Fans of Patricia Polacco's My Rotten Redheadded Older Brother will welcome back the sibling rivalry in Rotten Richie and the Ultimate Dare, where the two must move from Union City to Battle Creek, and Richie embarrasses Trisha from the very first day. (c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved

Gr 1-4-When Trisha's family moves from Union City to Battle Creek, her older brother makes her life miserable. He embarrasses her at school with rude, gross behavior at every turn, and they fight over which is better, ice hockey or ballet. At last she triple dares him in front of his friends to perform in her ballet recital. He has to accept, but does so only on the condition that she play on his ice-hockey team in the upcoming game. She learns the hard way how brutal the sport is, but manages to make the winning goal. Then it is her brother's turn to live up to his part of the bargain. At first he is a laughingstock, but when the male lead hurts his ankle and cannot dance, Richie comes through, and he and Trisha declare a truce. To this day, he calls her Slapshot and she calls him Dance King. This book is vintage Polacco, with pleasing pencil-and-marker illustrations that highlight each amusing moment. The endpapers display photos of the author and her brother, embellished with funny sketches of the characters. The sibling relationship is realistically depicted with honesty, childlike humor, and dead-on dialogue. This story can be enjoyed independently or shared aloud; either way, youngsters will easily relate to the rivalry, the dares, and the resolution. An outstanding book from a popular author.-Eve Ottenberg Stone, Cooper Lane Elementary, Landover Hills, MD (c) Copyright 2010. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.

Gr. 1-3. The interests of young Trish and her elder brother align squarely along the sugar-and-spice, snips-and-snails divide: Trish adores ballet, while hockey is Richie's obsession. When Richie mocks his sister's upcoming solo, behavior consistent with his antics in companion book My Rotten Redheaded Older Brother 0 1999), the resulting tiff escalates to a commitment from each sibling to try out the other's activity in public (Trish at a hockey match, Richie in a recital). Mutual respect is forged as each character tackles the challenge, with Polacco's exaggerated, plastic figures expressing both the fierce conflict and the broad gestures on stage and ice. This isn't a particularly nuanced addition to Polacco's growing collection of stories culled from personal history, and its sources are frustratingly unclear; the book is categorized as fiction even as photos on the endpapers purport to document the hobby swap. Even so, sibling rivalry in the "triple-dog dare" mode will resonate with many children, and Polacco's fans won't want to miss the latest offering starring the beloved storyteller as a hot-tempered, wisp-haired girl. --Jennifer Mattson Copyright 2006 Booklist

Trisha loves ballet. Her brother loves hockey. The two dare each other to try the other's passion. The ensuing game and recital teach both children to respect the other's skills. It is unbelievable that a hockey coach would allow a neophyte to play so many minutes (accruing penalties), but the moral about sibling respect and Polacco's characteristically active illustrations are pleasing. (c) Copyright 2010. The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted. All rights reserved.

In this absolutely delightful follow-up to Polacco's My Rotten Redheaded Older Brother (1994), younger sister Trisha opens by detailing Richie's total state of disgustingness. When he and his hockey buddies persist in making fun of her upcoming ballet recital, she "triple dog dares" him to join her. It's the ultimate dare. He accepts on the condition that she plays in one hockey game. She scores the winning goal and he nails the pas de deux. The mood of the story is infectiously joyous and Polacco's art captures all the nuances of sibling rivalry, the intensity of a hockey game and the (almost) grace of ballet. The endpapers feature more family photographs. And check out Trisha's poodle skirt with bobby sox and saddle shoes. A terrific tale to share. (Picture book. 4-7) Copyright ©Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.