Bite the bagel

Alley and Rex make some more mischief. Effervescent sixth grader Alley and bunny-suited fourth grade genius Rex return for more laughs in this sequel to last year's promising Alley & Rex (2021). This time the pals team up to help each other survive gym class and save breakfast. Rex is loath to shed his bunny suit, but the PE teacher is insistent that he change into standard gym attire. Meanwhile, Alley is desperate to save the free breakfast cart that's been closed down due to budget cuts. Hilarity, tomfoolery, and elaborate heists ensue as the inseparable pals work toward making smart choices and finding quality solutions to their problems. Fans of the series opener will find plenty to enjoy here. Those who bristled at Alley's boisterous energy levels in the earlier installment will once again be longing for a tranquilizer dart. The narrative is better paced, and the characterization remains decent. While the story never rises to anything special, there's solid workmanship on display; this is a book that will fill out a reader's summer reading log or help pass a dull afternoon. The jokes are fun, the story has just the right dash of mayhem, and the titular pals are engaging enough to keep readers willing to come back for more. Based on cover art, Alley presents as White and Rex is brown-skinned; Alley is cued as Jewish. A "yeah, sure" if there ever was one. (Fiction. 9-12) Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.