Danny's Doodles

December 1, 2014

Gr 2-4-Fourth-grader Danny and his eccentric friend Calvin have a mystery to solve. Mrs. Cakel, their terrifying and dictatorial teacher, has been replaced by a clone who allows them to slouch and chew gum. Unheard of! Confused by such an abrupt change in behavior, the two decide to snoop around and get some answers. In the midst of their investigation, both boys experience abrupt changes in their lives. Danny's father loses his job, while Calvin's mother, who is just as peculiar and flighty as her son, lands a new job making doughnuts. Despite their own familial issues, the two boys discover the key to Mrs. Cakel's personality shift and set out to return things to normal. The story has likable characters and a well-paced plot. It is filled with Danny's doodles, which will appeal to some readers and make a first chapter book less intimidating. While an easy read, Adler deftly incorporates deeper issues, such as Mrs. Cakel's solitary life and Calvin's father abandonment of his family. Hand this one to kids who've graduated from Marjorie Weinman Sharmat's "Nate the Great" series (Random) but aren't quite ready for a lengthier, weightier read.-Amy Nolan, St. Joseph Public Library, St. Joseph, MI

Copyright 2014 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

August 1, 2014
What could have turned mean Mrs. Cakel nice? Ten-year-old Danny's fourth-grade teacher has rules about everything, and her favorite word is "No." No mumbling. No slouching. No passing notes. No eating in class. Danny's unconventional friend, Calvin Waffle, is always getting into trouble. Then Mrs. Cakel suddenly turns nice. The boys decide to investigate (Calvin says his father's a spy, so he knows "lots of spy tricks"). When they find their teacher's house, they discover "lost dog" posters all over the neighborhood, and when they call the number on the posters, Mrs. Cakel answers. The friends decide to find the dog, get the reward and return Mrs. Cakel to normal. Meanwhile, Calvin's scattered mother gets a new job, and Danny's father loses his. With all these changes, will the boys still make the right choices? Though it starts with a head-scratcher-why would the boys and their friends want the mean Mrs. Cakel back?-Adler's second tale of doodle-loving Danny features real kid characters with real kid perspectives on the adult world. Danny's actual doodles feel a bit of an afterthought or a gimmicky grab at the younger fans of Diary of a Wimpy Kid, but this quirky tale of genuine friendship is still worth a look. Not up to the standards set by Adler's Cam Jansen but an enjoyable light read. (Mystery. 7-9)

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July 29, 2013
Adler again displays his versatility with this empathic first book in the Danny’s Doodles illustrated chapter book series. Bighearted fourth-grader Danny Cohen cheerfully plays along when new kid Calvin Waffle makes him the subject of a mysterious experiment and fills Danny’s pockets with jelly beans. Quirky and scientifically minded, Calvin wears two different socks because his right foot is “very serious,” the left “often silly,” and he answers, “Tallahassee is the capital of Florida” in response to a math problem. “I didn’t hear the question,” he explains. “And most teachers like capitals and everyone loves Florida.” Adler also tempers the story’s humor with some poignant moments: Calvin says his father is a traveling spy when he has actually abandoned the family, and the jelly bean experiment is really about making friends. Squiggly cartoon line drawings (mostly character portraits) that appear throughout are purportedly Danny’s work; they look authentically kid­like but add little to the story. The novel delivers laughs as well as a clear message about friendship and acceptance, even when one’s friend is “100% weird.” Ages 7–up. Agent: Jodi Reamer, Writers House.