The Toilet of Doom - Softcover

Michael Lawrence originally trained as a graphic designer and photographer, but subsequently became a television script reader, press officer, an art and antiques dealer, a painter and sculptor, and several other things he would rather not talk about. His first book, a novel for children, was published in 1995. He is now a full time author, creator of the bestselling and ever-popular Jiggy McCue books, and the Aldous Lexicon trilogy.

Grade 5-7-Jiggy McCue and the gang are back in another weird adventure. Milo lets it slip that his mysterious, anonymous friend has almost perfected a computer game, The Toilet of Life, which should not be played yet. The temptation proves too strong for Jiggy, though, and he pushes the forbidden letter F (for FLUSH) on the keyboard, which results in him and his friend Angie exchanging bodies. Now they are stuck in one another's skins until they can figure out a way to make the game switch them back. In the meantime, there is a lot of scatological humor regarding one gender getting used to the other's body parts and hormones as well as discovering that neither child's family is better or less strange than the other. Jiggy is a smart-mouthed boy who tells his story complete with derogatory comments about his intelligence, or lack thereof, in making certain choices that led to his temporary sex change. The humor is definitely typical of middle schoolers as is the dialogue with the characters calling each other a lot of names. There is also some gratuitous use of the word "hell." The major characters are all likable young people; the adults are shallow at best, as they never suspect there is anything amiss with the children. This is not great literature, but it is a fast-paced, entertaining read.
Nancy P. Reeder, Heathwood Hall Episcopal School, Columbia, SC
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