The Underpants of Chaos

By Author / Illustrator

Sam Copeland, Jenny Pearson, Robin Boyden, Katie Kear

Genre

Funny Stories

Age range(s)

Publisher

Penguin Random House Children's UK

ISBN

9780241521069

Format

Paperback / softback

Published

09-06-2022

Synopsis

Something BAD is happening at Little Strangehaven Primary. What are the peculiar SHIVERS that keep striking the school, bringing Strangeness in their wake - from uncontrollable ballroom dancing to an attack by military chickens?

Spy-detective Agatha Topps is determined to find out. She's the only person who doesn't forget the Strangeness as soon as it's over. At least, until new boy Lenny Tuchus turns up and remembers too. Their spy-detectoring leads them to the Book of Chaos, an ancient text which has been hidden away in the Room of Forbidden and Dangerous Books. Can Agatha and Lenny fight off attacks from evil underpants and Transylvanian gargoyles to stop the SHIVERS before their town is sucked into oblivion? Because power lies in books - especially this one . . .

The perfect story for 7 to 9-year-olds (or STRANGE adults) and fans of Ben Miller, David Walliams and Tom Fletcher. Packed with hilarious illustrations and easy-to-read text, discover the secrets of Little Strangehaven.

See Book 2: The Attack of the Robot Librarians

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Reviews

Agatha Topps knew there was a mystery to solve the day the 'shiver' happened. There she was, sitting in her classroom, minding her own business, when the strange feeling spread around the room. The next thing she knew, everybody was dancing. And then, as if they were in a huge game of musical statues, the shiver happened again, and everybody stopped. But the strange thing was that nobody could remember what had happened. Nobody except Agatha and the new boy Lenny Tuchus.

Combining her brain and his enthusiasm, they start to unravel the mystery of Little Strangehaven as each new 'shiver' brings about another weird and unimaginable episode. For Agatha, whose life is chaotic with all the little ones to help with at home; and Lenny, whose life is lonely as he waits for the outings with his dad that never seem to happen, this brings about a much-needed distraction and the beginnings of a friendship. But can two very different people, with two very different ways of working and thinking, come together to stop the shivers from destroying their school?

The Underpants of Chaos is a madcap mystery from the dynamic duo of Sam Copeland and Jenny Pearson. Written as a dual narrative, the story is told from each character's very different perspective as they try to solve the mystery. Younger readers will be guffawing with laughter at the slapstick humour and wonderfully hilarious episodes. This would really be a marvellous book to read out loud to a class and to witness the pure joy of side-splitting silliness as the story and escapades unfold.

Curriculum links: friendship, family life, separation, loneliness, perseverance, kindness, hope and determination.

368 pages / Reviewed by Donna Burkert, teacher