Lunch Lady and the Mutant Mathletes

Lunch Lady #7

by Jarrett J. Krosoczka

The Breakfast Bunch have joined the mathletes team, and are all set to win the championship trophy for Thompson Brook Elementary School—they only need to beat the defending champs from Willowby Academy.  But Lunch Lady notices something strange about the opposing matheletes and their sinister coach. Will she and her sidekick Betty be able to sort out the suspicious competitors before they snatch victory away from the Breakfast Bunch?

Genres: Graphic Novels, Humor, Comics, Middle Grade, Childrens, Mathematics, Kids

96 pages, Paperback

First published March 27, 2012

About the author

Jarrett J. Krosoczka, known since boyhood as "JJK," is the New York Times bestselling author/illustrator behind more than forty books for young readers, including his wildly popular Lunch Lady graphic novels, select volumes of the Star Wars™: Jedi Academy series, and Hey, Kiddo, which was a National Book Award Finalist. Krosoczka creates books with humor, heart, and deep respect for his young readers—qualities that have made his titles perennial favorites on the bookshelves of homes, libraries, and bookstores over the past twenty years.

In addition to his work in print, Krosoczka produced, directed, and performed in the full-cast audiobook adaptations of his graphic novels. The Hey, Kidoo audiobook garnered both Audie and Odyssey Awards for excellence in audiobook production. The Lunch Lady audiobook cast is led by Kate Flannery (The Office) and is rounded out by famed audiobook narrators and real kid actors! Krosoczka has been a guest on NPR's Fresh Air with Terry Gross, has been profiled in The New York Times, was featured on Good Morning America, and has delivered three TED Talks, which have accrued millions of views online. Krosoczka has garnered millions of more views online via the tutorials he has produced for YouTube and TikTok. As well as working on his books' film and television adaptions, Krosoczka has also written for The Snoopy Show (Apple TV+) and served as a consultant for Creative Galaxy (Prime Video), and appeared in live segments for the show.

Realizing that his books can inspire young readers beyond the page, Krosoczka founded School Lunch Hero Day, a national campaign celebrating school lunch staff. A consummate advocate for arts education, Krosoczka also established the Joseph and Shirley Krosoczka Memorial Youth Scholarships, which fund art classes for underprivileged children in his hometown of Worcester, Massachusetts.

Krosoczka lives in western Massachusetts with his spouse, their three children, pugs Ralph and Frank, and a French bulldog named Bella Carmella.

Reviews

[Anthony · Rating 3 out of 5]

Dee, Hector, and Terrence must join the mathletes club for skipping the school field trip. Poised to compete for the championship, the team faces their toughest challenge yet, Willowby Academy, who is undefeated for the past 20 years. Lunch Lady discovers the mystery behind Willowby Academy's success, but will she be able to expose it without upsetting Thompson Brook's chances to bring the trophy home with a victory?

[Cris · Rating 3 out of 5]

Lunch Lady v7

Since the Breakfast Bunch was assisting the Lunch Lady during the museum tour, the principal has opted to place the children on the mathletes.

[Heather Shembarger · Rating 3 out of 5]

This graphic novel has some good messages regarding the importance of working together and also tries to show the importance of breaking from typical stereotypes. In the end, teamwork prevails and also some new attitudes are established concerning the "Mathletes" group. What starts out as a punishment, actually ends up being a rewarding experience for all the characters involved. Lunch Lady also has her special role as she is all about kids but also all about ethics and competing the correct way. You will have to read the book to find out more!

[Amanda · Rating 3 out of 5]

Another good, silly-fun read in an action-packed, playful graphic novel series. I could easily see these books appealing to a broad age range and would happily recommend them to kids of all ages. My husband complained that the plot shifts in this one were too quick and strange, but they are very short books, and I kind of like the way the floor drops out of things all of a sudden. Makes it feel like any ol' action flick or superhero drama. Except our hero wears yellow rubber gloves and an apron. It's kind of great, in other words.

[Sarah Threlkeld · Rating 4 out of 5]

Even more fantastic food-themed gadgets! Funnier than the last few titles in the series and there's math!

[Nancy Kotkin · Rating 4 out of 5]

Story: 4 stars
Art: 4 stars

Fun graphic novel series for chapter book readers. Lunch Lady and her sidekick, Betty, are a secret crime-fighting duo that serve up breakfast, lunch, and justice. There is a group of three elementary school kids (two boys and one girl) who help Lunch Lady and Betty on their superhero missions. Lunch Lady's ninja skills are complemented by Betty's tech acumen. My favorite part are all the souped-up cooking utensils and food-related gadgets that Betty invents, which are then used to capture the bad guys.

