Kirkus
Copyright © Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.

After a checkered third-grade career, Lucas Cott has a busy summer. At first, he's not pleased to learn that a French ""oh pear"" will be coming to baby-sit, even though his parents assure him that Genevieve's chief responsibility will be watching his twin brothers, age two. Lucas soon proves that he, too, needs watching; among other pranks, he climbs a painter's ladder and learns how much easier it is to go up than down. More strictly supervised as a result, he wheedles Genevieve into buying extra sweets when they go shopping, but she's a smart, sensible sort who soon ""has his number."" By summer's end they're good friends, while Lucas has resolved to set his brothers a good example instead of being part of the problem. Hurwitz's perceptive observation of commonplace incidents transforms them into entertaining, richly insightful vignettes. Lucas continues to be an engagingly realistic blend of mischief and good intentions; other characters, especially the resourceful, good-natured Genevieve, are also deftly drawn. Totally satisfying. Copyright ©Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.

Book list
From Booklist, Copyright © American Library Association. Used with permission.

Gr. 2-4. Another cheerful choice from an author who knows just how to capture the spunk and sparkle of grade school kids. School's out for the summer, and is Lucas ever glad. Things start off right when his mother greets him with a wonderful surprise--a new bicycle helmet. She has another surprise for him, too, but it's not in a gift-wrapped box. It's on a plane coming from Paris. His parents have hired an au pair ("oh pear?") to care for Lucas' rambunctious twin brothers. What's it going to be like having a stranger in the house, wonders Lucas, especially one who doesn't understand the fine points of the English language or how Americans live? In a series of lively episodes, he puts the family's pleasant visitor to the test and manages to get himself into some funny scrapes as well. Lucas' brothers are a true delight, and French-born Genevieve manages to hold her own against mischievous Lucas and be nice at the same time. The structure of the book lends itself well to reading aloud or reading alone, and Hamanaka's illustrations add just the right touch. ~--Stephanie Zvirin

Horn Book
(c) Copyright The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.

Fiction: y Age: I Lucas Cott has just completed third grade and has succeeded in getting rid of a little of his class-clown image. Summer brings new challenges when his parents hire an Horn Rating: Superior, well above average. Reviewed by: oh pear"""" to take care of him and his two-year-old twin brothers."" (c) Copyright 2010. The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.

Publishers Weekly
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Hurwitz ( Class Clown ; Class President ) presents the irrepressible Lucas Cott in a new venue. Here, his high spirits are played out not at school but at home, with a French au pair who is spending the summer with the Cotts as his foil. The pranks and mischief Lucas undertakes, in the mistaken belief that Genevieve is as naive as she seems, are vintage Hurwitz: bright, funny and fast-paced. His gradual acceptance of Genevieve in particular; of other things that seem weird or ``different;'' and, even more broadly, of his own responsibiities within the family provide a solid emotional underpinning to this engaging chapter book. Hamanaka's ( The Journey) drawings add to the story's lively spirit. Ages 7-up. (Apr.) (c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved

School Library Journal
(c) Copyright Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.

Gr 2-4-- Lucas Cott is back but he's lost some of his bubble. Hurwitz picks up where Class Clown (Morrow, 1987) leaves off--his last day of third grade. Lucas is a likable little prankster, and his story is told through an accessible, easy vocabulary. His summer is filled with homey activities and a little excitement when his mother hires an 18-year-old French girl to take care of Lucas and his two-year-old brothers. Although Lucas has a few successes at outsmarting Genevieve, she ``has his number.'' By summer's end, he has begun to think of her as part of the family. Several themes are nicely handled: the idea that one must work to regain a parent's trust after misbehaving, the positive qualities of being a good older brother, and that daring enemies to do something can backfire, as can playing tricks on someone. The full-page black-and-white drawings, one per chapter, will encourage those just beginning chapter books, but they are quite static. This light summer fare is acceptable, if somewhat dull and predictable, and the dialogue doesn't ring as true as in the previous books. The many titles by Cleary, Blume, Lowry, and Gilson are funnier. --Susannah Price, Boise Public Library, ID (c) Copyright 2010. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.