Spider Storch's Desperate Deal
Written by Gina Willner-Pardo
Illustrated by Nick Sharratt
Reviewed by Justin D. (age 10)
This story starts with a wedding . At this wedding, Diane and Frank get married. Joey tells the story and is the ring bearer. Mary Grace Brennermman is the flower girl, and they walk down the aisle together. When Joey finds out that he has to walk together with Mary Grace, he is flustered.
Mary Grace makes a deal with Joey. Joey's friends, Zack and Andrew, start to think something is wrong with Joey. The deal is that Joey will stop making fun of Mary Grace and that he will play with her. One of the things Joey used to call her was, "Sturgeon Breath" but not anymore. The part that Mary Grace had to do for the deal was easy. It was to not tell anyone at school or out of school that they have to walk down the aisle at the wedding.
At the end, Joey finds out that he needs a tuxedo for the wedding. His mom talks with him and says he needs to rent a tuxedo. When his mom tells him about having to wear the tux, he feels sick because other people have used the clothes before. When they get to the tuxedo store, Frank is waiting for him. They arrive together so that they will have the same suit design. Mr. Petropoulus takes them to try on suits. Mr. Petrapoulus smelled like the bathroom tile cleaner and has hairy knuckles.
During the wedding, Angie, Mary Grace's sister, eats a big clump of her petals and Mary Grace gives Joey a dirty look. It turns out that Joey has a water gun in his cumberbun. As you can see, Spider Storch's Desperate Deal is a funny book about a wedding.
If I wrote this book, I would remove the part about the hairy knuckles on the tuxedo man because it was mean to say that to that guy. The part I like the best was when Joey and Mary Grace had to be the ring bearer and the flower girl at Diane and Frank's wedding. Joey Storch is my favorite character because he is a boy and because he is not bossy like Mary Grace. My least favorite character was Mary Grace beacause she was always bossy and mean to everyone.
The story relates to my life because I know several bossy people who I don't like. The story deals with the very bossy Mary Grace. I think others should read this book because it teaches people to be nice to others who are mean. For example, one might have to carpool or be a ring bearer with mean people.