(3) K-3 Puppy-crazy caveboy Trog nabs himself a toothy reptilian "PUPPY!" He feeds it, plays fetch, and teaches PUPPY! tricks, but nothing pleases the finicky creature until a bigger toothy reptile arrives to take it back home. Comical panel illustrations capture the silly cave-family scenario--and leave readers with a chuckle as Trog grabs a large furry tail at book's end ("KITTY!").

Reviewer: Carrie Harasimowicz Sullivan

(3) K-3 Bubbles, a monkey, is the circus's star; gorilla Oop is basically his roadie. Oop wants more, and when Bubbles is injured, she steps in and finds that Bubbles makes it look easier than it is. Bubbles and Oop are reminiscent of an old-time Hollywood comedy duo, and their story is enhanced by slapstick illustrations and a cynical but clever ending.

Reviewer: Nell Beram

(3) K-3 Underwhelmed by Halloween costume choices, Master Edgar Dreadbury wants to be "something screamingly scary." The "monsterator" machine fulfills his wish, transforming him into a multicolored creature with fur, horns, fangs, claws, and a tail. Graves's acrylics accentuate the contrast between Edgar's vibrant appearance and his dull surroundings. A five-creature partitioned flipbook creatively extends the humorous rhyming tale so readers can "monsterate" Edgar themselves.

Reviewer: Cynthia K. Ritter | Horn Book Magazine Issue: September, 2014

(3) 4-6 Josephine Cravitz expects little excitement in northern Manitoba. However, her new home surprises her with an escaped cannibalistic murderer running around and Thaddeus Hibble, an orphaned mad scientist secretly living next door. The story unfolds with unexpected twists. Funny, suspenseful, and a bit gruesome (in text and shadowy black-and-white illustrations), it's a good pick for sci-fi and horror fans alike.

Reviewer: Bethany Templeton Klem

(3) K-3 When a gigantic chick hatches from an egg, the farm's other birds are convinced that he's a squirrel (because he eats an acorn), an umbrella (because he protects everyone from rain), etc. The book's considerable humor coexists easily with its don't-let-others-define-you message. The art, including spreads and cartoon panels, features great dumb-bird reaction shots.

Reviewer: Nell Beram

(4) K-3 Grubby Gurgle, Stanky Stoo, and Ooga-Mooga (the three Nasty Gnarlies) are content in their grotesquery, until a vain butterfly convinces them that their idea of beauty is wrong. Following her advice, the Gnarlies build themselves slipshod cocoons and wait for spring. Though the plot is underdeveloped and the ending feels unconvincing, the strength of this rhyming story lies in its silliness and in the quirky, richly colored cartoonish illustrations.

Reviewer: Mark Adam

(3) K-3 An exaggeratedly perfect little girl keeps her scout uniform spotless, bench-presses 375, and saves the world every Thursday--but fails miserably when she tries to roast a marshmallow to win a Golden Marshmallow Badge. The story's good-natured hyperbole, which spills over into the quirky, caricaturing artwork, works as Loretta learns that no one is good at everything--not even her overachieving relatives.

Reviewer: Christine M. Heppermann

(4) K-3 Uncle Blubbafink tells four tall tales about when George Washing Machine chopped down Abraham Sandwich's ham trees, an abandoned volcano pup who is adopted by a chicken family, a dragon with a station-wagon shaped head, and how cows came from the moon. Though episodic and plotless, Graves's writing is brimming with silliness, as are his goofy acrylic paintings.

Reviewer: Mark Adam

(3) K-3 A monster yearns to dance, so he struts his stuff on stage until his head unzips, his brains flop out, and several body parts disconnect. The horrified audience flees, but Frank crows, "I might be a monster, but man can I dance!" The madcap verse is appealing, and the illustrations exhibit great skill with color and composition.

Reviewer: Amy Lois Cohn