Growing up in a family with five kids, I am very familiar with the topic of sibling rivalry- the constant squabbles, the nasty name-calling, and the occasional all-out brawl. However, the occasional fights between my siblings seem minor when compared to the non-stop warfare between the brother and sister characters in Jerry Spinelli's "Who Put That Hair in My Toothbrush?"

"Who Put That Hair in My Toothbrush?" details the lives of two suburban Pennsylvannian middle-schoolers: ninth grader, Greg Tofer, and his seventh grader sister, Megin. Spinelli gives each character a viewpoint with alternating chapters to allow Greg and Megin to discuss their lives. Greg's life revolves mainly around girls- his desire to impress his crush, Jennifer Wade, with a body toned and tanned by a summer of weightlifting and healthy eating, and his relationship with a much more available girl, Sara Bellamy. Greg also details his friendships with immature loudmouth, Valducci, and fourteen years old going on thirty, Poff. On the other hand, Megin's chapters present her as a hardnosed tomboy- whose life revolves around hockey, donuts, and a friendship with a lonely old woman. Megin has friends her age too- flighty chattermouth, Sue Ann, and the "exotic" Californian, Zoe.

However, the majority of the book deals with how much Greg and Megin literally hate one another. They battle over EVERYTHING and there is not one tactic they won't resort to in order to embarrass and annoy the other such as sticking a hair in a toothbrush. They won't even acknowledge each other's names- to Gregg, Megin is "Megamouth" and he's "Grosso" to her. They even use their four year old brother, Toddie, as an instrument in their warfare with each vying for the affections of the little boy. Oh, they also resort to violence against one another on occasion. Their good-hearted, jolly father and tired mother try to reconcile the two, but it seems hopeless because as Megin puts it the two of them are like a cobra and a mongoose- "natural enemies." However, events will prove that Greg and Megin do need each other.

Jerry Spinelli writes in an extremely humorous style which captures the emotional upheavals of the average middle-schooler so it was surprising to discover that he's a grandfather! In fact, "Who Put that Hair in My Toothbrush?" was first published over twenty years ago and it's age shows in spots- record players, leg warmers, Wayne Gretsky as an Edmonton Oiler, ect. However, it still captures the subject of sibling rivalry fairly well- although Spinelli at times paints the picture a little broadly and the characters little too unlikeable (Megin in particular can come across as an appallingly spoiled brat!) Overall, though, this is fairly amusing story and will keep one entertained.

I remember reading this book when I was 13 or so, and how it made me laugh. The brother and sister in the story squabble just like I did with my own brother growing up. The best part of the story for me was definitely Zoe, the girl from the exotic land of.. California. Being from California myself I just found that hilarious. Great book for kids who like comedy.

"Who Put That Hair in my Toothbrush" is a funny book. Megin calls her brother Greg, Grosso and he calls her Megamouth. They fight with doughnuts and hair. Megin met an old lady named Emilie. It was nice how Megin gave her a Number One Best Grandma award. I think that made Emilie feel happy.

I like this book because it feels real to me. It is real how Greg and Megin fight and brothers and sisters do fight sometimes in real life. Jerry Spinelli shows events that happens in family life.Greg likes a girl Jennifer but a girl Sara likes him. Greg and Sara are only friends. I would recommend this book nine years old to twelve years old. I think Jerry Spinelli wrote a great book.

Frankly, folks, Spinelli can do lots better than this! He's proven it with books like Crash, Loser, and (most of) Stargirl. So what in the world happened to him here??? Both of the main characters here are incredibly immature. I think junior high and high schoolers should be insulted by a story that portrays them as so shallow! The constant name-calling, whining, lying, and so forth really got on my nerves. True, toward the end one tragedy and another near-tragedy bring Greg and Megin closer together. But by then you may not like them enough to care. And a couple of Spinelli's much more likeable minor characters, such as Megin's "adopted grandmother" Emilie Bain, are hardly developed. What GOT INTO Spinelli here? This book is tremendously skippable. Read Crash instead. "Sibling rivalry" gets a fairer portrayal there, even though it's not the book's main theme.

This book was ok. It was sort of slow but then It picked up. Some chapters I wished I could skip them but I still read on. This book is a great book over all. I will say this though, I think and middle school student would like it.