Gr 2-4 Arnie the doughnut returns in a "who-donut" chapter book that will appeal to fans of Dav Pilkey's "Captain Underpants" (Scholastic) and Lincoln Peirce's "Big Nate" (HarperCollins) series. Iced with chocolate and covered with sprinkles, the "doughnut dog" catches readers up-to-date since he debuted in his own picture book, Arnie the Doughnut (Holt, 2003). The first chapter recaps how he became a doughnut dog and beloved friend to Mr. Bing, who instead of eating Arnie decides to adopt him as his pet. Readers then follow adventures that occur during Arnie's favorite Tuesday-night outings to the bowling alley with Mr. Bing and his buddies. Comic-style drawings fill the pages, providing abundant humor and tons of spoofy comedy for reluctant readers. Children will stay engaged as Arnie and friends try to discover why Mr. Bing keeps throwing gutter balls during the tournament when he usually is a high-scoring bowler. Does the opposing team, the Yada-Yadas, have something to do with it? With zany, quirky characters (talking pizza, break-dancing bowling pins, animated shoes) and a fast-paced, silly story line, the book will have readers looking for Arnie and Mr. Bing's next adventure.— Melissa Smith, Royal Oak Public Library, MI

In the newest adventure in this series, best friends Mr. Bing and Arnie the doughnut are part of a Tuesday night bowling league. Arnie cannot bowl (and he provides the reasons why), but he does sing karaoke and has a delightful time entertaining the crowds with old favorites: "Livin' la vi-DOUGH loca" and "Fried in the U.S.A." Arnie is determined to help his friend win a tournament, but first he must unravel the mystery of why Mr. Bing keeps rolling gutter balls despite the fact that his favorite ball has been enhanced by lucky pink sprinkles. Several hilarious tangents keep this main conflict from being resolved too soon. Puns, sophisticated linguistic humor, and cameo appearances by Albert Einstein and other notable figures, such as Peezo the slice of pizza and an erudite French cruller make this a lively, intelligent, and highly entertaining read for young students and anyone with a sense of humor.