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Reviewed by:
  • Bro-jitsu: The Martial Art of Sibling Smackdown
  • Jeff Chang, Reviewer
Wilson, Daniel H.. Bro-jitsu: The Martial Art of Sibling Smackdown; illus. by Les McClaine. Bloomsbury, 2010. [160p]. Paper ed. ISBN 978-1-59990-279-1 $12.99 Reviewed from galleys R Gr. 5-8.

"Respect, courtesy, and honor. None of these are necessary qualities for a beginning student of Bro-jitsu," proclaims author/Bro-jitsu master Wilson at the beginning of this wickedly informative guide to sibling-to-sibling combat. He goes on to neatly and entertainingly encapsulate much of the idiocy involved in sibling antagonism [End Page 459] in an encyclopedic format divided into three sections: offensive moves, defensive moves, and psychological moves. Much of the material such as the Basic Hair Pull, Wet Willy, Pink Belly, and Doll Mutilation will be instantly recognizable to many kids, but the familiarity, combined with the incisive descriptions and McClaine's accompanying to-the-point illustrations (for select moves), only serves to heighten the hilarity. With deadpan wit and wisdom the book clarifies that even the most cruel and ridiculous moves and weapons (e.g., the Poop Wand—exactly what it sounds like) serve a logical purpose (logical enough, anyway). Also included are consenting sibling games such as Bloody Knuckles, Mercy, and Belly Busters (which involves stuffing pillows in the front of your shirt and charging forth sumo-style). Something of a tongue-in-cheek variant of The Dangerous Book for Boys, this should have broad appeal for non-squeamish siblings (especially reluctant readers who can easily dip in), and for sharing with nostalgic adults. An index of Bro-jitsu moves is included. Let the memory-making begin! [End Page 460]

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