Can this band of disgruntled circus stars find their escape? With a third slapstick tale, comedy team Arthur Yorinks and Sergio Ruzzier present a satisfying—and surprising—final act. Well, here they are again. The ant, the fly, and the flea. Stuck doing tricks for the circus-goers every night and twice on Sundays. Stuck like a . . . well, you know. But with the help of Moth, a fellow performer with a pretty spectacular trick, the four plan their escape. Will it work? Can you teach an old moth not to fly into a light bulb? In a third tale buzzing with wordplay and wacky-eyed insects, acclaimed playwright and author Arthur Yorinks, together with award-winning illustrator Sergio Ruzzier, presents a hilarious (and unexpectedly heartfelt) finale to the series about the meanest ant ever and his buggy “friends.” Gr 1–3—This book closes out a picture book trilogy that's partly about the value of having friends but mostly about silly wordplay and Abbott and Costello style repartee. The story picks up where One Mean Ant with Fly and Flea left off—with the titular insects forced to perform in a flea circus for "only a drop of sugar water and a crumb, one crumb, for meals. No day off. No rest. No nothing!" After much squabbling about who's to blame for this predicament, Ant fashions an escape plan that hinges on persuading fellow prisoner Moth, permanently dazed from crashing against a light bulb ("It's a comedy act."), to fly away from the light for once: "'The fly flies with the flea?' asked the moth. 'No, no, no, the fly flies with me while you fly with the flea,' said the ant." Ant is nearly left behind, but all are last seen winging away toward the full moon after the others bravely fly back to snatch him up. "They were friends, after all." If Yorinks natters on at perhaps unnecessary length his narrative's staccato pacing will elicit chuckles from a listening audience, and Ruzzier's scowling, choleric pismire headlines a properly clownish gang of googly eyed, improbably hued bumblers. VERDICT An optionally standalone episode, with enough verbal foolery and exaggerated emotion to keep everyone amused.—John Peters, Children's Literature Consultant, NY This book closes out a picture book trilogy that’s partly about the value of having friends but mostly about silly wordplay and Abbott and Costello style repartee. . . . An optionally standalone episode, with enough verbal foolery and exaggerated emotion to keep everyone amused. —School Library Journal There is much humor in Ruzzier’s depictions of these googly-eyed characters. . . A satisfying end to an entertaining series. —Kirkus Reviews Arthur Yorinks is a playwright, director, and author of more than thirty-five picture books for children, including the Caldecott Medal winner Hey, Al , illustrated by Richard Egielski, with whom he has collaborated on numerous award-winning titles. He also wrote One Mean Ant and One Mean Ant with Fly and Flea , both illustrated by Sergio Ruzzier. Arthur Yorinks lives in Cambridge, New York. Sergio Ruzzier is the author-illustrator of numerous books for children, including Fish and Wave , a Theodor Seuss Geisel Honor Book; Amandina ; A Letter for Leo ; and The Room of Wonders , which won a Parents’ Choice Gold Award. He lives in Italy.