Milton enjoys school and likes his teacher, Mrs. Baltman. He doesn't even really mind that much when the other kids overhear him making baby talk sounds to their class ferret Noah. But he's really confused when their teacher has a sudden coughing fit during an unexpected (and early) recess and then horrified when his mom shows up as their substitute!
Wacky adventures ensue as Milton discovers that his mom is actually part of a secret society, the class ferret an evil mastermind, and the school in danger of being transported to an island as the first part of Noah's (and the other class pets) plan for world domination! Can Milton save the day with the help of his friend Morgan and a few of his mom's gadgets?
Black and white illustrations are included and the book features Harper Chapters' layout with a countdown of pages and words read and encouragement along the way. There are also some questions for discussion or further thinking in the back.
There are plenty of super silly stories about class pets and although the classes and teachers depicted are somewhat diverse, the actual main characters of the story are white. Milton's friend Morgan is Asian, but she doesn't get involved until near the end of the story and is clearly a sidekick, not the main character.
Verdict: An additional purchase if you need more faux superhero stories for younger readers. I'm holding out for funny stories with diverse characters as the main characters, not the sidekicks - it would have been amazing if Morgan, not Milton, had been the main character. The gadgets are a bit clunky and outdated as well and I think this will age quickly.
ISBN: 9780062909299; Published January 2021 by HarperCollins; Borrowed from another library in my consortium
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