For the same age group as readers of the Babymouse and Salem Hyde graphic novel series, but the Lunch Lady series has wider appeal to both genders. Nothing deep here, but good entertainment value when kids need a break from more serious reading and studying. Especially well-suited to build reading confidence for reluctant readers.

Not a lot of detail in the drawing. This more iconic style, along with large panels, makes these graphic novels easy to read. Color palette is restricted to black, white, and yellow for all books in the series. I wish the creator had chosen a more contrasting color than yellow, but it works well for the apron and gloves of Lunch Lady's outfit.

In this seventh book of the Lunch Lady series, complete chaos breaks loose at the Math Bowl Championship competition. Only Lunch Lady and her helpers can reign in the mayhem while solving equations.

[Stephen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Date read: 10/29/2020
Date of review: 10/29/2020
Genre: Fantasy (graphic novel)
Grade Range: 2-3
The title character is fantastic, and the author does a great job including "lunch lingo" in all of her "super abilities" and gadgets. More than anything what stands out about this graphic novel is how packed with action it is, I bet this would be one where kids would have a hard time putting it down.

[Katie · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Breakfast Bunch are assigned to the Mathletes team after they skip out in the field trip tour. Although this is not what they wanted, they are quite good at math, and help take the Mathletes to the championship competition. But something is fishy about the other team...they never lose.

Full of the usual food puns and the most amazing of food themed gadgets, the Breakfast Club, the Lunch Lady, and Betty crack this case and fight the crime!

[Molly Horowitz · Rating 4 out of 5]

I found this on the couch since my brother, who is in first grade, had been reading it, so of course I picked it up- I mean, who can resist a book that has an interesting cover and title, and does not qualify as a boring book for adults?

Anyways, I read it, and I have to say, I really enjoyed it! Obviously it's not me favorite book, but it was funny! All in all, a good book.

[Debbie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Lunch Lady, book 7.

For fans of Captain Underpants who suspect that their school lunch lady just might be a secret superhero.

The mathletes go up against some beastly competitors. As if math weren't bad enough!

[Stephen · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is the 7th volume of the Lunch Lady series and it captivated my daughter the same as the first volume. This volume sees the kids enter into a math club competition and stakes are high. I found this a page turner and fun read with my daughter and would recommend it to any young reader.

[Rachel · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was fun, although whoa did not expect that climax/end. A little creepy~!

[Chris · Rating 4 out of 5]

Totally fun and amusing!

[Otto Krause · Rating 5 out of 5]

Just a regular comic, and mutant mathletes

[aleksander · Rating 5 out of 5]

5 stars

Awesome series that I would totally recommend for that one know kid who loves to Captain underpants, dog man, Justice league, the avengers or anything like that

[Ellen Zarate · Rating 3 out of 5]

The same library friend who recommended other Lunch Lady books promised me that if I read this one I'd be glad. He was right :).

[Rachael · Rating 2 out of 5]

I really have a hard time with the idea that kids would be punished by requiring them to compete on the Math Bowl team.

[Christy Broderick⁷ · Rating 5 out of 5]

Math and mutants, what could be better than that?

[Stephanie · Rating 5 out of 5]

BV Library Checkout. Second read is me.

[Brooke · Rating 4 out of 5]

On the top of my list for Lunch Lady books. I've had my eye on that crotchety janitor for awhile. I knew Dee had an inner nerd in there somewhere. All in all, fast and fun.

[Arhaan Shaikh · Rating 5 out of 5]

Pretty fun. Addicting just like other books in series.

[Gabs · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fun series

[elstaffe · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 rounds up to four stars for me. My favorite of the series so far!

[Aryanna Tunstall · Rating 3 out of 5]

Action packed graphic novel about a lunch lady who dishes up more than meatloaf.

[Arman Waggoner · Rating 4 out of 5]

I liked it, the art design reminds me of Pepper Ann and my Mom says Lunch Lady reminds of My Granny and to me she reminds of the Kids next Door and a human Perry the Platypus that talks.

[Megan Moss · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fun read aloud with my son. This is a fun, creative series

[Thaz · Rating 5 out of 5]

The final book I’ve read in the series! Loved the story about how the kids who once were not fond of math end up liking it and wanting to win the competition!

[Hayden Parrish · Rating 5 out of 5]

Awesome. Also math nerd has a huge crush on Dee. So obvious

[Connie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Who is that masked vigilante?! 😀

[Dhruv L · Rating 5 out of 5]

Mutants! Are we going Alien here? Awesome book.