A review by kim_j_dare
Chitty Chitty Bang Bang Flies Again by Frank Cottrell Boyce

4.0

Who better than Frank Cottrell Boyce to write the continuing story of Ian Fleming's 1964 [b:Chitty Chitty Bang Bang|576335|Chitty Chitty Bang Bang|Ian Fleming|http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1175950916s/576335.jpg|2245507]? This time, a contemporary family of five called the Tootings are on the receiving end of Chitty's love of adventure. Dad, recently laid off from the Very Small Parts for Very Big Machines Company, is at loose ends. After his efforts at home improvement are a flop, Mom brings home an old 1966 camper for him to restore. Together, he and Jem get it running again, but things really start happening when the two discover an old super-charged engine at a junkyard and replace the original engine with this one. As the Tooting family takes off on a roadtrip, it quickly becomes apparent that Chitty is calling the shots on where they go and how they get there. The souped-up car flies them to Paris, where they create quite a buzz by landing on the Eiffel Tower. From there, it's off to Egypt, a run-in with some bank robbers, an undersea adventure with a colossal squid, and more. The family interactions are a hoot, and the spot art by Joe Berger adds to the zany fun. A terrific read-aloud for grades 3-5.