Bubble in the bathtub
(Book)

In this follow-up to Doctor Proctor's Fart Powder (2010), about the eponymous Norwegian inventor and his young friends, Nilly and Lisa, the story is less dependent on gas for energy and laughs. Dr. Proctor creates a time-traveling bathtub, which takes the characters through a tour of French history, from Waterloo to the French Revolution and to Rouen, where Joan of Arc and the intrepid Norwegians are nearly fricasseed in a fifteenth-century barbeque before the doctor's fart powder comes to the rescue. The fractured view of history follows a familiar formula, but fans of the first book's deadpan humor will enjoy this.--Morning, Todd Copyright 2010 Booklist

Gr 4-6-Tiny dynamo Nilly and his friend Lisa, first introduced in Doctor Proctor's Fart Powder (S & S, 2010), return to save the day (and the doctor). At the end of their last outing, Doctor P. headed back to Paris to save the love of his life, Juliette Margarine, from having to marry evil Claude Cliche. A mysterious postcard from the past sends Nilly and Lisa on a mission to rescue him, both helped and hindered by the doctor's crazy inventions, including a time-traveling bathtub and translating nose plugs. A whirlwind tour of French history ensues, including stops at the Moulin Rouge, the Tour de France, Waterloo, the Bastille, Monsieur Eiffel's workroom, and Joan of Arc's jail cell, with our heroes changing history right and left. Chasing them through time is Raspa, Proctor's one-legged former assistant, inventor of time-travel soap, who makes the ultimate sacrifice to atone for past misdeeds. This story is darker and less icky than the first, though it still has plenty of goofy moments, a few farts, and a mostly happy ending. Buy where the first book is popular.-Mara Alpert, Los Angeles Public Library (c) Copyright 2010. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.

A secret message on a postcard sends young Nilly and Lisa from Norway to Paris to save Doctor Proctor and reunite him with his long-lost love. There's a time-traveling bathtub involved, and Napoleon, Joan of Arc, and Gustave Eiffel all make appearances as the kids save the doctor from evil Claude Clichi. Nesbx's absurd action and nimble nonsense are thoroughly entertaining. (c) Copyright 2011. The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.

Spun from the quirky cast and gaseous premise introduced in Doctor Proctor's Fart Powder (2010), this even sillier sequel expelled by the popular Norwegian crime novelist sends young Lisa and Nilly from Oslo to Paris and from the Middle Ages to Napoleon's tent on the eve of Waterloo. Their aim? To rescue their eccentric inventor friend Victor Proctor and the love of his youth, Juliette Margarine. Despite pursuit by Juliette's crimelord husband Claude Clich and his gang of lookalike thugs, the young folk help to reunite the lovers. They also, with help from the puissant blasting powder of the title and a bathtub time machine, save the Doctor from the guillotine, call off the battle of Waterloo, dance on the stage of the Moulin Rouge, inspire Gustave Eiffel to build a tower, trick Columbus into thinking he's landed in India and other historical feats. Though Lowery's illustrations are too rare and sketchy to have much influence and a significant character seems to have been trucked in just to be killed off later, the tale burbles comically along and everything comes out right...in the...end. (Light fantasy. 10-12)]] Copyright Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.

In this follow-up to Doctor Proctor's Fart Powder (2010), about the eponymous Norwegian inventor and his young friends, Nilly and Lisa, the story is less dependent on gas for energy and laughs. Dr. Proctor creates a time-traveling bathtub, which takes the characters through a tour of French history, from Waterloo to the French Revolution and to Rouen, where Joan of Arc and the intrepid Norwegians are nearly fricasseed in a fifteenth-century barbeque before the doctor's fart powder comes to the rescue. The fractured view of history follows a familiar formula, but fans of the first book's deadpan humor will enjoy this. Copyright 2011 Booklist Reviews.

Gr 4–6—Tiny dynamo Nilly and his friend Lisa, first introduced in Doctor Proctor's Fart Powder (S & S, 2010), return to save the day (and the doctor). At the end of their last outing, Doctor P. headed back to Paris to save the love of his life, Juliette Margarine, from having to marry evil Claude Cliché. A mysterious postcard from the past sends Nilly and Lisa on a mission to rescue him, both helped and hindered by the doctor's crazy inventions, including a time-traveling bathtub and translating nose plugs. A whirlwind tour of French history ensues, including stops at the Moulin Rouge, the Tour de France, Waterloo, the Bastille, Monsieur Eiffel's workroom, and Joan of Arc's jail cell, with our heroes changing history right and left. Chasing them through time is Raspa, Proctor's one-legged former assistant, inventor of time-travel soap, who makes the ultimate sacrifice to atone for past misdeeds. This story is darker and less icky than the first, though it still has plenty of goofy moments, a few farts, and a mostly happy ending. Buy where the first book is popular.—Mara Alpert, Los Angeles Public Library