School Library Journal Review
Gr 3-5-Nine-year-old Scab McNally has an overactive imagination and is on a mission, which is a worrisome combination. He enjoys dabbling in his homemade science lab in his basement and is ecstatic when he develops a particularly obnoxious-smelling sister repellent. Scab and his "smart times ten" twin do not get along at all, hence the need for the repellent. When Isabelle refuses to help him convince their parents to get a dog, he decides to sell his repellent to his friends; with the money, he plans to buy a puppy on his own. Unfortunately, his plans hit a bump when he and his best friend have an argument and his latest batch of repellent, which is in his backpack, is accidentally squashed. At the same time Isabelle has decided to help Scab-until she learns why kids have been teasing her at school. Scab is a likable, free-thinking boy who is full of charm and humor. He leaps before he thinks and that gets him into more trouble than he can handle. His many tips, diagrams, and facts scattered throughout are entertaining, as are the numerous comical black-and-white illustrations. This is the first book in a series, and kids are sure to be wondering what kind of trouble Scab will brew in his lab next.-Wendy Woodfill, Hennepin County Library, Minnetonka, MN (c) Copyright 2010. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Horn Book Review
Fourth grader Scab McNally invents an "Isabelle's Smell Sister-Be-Gone Spray" (named for his genius twin sister), which he sells to his friends. This leads to trouble, but an apology helps straighten out Scab's problems. Scab's first-person voice, combined with exaggerated cartoon illustrations, creates an entertaining tale of sibling rivalry that will resonate with put-upon brothers and fans of gross-out humor. (c) Copyright 2010. The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted. All rights reserved.
Booklist Review
Always in trouble, Scab McNally flicks gooey snotballs, arm-farts the national anthem in school assembly, eats crunchy bugs in class, and makes wicked comments about his fourth-grade teachers' warts, spit, and bad breath. He does have a soft side: his dream is to have a dog to love, a dog to love him back. He is saving to buy a pet by selling his special stinky spray (don't ask what it is made of), which he calls sister-repellent, named in honor of his brilliant twin, Isabelle. Disaster strikes when the spray spills in the classroom. The first in a new series, Secrets of a Lab Rat, this will grab elementary-school boys with the uproarious, yucky details and irreverent view of authority, as well as the mushy reconciliation, when his sister helps Scab get his dog. The sibling spats are funny, as are the occasional cartoons that extend the outrageous scenes.--Rochman, Hazel Copyright 2009 Booklist
