The Terrible Two Go Wild: 01/13/18

The Terrible Two Go Wild by Mac Barnett, Jory John, and Kevin Cornell is the third of the Terrible Two series. It's summertime and Niles and Miles are spending their days in the Yawnee Valley Regional Park and Outdoor District. Particularly, they are spending their time watching and pranking Josh Barkin and his squad from the Yawnee Valley Yelling and Push-Ups Camp.

Josh has come back to camp willingly (the only kid to ever do so). And thus because of his experience, enthusiasm, and love of yelling, has been made a junior counselor of sorts. Under him are a set of twins whom he's nicknamed Splinters and Mudflap. When their company flag is stolen by the Terrible Two, Future Principal Barkin vows revenge.

The book unfolds over the course of the summer — during which time Josh remains at camp, though numerous sessions, I'm assuming. The Terrible Two spend much (but not all) pranking Josh and his father and preparing for the revenge they expect.

A couple interesting points though of character growth. First, Josh, actually does have some leadership skills (though he still lacks compassion and some basic common sense). Niles loves to read and has put a mini-library inside their hideout. Principal Barkin likes hiking (but isn't very good at it); he also has come to realize that he likes being pranked.

My favorite prank in the book was one my grandmother used to play (though more as an art piece, than a large scale prank). It's the "turn me over" prank that's painted on the top of a rock. Turn it over and it will have some variation on "Gotcha! Now turn me back over to prank the next person."

I don't know if more is being planned, but I will definitely read a fourth book if one is published.

Five stars

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