Boys Against Girls

Boys Against Girls

Caroline Malloy matches wits with her nemesis Wally Hatford as they race to discover the mystery of the abaguchie, a mysterious, strange animal supposedly spotted in their town. By the author of The Boys Start the War. Grade 3-6-The Hatford-Malloy feud continues in this fast-paced sequel to The Boys Start the War and The Girls Get Even (both Delacorte, 1993). Their egos still smarting from the humiliation they suffered on Halloween at the hands of their female neighbors, the Hatford boys try to frighten them with tales of the abaguchie, a creature of local legend. A funny series of plans for revenge and retaliation from both sides follows. Ultimately, the children call a truce when they are united by a common cause-sharing a joke at their parents' expense. Although this title sums up the background of the story clearly, it relies on the earlier books for characterization. The girls come across as stereotypes-an athlete, a bookworm, and an aspiring actress-and the boys are virtually indistinguishable from one another. Nevertheless, fans of the previous books will enjoy this installment. Rebecca O'Connell, Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh Copyright 1994 Reed Business Information, Inc. Gr. 4-6. This sequel to Naylor's light comedies, The Boys Start the War (1993) and The Girls Get Even (1993), continues the pattern of slapstick and practical jokes in a secure small-town setting. The Malloy sisters and the Hatford brothers trick and humiliate each other and get even. This time, each group scares the other with tall tales about the abaguchie, a creature that prowls at night and leaves footprints and bits of fur. Wally even fools Caroline into searching for the monster's bones in a cellar in the local bookstore. In one hilarious scene, the boys bait a huge trap for the abaguchie--and they catch Caroline. But what about those yellow eyes that shine in the woods at night? What is making those growling, snuffling noises? Could there really be a monster? Naylor mixes in some real suspense with the farce and the folklore. There's even a glimpse of a truce: maybe the girls and boys could join together against a common adversary--parents. Hazel Rochman