Ship Out of Luck

Gr 7–10—Wisecracking Anthony Bonano is back in this lively companion to The Schwa Was Here (2004) and Antsy Does Time (2008, both Dutton). The Bonanos have been invited to join curmudgeonly Old Man Crawley and his granddaughter, Lexie, for an all-expenses-paid, weeklong Caribbean Cruise aboard the Plethora of the Deep, the most luxurious cruise ship in the world. Antsy soon finds that his vacation is destined to be anything but relaxing, however, as he befriends a stowaway and thief, Tilde, who has been breaking into guests' cabins and stealing five dollars from each passenger's wallet. In typical fashion, Antsy follows his big heart (not to mention his big mouth) straight into an ocean of trouble. Before he knows it, he becomes involved in Tilde's scheme to smuggle illegal Mexican immigrants into the U.S. and winds up at the center of an international incident. Antsy's family and friends are all suffering their own personal crises. Once again, the teen must rely on his quick wit-and his Brooklyn attitude-to save the day. While not quite as humorous or heartfelt as its predecessors, this novel does contain a certain amount of charm, including a winning cast of secondary characters. Anthony's strong voice and perplexing moral dilemmas are compelling, but the sometimes slow-moving plot and unrealistic ending may cause some teens to lose interest. Purchase where the previous novels are popular.—Liz Overberg, Darlington Middle School, Rome, GA