FROM THE HORSE’S MOUTH

Wiseacre Nick Thorpe saves his friends, town, planet, and universe—along with an entire alien race—in this madcap sequel to Can of Worms (1999) and Eggs in One Basket (2000). And just in time for Christmas, too. Nick gets a feeling that something’s amiss when he twice falls into a time warp that allows him to roam invisibly through a suspended world. So, should he try to discover what’s going on, or just sneak a peek into the girls’ locker room? As it eventually turns out, Bayurd, a unicorn from planet Grayle with a horn that can cleave the space-time continuum, has escaped the clutches of the nefarious Draconians, but is wandering Earth in search of both rescue and its ordained rider, Reynald. Armed with a bottomless arsenal of insults, Nick outfaces fire-breathing Conflagrons, a lawyer shaped like a stinky, giant slug, and other interstellar interlopers, all while struggling to cope with some inner demons. By the end, not only is Nick good for both rescue and reunion, he has spent time volunteering in a homeless shelter, managed to come to terms with his parents’ divorce, and firmed up a friendship with Jill, heartthrob sister of geeky friend Mike Pillsbury—both met in previous adventures. There’s a touch of mysticism to Nick’s tale, as well as (despite the happy ending) dark streaks on the general emotional landscape. Still, Nick’s ability to cope with unusual (to say the very least) situations, plus plenty of nonstop action, fizzy relationships and a crowd-pleasing array of aliens will keep readers firmly hooked from start to finish. (Fiction. 11-13)