Let's Do a Thing! (Victor Shmud, Total Expert #1) (1) - Softcover

Jim Benton is an award-winning author and artist. You may know some of the other things he’s made, like It’s Happy Bunny, Dear Dumb Diary, Franny K. Stein, Victor Shmud, and more. He’s created a TV series, written books, and produced a movie, and he always did everything his parents told him to do. Pretty much. Jim lives in Michigan with his wife and kids and can be found online at jimbenton.com.

Gr 1–4—Fans of Benton (author of the "Franny K. Stein" and "Dear Dumb Diary" series) will be thrilled with this latest series starter. Victor Shmud is a young boy on a mission to find his true calling in life. He has tried many different fields thus far: Knuckle Doctor, Ghost Bear Hunter, and The Guy Who Puts the Sugar in Those Little Envelopes. However, he hasn't found the career that suits him best...until now. With the help of his trusted sidekick, Dumpylumps, a chickenlike duck, Victor has decided to become a Makeover Expert. Between makeovers at school, Victor and his friend Patti start playing an intergalactic space game on her phone, and, of course, since Victor is an expert at practically everything, an alien spaceship probing the galaxy homes in on Victor's excellent space war skills. Victor and Dumpylumps wind up in the middle of an intergalactic battle with the fate of the galaxy in their hands. Benton's trademark wit and kid-friendly humor are on full display. There are boisterous cartoons illustrating most pages, which support comprehension for younger readers transitioning to chapter books. VERDICT A must-buy for libraries where "Franny K. Stein" and other over-the-top, funny chapter book fare are popular.—Brittney Kosev, Honey/Rush Elementary, Lubbock, TX