Who Put that Hair in my Toothbrush (1984) is really two stories-- that of Megin, tomboyish 7th grader who is into hockey, doughnuts, and visiting a friend at a local nursing home, and of Greg, a vain 9th grade boy who loves a girl who has moved away, and is annoyed by his younger sister. Told in alternating chapters, both stories are interesting, but I think the book would be better if they were separated, because then the boys who like romance books would read this. As it is, I don't think it likely that they will wade through Megin's tale.
Spinelli has a very fine comic sense, which is not as evident in his quirky, dysfunctional Newbury attempts like Stargirl and Eggs. He should next write a romance book for 8th grade boys. Nice, clean, funny. Perfect.
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