The Class Election from the Black Lagoon (Black Lagoon Adventures, No. 3) (U)

Mean Mrs. Green is forcing everyone to run in the school election, but everyone just wants to run for their lives! YIKES!Hubie is running for president against Doris. Hubie doesn't think he stands a chance against Doris and the free ice cream that's she's giving away to voters. Mix that in with the fact that he has to do lots of crazy stuff like shaking Coach Kong's paw and Mrs. Green's claw, and kissing a bunch of babies to stay in the presidential race. Hubie's chances look slim, but in the end he wins by being the candidate who stands for something -not just on top of something! HA!Children's LiteratureIn this latest addition to the Black Lagoon Adventures series, Hubie has decided run for class president. He worries that he might end up running against Doris, who is determined to be the first woman president ever. Determined to run a clean race, Hubie must nevertheless put up with the underhanded dealings of Doris, who hangs posters in the boys' bathroom and gives away free ice cream bars at lunch. Readers are privy to Hubie's hopes and fears, including campaign slogan selection anxiety and pre-election day jitters. Puns and witty humor pack this election story. Words such as pizzazz and campaign appear, yet Mike Thaler's realistic and down-to-earth narrative accurately portrays all the stresses of running for class president. Hubie's overactive imagination springs to life in Jared Lee's cartoon-like illustrations, which add further conversation between characters to the plot. Readers must be cautioned, however, not to depend on this book for its spelling or history. For example, Lincoln didn't live in Gettysburg because he had a Gettysburg address. Still, Hubie's experiences certainly bring down the house. Reviewer: Amalia Selle