Bowling Alley Bandit (The Adventures of Arnie the Doughnut #1)

Arnie the doughnut returns in a "who-donut" chapter book that will appeal to fans of Dav Pilkey's "Captain Underpants" (Scholastic) and Lincoln Peirce's "Big Nate" (HarperCollins) series.

A yummy chapter-book series opener

Keller continues the saga of the fast-talking star of her 2003 picture book, Arnie the Doughnut, in this funny kickoff to a heavily illustrated chapter book series. Arnie sets the scene with a brief rehash of that story, in which Mr. Bing decides (with some persuasion) not to eat Arnie, but to adopt him as his “doughnut-dog.” In this tale, Arnie accompanies Mr. Bing to the bowling alley, where his team is competing for the league championship. Arnie’s wisecracking narrative, zippy dialogue and asides, exuberant typography, and riotous cartooning (Albert Einstein even makes a couple cameos) all feed the tale’s full-throttle slapstick humor. Arnie sings karaoke (“Doughnut make my brown eyes blue”), leads the crowd in belting out “Take Me Out for Some Bowling” during the “seventh-frame stretch,” and makes some bowling alley friends (“In fact, between the bowling balls, bowling pins, and rental shoes I’ve made 8 homies, 11 peeps, and 13 BFF’s!”). And, as frosting on the—well, doughnut—he also discovers why Mr. Bing is throwing gutter balls. Keller shrewdly targets hesitant readers with an abundance of goofy comedy. Ages 7–10.

Copyright Publisher's Weekly LLC Used with Permission

"Laurie Keller is a goofball. She's a genius. She's a goofball and a genius." —The New York Times Book Review on Arnie, the Doughnut

"Keller gives 'pet food' a new meaning in this savory outing. . . . So deliciously silly is this confection that few readers will pass up second helpings." —Kirkus Reviews on Arnie, the Doughnut

"Good for a belly laugh." —Newsday on Arnie, the Doughnut

"Arnie is one of the cleverest and funniest books I've seen in a long time." —BookPage on Arnie, the Doughnut

"Packed with fun and sprinkled with so many illustrative and humorous asides." —Star Tribune, Minneapolis, MN on Arnie, the Doughnut

"In picture books, usually only dogs are as funny as this. Keller doesn't miss a trick." —San Diego Union Tribune on Arnie, the Doughnut

"Keller's riotous collages . . . which are filled with gleeful puns, winning characters, and over-the-top silliness, are as manic and fun as a sugar high." —Booklist on Arnie, the Doughnut

"Off-the-wall humor and zany artwork." —Seattle Post Intelligencer on Arnie, the Doughnut