee Valley is famous for one thing: cows. All new students at Yawnee Valley Science and Letters Academy receive a booklet of 1,346 interesting cow facts from fussbudget fifth-generation principal Barry Barkin. On the first day of school, when Principal Barkin's car is found mysteriously parked on the school's steps, Barkin suspects Miles and assigns Niles Sparks to be Miles' buddy. Miles can't think of anything more awful than spending every moment of every day with smiling, officious, king-of-the-obvious Niles. On top of that, Barkin's son, Josh, has decided Miles is a good bullying target. To make life interesting, Miles plans a perfect prank in his pranking notebook, but it's foiled. That's followed by an invitation to join forces in pranking from an unexpected source...no way! Let the prank war commence! Barnett and John launch their cow-resplendent illustrated series with the humorous origin story of the pranking duo who lend the series its name. Characters may be stock; however, the pranks are anything but, and it's peppered with cow facts. Cornell's goofy cartoon illustrations (especially the blase cows) add giggles aplenty. Fluffy, fast, fun reading for fans of Clueless McGee and the Wimpy Kid. (Fiction. 7-11)

"The Terrible Two." Rev. of The Terrible Two by Jory John and Mac Barnett. Kirkus Reviews. 1 November 2014. Web. 16 May 2016.