From Tom Angleberger’s Fake Mustache: Or How Jodie O’Rodeo and Her Wonder Horse (and Some Nerdy Kid) Saved the U.S. Presidential Election from a Mad Genius Criminal Mastermind.
Lenny and his best friend, Casper, live in the quaint town of Hairsprinkle; Lenny enjoys riding the trolleys through town, shopping at the local magic shop, and watching a TV show about a cowgirl named Jodie O’Rodeo with his younger sisters. But on Casper’s birthday everything changes when the boys head into town so Casper can buy a nice suit (a short man-about-town suit) and a fake mustache: the Heidelberg Number 7. Lenny doesn’t think much of the trip since all he got was a stretchy sticky hand, but when a few banks and treasuries are robbed by random groups of people and their suited, mustache-wearing ringleader, Lenny begins to suspect his best friend is in over his head with illegal activity. The mustache-wearing Casper takes on the name Fako Mustacho and the world seems to fall under a spell, with Lenny being the only person able to see through the hairy disguise. Lenny eventually learns that the Heidelberg Number 7 is a very special and powerful mustache, hair original to the face of a successful assassin, the mustache comes with brain-controlling powers. Lenny is unsuccessful in his attempts to stop Casper, but when he meets former-child-star Jodie O’Rodeo she can see through Casper’s disguise and quickly joins Lenny in his fight to stop Casper before he takes control of America and gets himself elected president.
Angleberger’s story is both quick and hilarious, but the story is not so simple to be uninteresting to readers (of any age). Lenny and Jodie are the perfect narrators, voicing concerns and triumphs at just the right point. While it is almost outlandish in the turn of events, Fake Mustache is a page-turner with lots of action, laughs, and heart.
First Sentence of a New World 
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