By Lisa Broadie Cook with illustrations by Jack E. Davis
Penguin Children’s, $16.99, 32 pages
ISBN 9780399245336

Martin MacGregor is having an absolutely terrible, horrible, no good day. Wait! He’s having an absolutely terrible, horrible, no good week in Lisa Broadie Cook’s children’s book Peanut Butter and Homework Sandwiches.

When his classroom teacher misses a week of school due to a mountain climbing accident, substitute teacher Mrs. Payne assigns mountains of homework. Unfortunately, Martin experiences mishap after mishap with his homework, including the family dog eating the paper and a washing machine incident that fades his homework. Mrs. Payne feels no pain for her student. So, Martin has to miss recess to make up the missing assignments. Will Martin learn a valuable lesson?

While the premise is humorous, the storyline seems disjointed. Some of that feeling generates from unnatural sounding dialogue. Younger readers may not notice, but older children may find that the protagonist sounds more like an adult.

Jack E. Davis illustrates the book, bringing the story to life. Interesting color combinations and caricatured faces direct readers to take in every detail of the pictures.

The book’s theme provides an opening for parents, teachers, and students to talk about responsibility and expectations before—or even during—the school year.

“‘My homework!’ yelled Martin as he raced back downstairs to the washer. It was too late! The spin cycle had begun and Martin MacGregor’s homework was faded beyond recognition.”

Reviewed by LuAnn Schindler