Hermes (Heads I Win; Kevin Corbett Eats Flies) gets the Cousins Club series off to a chipper start with this caper introducing Meghann and Marcie, best friends and cousins. The 11-year-olds are looking forward to summer until they learn that another cousin, William (""A sneezy, whiny pest!""), is coming to visit. The spunky Meghann cooks up a plan keep the girls busy-and keep William (who is allergic to animals) out of their hair: they'll operate a pet-sitting service. Alas, there are some major glitches: William seems to have grown out of his allergies; Meghann breaks her arm; and a client's pet boa constrictor escapes from its cage. Hermes's humorous, energetic dialogue and the slapstick quality of the cousins' misadventures move her story along at a speedy clip. Ages 8-11. (Nov.)
