FROGOSAURUS VS. THE BOG MONSTER

Twins Sammy and Tammy save their town from not one, but two monsters loosed by a villainous land developer in this eco-themed muckfest.

Booted out of Boggy Marshes when real estate magnate Maximus Sneer begins draining the wetland’s water into an old quarry, Sammy and Tammy indignantly organize a public protest. This turns out to be less effective in squelching Sneer’s schemes than the newly re-hydrated frog monster that rises from the quarry and the 20-story-high mud monster that oozes up from the marsh’s thickened slime. After battling each other to a messy draw, Frogosaurus and the Bog Monster proceed to turn their attention toward terrorizing the tiny townsfolk—notably Sneer, whose sneers change to moans for his mommy. Quickly, the twins arrange a mass barbecue to fatally desiccate the former and enlist the fire department to hose the latter down into a mass of goo. Dr. Roach, a nattily attired insect, plays impresario for the all-action episode (more are on the way). It’s presented in short chapters of easily digestible narrative with black-and-white cartoon scenes on every page.

Younger reluctant readers and recent early-reader grads alike will glory in this unlikely romp’s broad menu of creature-feature clichés.