I Am Fartacus

Gr 5–7—Chub, 11, is far from popular. His former best friend, Arch, is perfect in all the ways Chub is not. When Arch becomes class president and threatens to shut down nonathletic after-school activities, Chub recruits a cadre of nerds to spring into action and defend the unpopular. Despite his frequent high jinks, Chub is able to stay out of trouble by blackmailing his principal, Mr. Mayer, whom he caught playing online poker—a thread that develops into a crucial plot point. This title provides a satisfying narrative filled with twists. True to the book's title, fart and bathroom jokes permeate the caper. Diabolical triplets provide regular toilet clogs as distractions, and stereotypical misfits populate the character list, including a boy named Moby Dick and a girl whose main occupation seems to be irritating boys. Readers who appreciate crudeness will enjoy this 300-page guide to overthrowing the middle school aristocracy, but beware that some character descriptions evoke casual misogyny and transphobia.