The Odd Squad Zero Tolerance

by Michael Fry

Overview

After taming the school’s biggest bully, Nick, Molly and Karl expect to bask in Safety Patrol glory. But without a bully to set straight, all they’re left with is helping sixth graders cross the hall and reminding everyone that Jell-o meat stains.

Enter new kid Simone, who becomes fast friends with Molly but gets on Nick’s nerves when she makes light of his quest to find Emily, the mysterious middle school protector who may or may not be real. In an effort to prove he’s right, Nick tries to flush Emily out, only to bring the wrath of a new Zero Tolerance policy down on Emily Dickinson Middle School.

Nick’s in way over his head (he’s not that tall in the first place) and risks expulsion if he can't restore his good name. Since Nick is an expert at making wrong moves, he could be in big trouble. Because if there’s one thing worse than being the shortest seventh grader in the history of the world, it’shaving to go through it twice.

Praise for The Odd Squad: Bully Bait

“Funny and sweet with a steely centre.”—Neil Gaiman, New York Times best-selling author of Coraline and the Newbery Award–winning The Graveyard Book

"An important message, humorously delivered, that will appeal to Diary of a Wimpy Kid fans." —Kirkus Reviews

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781423170990
Publisher:	Disney Press
Publication date:	09/03/2013
Series:	Odd Squad Series
Pages:	240
Product dimensions:	5.70(w) x 8.30(h) x 1.10(d)
Lexile:	490L (what's this?)
Age Range:	8 - 12 Years

About the Author

Michael Fry is the co-creator and writer of several comic strips, including Over the Hedge, which is featured in newspapers nationwide and was adapted into the hit animated movie of the same name. In addition to his work as a cartoonist, Michael is the founder of RingTales, a company that animates print comics for all digital media, and is an active blogger, tweeter, and public speaker, as well as the proud father to two adult daughters. Originally from Minneapolis, Michael currently lives with his wife in Austin, Texas.

Editorial Reviews

Fry (Bully Bait, 2013) hits his stride in this second hilarious exploration of the hazards and histrionics of middle school, as seen through the eyes of Nick, the shortest seventh-grader ever. Having shut down bullying at Emily Dickinson Middle School, the Odd Squad has little of importance to do. Molly's growing friendship with a new girl at school makes Nick jealously seek attention. Wanting to prove that the ghost of the school's poet is real and realizing that Emily appears only when someone is bullied, Nick bullies himself. Wrapped in toilet paper and stuffed into a trash can that hurtles down a staircase, Nick embarks on a series of disastrous yet funny choices that bring Zero Tolerance for Intolerance to the school. Abetted by his quirky grandmother, Memaw, Nick crashes the class field trip to King Potatamus's Egyptopolis (and Water Park) in a wacky adventure that brings a flirtatious encounter between Mr. Dupree, the Shakespeare-quoting school janitor and Safety Patrol adviser, and Memaw, who, in Nick's estimation, "could make a mime scream." Amid the laugh-out-loud humor and abundant cartoon-style illustrations is an important message: While all kids may want to be normal, it's OK to be oneself. Or as Memaw says, "Sweetie, normal is overrated." Nick ably joins Greg Heffley and Big Nate in comically maneuvering the minefield of middle school life. (Graphic/fiction hybrid. 8-12)—Kirkus

Gr 4-7 Middle-schoolers Nick, Molly, and Karl have barely recovered from their last bully-thwarting episode in Bully Bait (Hyperion, 2013) when they encounter a mysterious warning about new student Simone. As the gang tries to get to the bottom of things, Nick inadvertently causes, and then falls prey to, a new schoolwide "Zero Tolerance" policy on bullying. Is Simone behind all the trouble? Characters are clearly drawn, if occasionally one-note. The farcical tone means that nary a paragraph goes by without an injection of comedy sometimes bordering on hokey. Fans of goofy humor will find much to like. The sketchy black-and-white illustrations flow nicely with the text, usually expanding the story and adding humor rather than simply repeating what's been stated. There are well-worn clich s of staying true to oneself, but they are delivered with just enough of an oddball sensibility to feel unique. The page-turning, reluctant-reader appeal of this book is hard to deny. Fans of other illustrated novels like Jeff Kinney's Diary of a Wimpy Kid and Stephan Pastis's Timmy Failure (Candlewick, 2013) will likely take notice. Travis Jonker, Wayland Union Schools, MI—SLJ

From the Publisher

11/01/2013
Gr 4–7—Middle-schoolers Nick, Molly, and Karl have barely recovered from their last bully-thwarting episode in Bully Bait (Hyperion, 2013) when they encounter a mysterious warning about new student Simone. As the gang tries to get to the bottom of things, Nick inadvertently causes, and then falls prey to, a new schoolwide "Zero Tolerance" policy on bullying. Is Simone behind all the trouble? Characters are clearly drawn, if occasionally one-note. The farcical tone means that nary a paragraph goes by without an injection of comedy-sometimes bordering on hokey. Fans of goofy humor will find much to like. The sketchy black-and-white illustrations flow nicely with the text, usually expanding the story and adding humor rather than simply repeating what's been stated. There are well-worn clichés of staying true to oneself, but they are delivered with just enough of an oddball sensibility to feel unique. The page-turning, reluctant-reader appeal of this book is hard to deny. Fans of other illustrated novels like Jeff Kinney's Diary of a Wimpy Kid and Stephan Pastis's Timmy Failure (Candlewick, 2013) will likely take notice.—Travis Jonker, Wayland Union Schools, MI

School Library Journal

Fry (Bully Bait, 2013) hits his stride in this second hilarious exploration of the hazards and histrionics of middle school, as seen through the eyes of Nick, the shortest seventh-grader ever. Having shut down bullying at Emily Dickinson Middle School, the Odd Squad has little of importance to do. Molly's growing friendship with a new girl at school makes Nick jealously seek attention. Wanting to prove that the ghost of the school's poet is real and realizing that Emily appears only when someone is bullied, Nick bullies himself. Wrapped in toilet paper and stuffed into a trash can that hurtles down a staircase, Nick embarks on a series of disastrous yet funny choices that bring Zero Tolerance for Intolerance to the school. Abetted by his quirky grandmother, Memaw, Nick crashes the class field trip to King Potatamus's Egyptopolis (and Water Park) in a wacky adventure that brings a flirtatious encounter between Mr. Dupree, the Shakespeare-quoting school janitor and Safety Patrol adviser, and Memaw, who, in Nick's estimation, "could make a mime scream." Amid the laugh-out-loud humor and abundant cartoon-style illustrations is an important message: While all kids may want to be normal, it's OK to be oneself. Or as Memaw says, "Sweetie, normal is overrated." Nick ably joins Greg Heffley and Big Nate in comically maneuvering the minefield of middle school life. (Graphic/fiction hybrid. 8-12)

Kirkus Reviews

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