FROM THE PUBLISHER

"Terrific," says Eugene, after winning an all-expenses-paid vacation in Bermuda. "I'll probably get a really nasty sunburn." Unfortunately, Eugene's luck is a lot worse than that. First, his cruise ship sinks, then he ends up stranded on a tiny island. But Eugene isn't alone. There's another castaway, a parrot with a busted wing, who tells him what there is to eat and drink and how to build a sailboat. Cranky Eugene pays attention, and now his luck begins to change.

FROM THE CRITICS

Publishers Weekly

Eugene Crumb, the balding and paunchy protagonist of this desert-island send-up, views every lucky break with pessimism. When he wins a cruise to Bermuda, he sighs, "Terrific... I'll probably get a really nasty sunburn." His glass continues to be half-empty after he survives a shipwreck and gets marooned ("Terrific... Now I'll get eaten by cannibals"). Fortunately, a green, orange-winged parrot shares the island, and it coaches Eugene to build a boat, ignoring Eugene's gripes about lower back pain and converting his ill-fitting brown raincoat into a sail ("Terrific... This coat cost me thirty-two dollars"). Man and bird become friends, but when they are picked up by oceangoing fishermen, the parrot falls silent. As in Milo's Hat Trick and Z Goes Home, Agee draws in a mannered charcoal-gray line, creating spacious curves and blunt angles, then brushing them in with watercolor. He tightly frames his pleasing compositions in rectangles and circles, and the lines and shapes hang in satisfying balance. With his frown, poor posture and high-water pants, Eugene resembles the Born Loser of the comic strip. But his sarcastic answer to everything may well resonate with readers who are not easily impressed, and an upbeat conclusion that trumpets the power of friendship provides an unironic "Terrific!" at last. Ages 2-up. (Sept.) Copyright 2005 Reed Business Information.

School Library Journal

K-Gr 3-With pithy humor and a knack for comic timing, Agee has created a character who will endear himself to readers despite his curmudgeonly exterior and posturing. Eugene Mudge lives in Dismal, ND, and has a little problem with negativity. When he wins a free trip to Bermuda, his response is "`Terrific, I'll probably get a really nasty sunburn.'" Nothing seems to go right for him and no matter how horrible the experience-a wrecked cruise ship, a deserted island, a talking parrot, and almost dying of thirst-his response is always a snide, "`Terrific.'" Eugene's a grumpy old man, but sometimes, grumpy old men can surprise you. Sometimes, they even surprise themselves. The cartoon illustrations feature strong lines and soft colors that contrast wonderfully with the story line. With just a few lines, Eugene's bulbous nose and personality shine through. This is a perfect read-aloud for older students who are developing an ear for sarcasm and younger children who will enjoy this offbeat adventure.-Genevieve Gallagher, Murray Elementary School, Charlottesville, VA Copyright 2005 Reed Business Information.

Kirkus Reviews

Plainly channeling Jack Benny, middle-aged Eugene responds glumly to various reversals of fortune-after winning a cruise to Bermuda: "Terrific. I'll probably get a really nasty sunburn"-until a shipwreck ("Terrific. I'll probably get devoured by sharks") strands him on a tiny island ("Terrific. Now I'll get eaten by cannibals"). There he meets a parrot who knows something about both boatbuilding and friendship. Cast as a scowling curmudgeon with thinning hair and conservative taste in dress, Eugene looks the part too-at least until the end, when a reunion with his beaked buddy draws both a smile and a "Terrific!" delivered with a radically different inflection. Fans of James Stevenson's tales of the "Worst Person in the World" will find a kindred sort here and are sure to add the adjective to their vocabularies. (Picture book. 6-8)