Reviews Gr 4-6'In this farcical sequel to Knitwits (Scholastic, 1992), 10-year-old Charlie Kenney's ``girl next door,'' Alice Pepper, is convinced that she can teach him to spell; instruct his mate Spikey in the art of love; and show his other mate Jacko how to make lots of money. Alice is a proponent of the learning-through-intimidation method. Her approach involves strapping these bona fide numbskulls to an old dentist's chair in her garage while indoctrinating them and often employing the additional motivation of a lead-filled hose. Duped into signing contracts giving her their allowances, the three boys fear and hate Alice'even though Charlie actually becomes a proficient speller'and together they plot their revenge. A humorous subplot revolves around Charlie's child-care responsibilities for his baby sister. In fact, most chapters begin with a platitude from Before Babe's First Steps, which Charlie is reading, although his observations of the family poppet seldom agree with the professional's detached advice. Charlie is a likable fellow and Taylor has an ear for children's banter that is forthright, funny, and just offbeat enough to show a real empathy with adolescents. The New Zealander vernacular shouldn't prove too much of a problem in context.'John Sigwald, Unger Memorial Library, Plainview, TX
