Fake Mustache: Or, How Jodie O'Rodeo and Her Wonder Horse (and Some Nerdy Kid) Saved the U.S. Presidential Election from a Mad Genius Criminal Mastermind

Fake Mustache - Tom Angleberger, Jen Wang

The one book that I didn't write down a review for, thinking I could dash off something quickly about this before taking it back to the library...turned out to be the book that I didn't get to because of hubby's four day weekend.

 

You'd think I'd learn my lesson.

 

This was...okay. Short, thank goodness, and an intriguing idea behind it but...it was completely forgettable. The only reason I remember any of it is that something vaguely reminded me of it a day later and I connected the two.

 

Lenny Flem Jr. and his friend Casper live in Hairsprinkle. One birthday, Casper has enough money to by an expensive man-about-town suit and the Heidelberg Handlebar Number Seven - an amazingly lifelike mustache.

 

However, when a small man-about-town with a handlebar mustache robs a local bank, Lenny is the only one who realizes the true identity of the thief...who eventually goes on to launch an attempt for the White House! Lenny, The Evil One, has to fight off hordes of hypnotized minions, first alone and then with help of Jodie O'Rodeo, teen cowgirl queen and TV star.

 

It was...cooky. That's not a bad thing but the plot was weak, explanation was weaker, and the whole mustache "thing" was a bit much. But...it has a charm to it and I can see kids enjoying it. It could be funny and the race to stop "Fako Mustacho" (yeah) at the end actually had me rooting for them. It does it's job and is fun but there are better and funnier books out there.

 

Still, if you have an hour or two to kill (it's ridiculously short), it's fun to see one mustache's efforts to take over the world!