Attack of the Killer Fishsticks

The Wacky Facts Lunch Bunch series kicks off with a rather bland offering. Four friends--two girls, two boys--solemnly pledge to make their year in fifth grade ``cram full of laughs, good times, and mind-boggling adventures.'' To this end they gather in the cafeteria, keep a file of facts that are ``shocking, amazing or gross,'' and trade jokes. When they see that Max, a new kid, has been targeted by the class bullies (``the Nasty Blobs''), they decide to protect him, then ask him to join their group. Soon they nominate Max to run for class representative against one of the Nasty Blobs, in the process helping Max to heal his grief at his mother's recent death. The serious subplot about mourning feels tacked on, a vain effort to give this story some purpose. But, like most of the Lunch Bunch's storehouse of trivia, the characters and their concerns lack vitality. Zindel (see review of David and Della , below) can do better. Ages 9-12. (Oct.)