THE BIRTHDAY BURGLAR AND A VERY WICKED HEADMISTRESS

In the vein of the gifted New Zealander's Great Piratical Rumbustification, a pair of fantastical comedies. Bassington lives with his butler on Barleycorn Island; having been left birthday-less by his parents (a burglar and a black sheep), he contrives to steal everyone else's. But, in a series of events recounted with satirical and verbal wit reminiscent of W.S. Gilbert, everyone else (including the butler's 99-year-old erstwhile beloved) wrap themselves as presents, are delivered to Bassington, and conduct a trial in which it develops that he is not condemned to repeat his parent's villainy but only their association with the letter B that cavorts through his story. The Headmistress's wickedness ranges from false eyelashes to multiple marriages and toting a handgun (ironically termed a Peacemaker); she runs a school for wealthy girls, masquerading (with the help of quick costume changes) as the entire staff. There is some nonsense about a volcano that erupts diamond-laced custard, and more complications than could possibly be summarized here. Unabashedly slapstick, Mahy's turns of plot are genuinely funny and appealing; her alliterations, inspired nomenclatures, and irrepressible logic are an engaging demonstration of the delights of wordplay. Chamberlain's line drawings extend the fun. Fine for a read-aloud or a read-alone.