Gr 2-4-- Book four has Melvin once again teaming up with his pal Candace to work out math problems at the library and save the world from an onslaught of bologna by Superhero Carl. There's more bologna here than Carl's as the less-than-super plot falls flat. Melvin learned everything he knows at the Superhero Academy in Boston and now lives in Los Angeles. A transcontinental chase takes place when Carl gets off "The Good Ship Lollipop" in Boston and steals a cape from the academy in order to get back at his nemesis. With all these supposed superpowers, it seems that there would be less time spent traveling and kicking in doors and more time devoted to an actual story. Word and phrase choices like "peeved," "no speaker tags," and Melvin achieving "rear end" status seem odd for the intended audience. Comic-book sketches and cool cover art will draw attention to this title, but savvy early chapter-book readers will find better choices in Dav Pilkey's "Captain Underpants" (Scholastic) and Jon Scieszka's "Time Warp Trio" series (HarperTrophy).--Cheryl Ashton, Amherst Public Library, OH
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