THE GECKO & STICKY: SINISTER SUBSTITUTE
written by Wendelin Van Draanen
illustrated by Stephen Gilpin
Yearling/Random House
Hardcover: 9780375843785
Paperback: 9780440422440
Ages 8-12
224 pages
On the surface, Dave Sanchez is a typical 13-year-old boy. He has an annoying younger sister, tends to be late for school, occasionally misplaces his homework, and sometimes gets sent to detention. But Dave is no ordinary teenager. He has a secret, a “life-and-death, get-caught-and-you’re-toast” kind of secret. It has to do with his pet gecko, Sticky. Like other lizards, Sticky can hang around gardens and soak up sunshine while sticking to walls, but Sticky can do much more than that. Sticky can talk. Yep. That’s right. Sticky is a fast-talking, wise-cracking gecko with a nose for trouble.
As if having a talking gecko isn’t enough, Dave has an even bigger secret. He is also a superhero, all because of Sticky. When Sticky moved into Dave’s apartment, he brought with him an ancient Aztec wristband. The magic wristband, when matched with a special ingot, gives the possessor super powers. With Sticky’s help and urging, Dave can transform himself into a wall-crawling superhero. And Dave’s superhero name: The Gecko.
Did I mention that Sticky and the wristband once belonged to an evil genius who is determined to get them back? Damien Black is a diabolical inventor, ruthless treasure hunter, and, above all, a master of disguise. Damien will do anything to get his hands on Sticky and the magic power band. On a scale of evilness, Ms. Veronica Krockle, Dave’s science teacher, is a close match for Damien. Dubbed “The Crocodile” by her students, Ms. Krockle is an expert in strictness and sarcasm, and she loves to dissect frogs. In her nine years of teaching at Geronimo Middle School, she has never been absent.
So when she goes missing on frog-dissecting day, Dave and his classmates celebrate. At first, Dr. Schwarz, Ms. Krockle’s substitute, is too good to be true. He tells the class they need not worry about dissecting frogs. He doesn’t teach them anything; he just asks them about their pets. But when he drills down and shows a relentless interest in knowing which students have pet geckos, Dave’s instincts switch to hyper-sensitive alert. Just who is Dr. Schwarz? And why the unusual interest in geckos?
On the second day that Dr. Schwarz substitutes, Sticky figures it out. Here’s a hint: in German, Schwarz means Black. If Dr. Schwarz is really Damien Black, how did he find out which school “The Gecko” attends? And what has he done with Ms. Krockle? More importantly, if Damien has really kidnapped Dave’s pain-in-the-class science teacher, does he really want to rescue her?
SINISTER SUBSTITUTE is the third book in Wendelin Van Draanen’s The Gecko and Sticky series. Readers of her earlier books will find familiar adversaries, including the dastardly Damien Black and the inept mariachi-playing Bandito Brothers. This latest installment is an adventure story about a teenage boy who must make a choice after he finds himself in a dangerous and messy situation. In fact, the passages having to do with donkey-doo and a flesh-eating dragon were a tad too messy for me.
While the story is for the most part light-hearted and fun, the message is clear: doing the right thing isn’t always easy, but it can be rewarding and lead to an incredible adventure. Middle-grade readers who love adventure stories or who dream of having superhero powers should relish this book.
--- Reviewed by
Donna Volkenannt (dvolkenannt@charter.net)
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