School Library Journal
Gr 3-5In this British import set around various holidays, Chris Chud ley, an older ''Dennis the Menace,'' is surrounded by trouble wherever he goes. The longest episode is the one in which Chris is chosen to play Joseph in the school Nativity play. He tries to be extra good, but is relieved of the part when he leans on the curtain during re hearsal and it falls down. Chris' re sponse to the situation is clever, yet will leave readers wanting more, rather than an abrupt transition to the class room two months later. Chris will prob ably never endear himself to readers. He plays disgusting and cruel jokes on his classmates (puts maggots in a girl's hair) and yells insulting remarks at his teacher and others. He doesn't even re deem himself in the end (he steals fire works for a Chinese New Year party at school, although he does give them to the headmistressafter discovering that he forgot to bring matches). Some British terminology may throw off younger readers. Bennett's lively pen- and-ink drawings add the only real hu mor to this humorless story.Blair Christolon, Prince William Library, Manassas, Va.