The Twinkie Squad facts for kids
First edition
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| Author | Gordon Korman |
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| Illustrator | Liam Schindler |
| Country | Canada |
| Language | English |
| Genre | Children's novel |
| Publisher | Scholastic Inc. |
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Publication date
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1992 |
| Media type | Print (Paperback) |
| Pages | 194 |
| ISBN | 0-590-45250-9 |
| OCLC | 30013779 |
The Twinkie Squad is an exciting children's novel written by Gordon Korman. It was first published in 1992. The story is about two very different boys: Armando "Commando" Rivera and Douglas Fairchild. Commando is a popular, basketball-loving kid who often gets into trouble. Douglas is tall, pale, and the son of a U.S. Ambassador. He claims to be from a tiny country called 'Pefkakia'. He says he was born there on a jet plane during an emergency stop. The story mostly takes place in Washington D.C.
Contents
The Story Begins
Meet Douglas and Commando
Douglas Fairchild loves to talk about his "exotic culture." But he's actually making most of it up! He struggles in his classes because of this. So, he gets placed in a special support group. Other students jokingly call this group "the Twinkie Squad."
One day, Armando "Commando" Rivera is playing basketball. Douglas is nearby, writing in his "Pefkakia journal." (It's really just a notebook filled with the word 'blah'.) Commando accidentally fumbles the ball. It bounces and hits Douglas in the nose, causing a big nosebleed. Douglas already has a problem with his nose.
Commando's enemy, Kahlil, tells the Principal what happened. The Principal thinks Commando hit Douglas on purpose. Douglas tries to explain it was an accident. But the Principal thinks Commando is just scaring Douglas into silence. Because of this, Commando is kicked off the basketball team. He also has to join Douglas's special discussion group for a whole year.
The Special Discussion Group
The "Twinkie Squad" is actually called the special discussion group. It's led by Mr. and Mrs. Richardson. They are counselors who try to help the students. Besides Douglas and Commando, other kids in the group include:
- Anita, who copies what others think.
- Yolanda, who loves movies.
- Gerald, who is very shy.
- Ric, who is super energetic and jumpy.
- Dave, who doesn't feel good about himself.
Commando is also worried because his family is having a tough time. His dad has gone back to school to become an accountant. He needs to pass special exams to become a CPA.
The Grand Knights of the Exalted Karpoozi
A New Club Idea
Douglas is still doing poorly in his classes. The group leaders, Martin and Julia, try to help him. But Douglas doesn't give up on his Pefkakian ideas. He decides to boost everyone's spirits, Pefkakian-style!
First, he gives the group a new, fancy name: The Grand Knights of the Exalted Karpoozi. He says it's named after a noble Pefkakian order and a great river. (But 'karpoozi' was just a word he found in his alphabet soup!)
Commando likes the idea. He uses his charm and "bad boy" reputation to help Douglas. They turn the "Grand Knights" into a real club. Commando puts up a mysterious sign-up sheet for the club. He doesn't explain what it is. Because it's so mysterious, it becomes the coolest and most exclusive club at school! Commando even has to turn away the most popular girl. He can't actually let new people into the Twinkie Squad.
The Garlic Squid Disaster
A Pefkakian Delicacy
Douglas's second plan to cheer everyone up is to cook a "traditional Pefkakian delicacy." He chooses a very strong-smelling dish: garlic squid with mango and banana. This causes even bigger problems!
He tries to cook the dish in the school's Home Economics kitchen. He hides the half-cooked garlic marinated squid in a hole in the ceiling. But a class starts, and the hole gets sealed before he can get it back.
A Stinky Mission
Now, the Grand Knights of the Exalted Karpoozi have a mission! They must get rid of the terrible smell of the rotting squid. They try many things:
- They try to use the class's pet gerbils to eat it. Gerbils are supposed to eat anything, but even they run away from the stinky squid!
- They use cheap perfume. This only makes the smell worse and stronger! The school has to close until the smell goes away.
- They use Dr. Footsie, a super strong foot powder. This powder gets everywhere, even in the principal's office. It also accidentally clogs the school's toilets!
While the school is closed, Douglas and Commando help the other kids in the Twinkie Squad. These kids aren't really struggling mentally. They are just very shy. Douglas and Commando help them feel more confident and become more social.
The school reopens, but the rotting smell is still there. The Home Economics room and the Principal's Office above it are closed off. The smell is so bad it makes people's noses and eyes burn!
What Happens Next
Solving the Squid Problem
Later, Douglas, Commando, and the rest of the Twinkie Squad sneak back into the school. They break a roof panel in the Home Economics room. They get the rotten squid. They try to bury it in the schoolyard. But a policeman patrolling the campus catches them! He tries to arrest them.
Just then, Ambassador Fairchild, Douglas's dad, arrives. He explains that his son is not a criminal. The police officer is relieved. He thought the boys were burying something much worse!
Truth and Apologies
Commando's father passes his CPA exam and becomes an accountant. Then, he and Ambassador Fairchild talk to the Principal. They discuss how he handled the nosebleed incident. The Principal has to admit that Commando is not a bully. He apologizes for thinking an accident was an attack.
However, the Principal surprises Mr. Fairchild. He shows him a letter Douglas forged with a doctor's signature.
Then Douglas tells Commando the truth. He admits his bad grades and the whole Pefkakia story were made up. He wanted to show the world he was different from his family. He also reveals that his binder, which he seemed to be writing in all year, was just full of the word "blah."
After Commando leaves, Douglas's father shows up with a gift. It's a flower pot full of "bullrushes." These are brown, reed-like plants from Pefkakia. Douglas's dad acts like a little boy, playing in the bullrushes. He feels young at heart, even though it's a bit embarrassing. Then they go home. Douglas's dad tells him he had to apologize to the principal for the forged letter.
Mentioned in Other Books
Pefkakia is also mentioned in another book by Gordon Korman, called A Semester in the Life of a Garbage Bag. In that story, a character named Jardine has to do a report on Pefkakia. But the king of Pefkakia, King Phidor, is overthrown in a military coup just one day before the report is due!
