Whisker Wizard

Jennifer L. Holm's Whisker Wizard is a funny Babymouse story for 7 year olds in which a homemade whisker style goes viral.

What happens

It's Saturday, and Babymouse has big plans. They involve staying in bed with her tablet. Mum opens the curtains. Dad suggests family time. Her little brother Squeak is sent in with a sticky lollipop as a threat.

Then she spots a recipe online for a DIY whisker serum. How hard can it be? She throws in a lemon, every mustard in the fridge, some vinegar and (because Squeak has used up the mayo) a VERY old jar of horseradish.

It burns. Her cheeks go red and puffy. But she twists her whiskers into a spiral and, on Monday, the whole school is copying her. Even the caretaker! Even a reporter on the evening news!

Soon the whole school is begging her to explain the Twist. So Babymouse makes a video tutorial, with Squeak as her camera crew. He insists on a contract and gets paid in chewing gum ("Industry standard"). It's one of the funniest bits in the book.

Then the parcels of free products start arriving. The followers pile up. Her favourite actress notices her. It's all brilliant, until it really isn't.

One mean comment sticks in her head more than thirty nice ones. A new online friend turns out not to be much of a friend. And a silly rumour about mayonnaise takes over the whole website.

It's properly funny. Babymouse is dramatic, a bit vain and very easy to love. But underneath the jokes it's a really good look at what it's like when being popular online starts to take over. Who hasn't felt that pull to check one more time?

A word for grown-ups. Babymouse gets very friendly with someone she's only met online, and it doesn't go well. She also hands a friend her password. Both are worth a quick chat if your reader is starting to use apps. And please make sure nobody tries that serum at home!

It suits a reader who loves a cheeky narrator and has started noticing what older kids do online. American spellings and words turn up throughout (Mom, cell phone).

What to read next

If they'd like another funny story from the same author, try The Fourteenth Goldfish, where Ellie's babysitter mentions that Mum is running late because she's collecting Grandpa from the police.