THE CAVE OF AAAAAH! DOOM!

Dragon siblings Ella and Owen have a wacky adventure.

Energetic Ella’s tired of Owen staying in bed with his cold (and the germs and fire sneezes that come with it). Bookworm Owen’s more than happy to stay put reading fairy tales about dragons defeating knights in shining armor. Ella bribes Owen out of bed with the chance to obtain more ogre toenails for his collection, and off they go to find the wizard Orlock Morlock to cure Owen’s cold. (What Owen doesn’t know is that Ella fibbed, telling him that their destination’s the Cave of Caves instead of the aptly named Cave of Aaaaah! Doom!) After escaping a dragon-eating ogre, they reach the cave, where a winged Wicked Wizard Waffle terrifies them. Driving it away, they then learn that Orlock Morlock is an evil vegetable (literally) wizard rather than a dragon wizard. They end up helping him, negotiating for their freedom, Owen’s cure, and his agreement to restrict his evilness to Mondays (and evil holidays). Then they set off for home and one last twist—they’re lost again. The simultaneously publishing sequel, Attack of the Stinky Fish Monster!, starts up right at that cliffhanger to quickly resolve it and launches into the siblings’ misfortunes while trying to bake their mother a birthday cake. While the emphasis is clearly on maximum silliness, Kent’s depiction of the siblings’ relationship will ring true to many readers.

Just the ticket for chapter-book readers in need of some giggles.