Does the title refer to the prankster heroes or to author duo Mac Barnett (Extra Yarn) and Jory John (All My Friends Are Dead)? Kids will lap up this liberally illustrated novel of two competitors who team up for a winning April Fool's Day joke.
Formerly the best prankster at his old school, Miles Murphy goes "to bed with a sense of dread" the night before starting at his new school, Yawnee Vallee Science and Letters Academy (in a town with "cows as far as the eye can see"). His worst fear greets him on his first day: a brilliant prankster has parked Principal Barkin's car at the top of the school steps, blocking the path to the entrance. The principal orders the students to climb through his pride-and-joy in order to avoid canceling school. Miles has met his prankster match, and as the new guy, Miles is the prime suspect. Principal Barkin is the fifth-generation Barkin to run the school, with the prospective sixth in Miles's class: Josh Barkin. Josh doubles as class president--and class bully. Making things worse is Miles's "school buddy," Niles Sparks, assigned to him by Principal Barkin, along with the book 1,346 Interesting Cow Facts.
Barnett and John cook up a string of comical twists as they weave in cow trivia and plenty of clever surprises. Kevin Cornell's full-page and spot illustrations build empathy for Miles (and even Principal Barkin) while raising the comedy. The prankster pair's successful combination of planner and quick-thinker makes readers the benefit of their joint efforts. --Jennifer M. Brown, children's editor, Shelf Awareness