January 1, 1998
Gr 2-4-When Mrs. Peters, the Pee Wee Scout leader, is called away on a family emergency, a tough, ex-army Captain becomes her substitute. He uses phrases the seven-year-old boys and girls are unfamiliar with, such as "fall in rank" and "operational." At the next meeting, the surrogate leader is a bubble-gum-popping teenager whose attempt at having the Pee Wees make papier-mache slimeballs turns into a disaster. The scouts are anxious because it looks as though their usual Halloween celebration won't happen. However, the next leader is just right. It's Mrs. Duff, mother of one of the Pee Wee Scouts, whom the children like as much as Mrs. Peters, and who comes up with an idea to combine good deeds, trick-or-treating, and a party for the best Halloween ever. Tiegreen's zany black-and-white line illustrations add to the mild humor. An easy-to-read chapter book with good pacing and characterizations and more fun for fans of the popular series.-DeAnn Tabuchi, New York Public Library