School Library Journal Starred Review (Thu Mar 01 00:00:00 CST 2012)

Gr 2-5 Readers will cheer the return of the Dunderheads, that subversive and exuberant mixed bag of kids named for their unique aptitudes—e.g., Einstein, Wheels, Junkyard, etc. The gang is thrilled to start summer vacation and escape the clutches of their ghastly teacher, Miss Breakbone. But hiring on as extras for a movie starring their favorite actress, Ashley Throbb-Hart, they discover, miserably, that their detestable teacher has done the same. ("I thought she toured with the Women's Wrestling League in the summer," moans Nails.) Meanwhile, a cat burglar is breaking into local homes, and Miss Breakbone spitefully accuses Spider, with his talent for climbing, of being the thief. With him behind bars (the police chief is Miss Breakbone's brother—and alter ego), the Dunderheads go into all-hands-on-deck mode to hatch an ingenious Rube Goldberg-like scheme to snare the real criminal and spring their friend from jail. The wry, economical text works in seamless partnership with the stylized, one-of-a-kind watercolor and pen-and-ink illustrations to move the zippy story line forward. The characters' singular personalities and intelligence shine in the quirky details of their clothing and the telling minutiae surrounding them in their homes (not a computer screen in sight but plenty of games, microscopes, and measuring devices). The Dunderheads might be "half-pint hooligans" or underestimated budding geniuses, but either way young readers will surely line up in droves for this winning gang's latest adventure.— Kathleen Finn, St. Francis Xavier School, Winooski, VT

ALA Booklist (Sun Apr 01 00:00:00 CDT 2012)

The oddball squad from The Dunderheads (2009) are back to their old tricks. Having stuck it good to their malevolent teacher, Miss Breakbone, the kids think they're free from her once summer vacation starts. If only. When they sign up to be extras on a movie set where some jewelry goes missing, Breakbone and her brother, the equally hateful police chief, toss Spider in jail ("The kid's a climber . . . I don't need more proof"). Dunderhead mastermind Einstein engineers a daring plan involving a superlong strand of linked paper clips, a piece of junkyard bait, and some cleverly repurposed beef jerky to catch the real crook. Plan A goes sour, but Plan B sets everything right for the good-natured misfits. Fleischman's quirky story again owes much of its appeal to Roberts' top-shelf illustrations, cutting up the pages into inventive arrays of interlocking shapes and showcasing how each of the kids' unique talents work together in an Ocean's Eleven style caper.

Horn Book

You'd think that summer means tyrannical Miss Breakbone's class (The Dunderheads) would be free of her. But when the kids sign up to be extras in Ashley Throbb-Hart's latest movie, their erstwhile teacher and her police-chief brother are there too, bristling with accusations. Roberts re-creates the self-reliant, multi-talented crew with the same wit and panache, the perfect complement to Fleischman's snappy, kid-friendly narration.

Kirkus Reviews

The Dunderheads are back in another amusing caper that's sure to please fans of their earlier exploits (The Dunderheads, 2009). Once again, Einstein narrates with tongue-in-cheek, deadpan humor. Along with his friends, he expects the last day of school to mean that they are rid of their nemesis/teacher, the evil Miss Breakbone. Sadly, they are wrong. Children and teacher alike try out for roles as extras in a film and find themselves together again. Worse, Miss Breakbone fingers Spider as a thief when a cat burglar strikes. Einstein, of course, comes up with the perfect plan to capture the real thief, capitalizing as before on his friends' varied interests and abilities. Unfortunately, his plan falls through, and all of the kids wind up in the poky. How they succeed in solving the crimes and turning the tables on their arch enemy, Miss Breakbone, strains credibility but entertains all the same. It's not as though credibility is the point, after all. At least half the fun comes from Roberts' clever illustrations, created in watercolor, pen and ink. As before, each Dunderhead's appearance reveals his or her individuality; new characters are equally clearly limned. Some sly references might go over the heads of the intended audience (don't miss Liza as Sally Bowles in the line-up of aspiring extras), but readers of all ages will enjoy poring over the pages to find the hidden humor. Delightfully smart and deliciously funny--don't miss it. (Fiction. 7-9)