The Templeton Twins Have An Idea: Book One is extremely clever. It has a saucy narrator who steps out of the story repeatedly to tease and cajole readers with mock end-of-chapter quizzes, sarcastic asides and playful wit, and even a recipe for meatloaf. For young readers who like their stories straight, this might confuse or wear thin, but for those who enjoy matching wits, it entertains.

The 12-year-old twins are engaging characters-John is practical and plays the drums and Abigail is abstract and solves puzzles. After their mother dies of an illness, they live alone with their inventor father, the nanny, and Cassie the Ridiculous Dog. The central plot involves a deranged former student of Mr. Templeton's who is convinced the professor has stolen his life work.

The plot plus all of the characters are overshadowed by the spunky narrator. The story is almost secondary, but the book is lively and amusing. There are a few potentially disturbing moments-a kidnapping, a murder, captivity in a dark basement-but they seem to blend with the book's ironic and humorous tone.

It's a fun story for a specific audience, but might not be for everyone. That said, the Templeton twins and their father are an interesting little family that should be fun to follow in future books.