Publisher's Weekly Review
Back to share top billing in the fourth Judy Moody and Stink story, the Moody siblings gear up for the local Gobblers-a-Go-Go festival: Judy plans to dress up as Sarah Josepha Hale, the woman who persuaded President Lincoln to make Thanksgiving a national holiday. And Judy is so certain she'll win a footrace that boasts a turkey as top prize, she tells her grandmother not to bother buying one (which worries Stink mightily). As in the siblings' previous outings, their spot-on dialogue and banter is a major source of this book's fun ("I'm sorry I called you a turkey," Stink apologizes after a long stint in time-out. "And a snood. And a wattle"), and Reynolds's full-color illustrations easily tap into the upbeat, offbeat holiday mood. Ages 6-9. Author's agent: Kendra Marcus, Bookstop Literary Agency. Illustrator's agent: Holly McGhee, Pippin Properties. (Sept.) © Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved.
Horn Book Review
Judy is convinced she will win the Turkey Trot and bring home a turkey for Thanksgiving. With the help of Stink, Judy channels Sarah Josepha Hale ("inventor of Thanksgiving") to prepare for the race, with their efforts shown in Reynolds's ever-cheerful illustrations. The book contains many facts about Hale and her life, but it lacks a comprehensive/inclusive history of Thanksgiving. (c) Copyright 2016. The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Booklist Review
Not many kids look forward to going to school on a holiday, but the Gobblers-a-Go-Go Festival takes place at Judy and Stink's school on Thanksgiving Day, making this an exception. Judy is so confident that she will win a turkey, the grand prize in the final race, that she makes her grandmother promise not to buy one for their holiday dinner. She and Stink train for their races, but the quest for glory is temporarily sidelined by sibling bickering, culminating in an amusing chapter that details what happens in each child's room when their mother separates them for an hour-long time-out. The latest installment in the Judy Moody and Stink series has the trademark humor and grade-school sensibility that its fans enjoy, as well as a surprise at the end when Grandma Lou saves the day. Reynolds' lively and colorful digital illustrations appear throughout. This beginning chapter book, studded with historical facts, trivia, and wordplay related to Thanksgiving will amuse, and maybe even inform, young readers.--Phelan, Carolyn Copyright 2015 Booklist
