Disclaimer: I received a free digital ARC of this book from NetGalley. I was not required to post a positive review.
WOWZERS MY TROUSERS!
I didn't need to make up a catchy title for this one, because the title says it all.
Stinkbomb, a boy who fills his pockets with "useful stuff," and his sister Ketchup-Face, a hyperactive and outspoken girl, live on Great Kerfuffle Island.
When a talking trolley (shopping cart) shows up at their door with a mission from the Great Kerfuffle Secret Service, Stinkbomb and Ketchup-Face go along for the ride (see what I did there?).
Along their adventure, they encounter a whole cast of interesting characters, such as King Toothbrush Weasel and his one-man (scratch that, cat) army, Malcolm the Cat, a ninja librarian, and a whole bunch of evil badgers.
The story itself is silly and delightfully self-aware, which makes for a great read for both children and adults. You see some really interesting choices in style and structure, from certain words or phrases having a different font and size, to entire pages being repetitive to add a punch to the humor, and more that will keep even the most distractible of children focused on the story.
The characters' actions are often nonsensical and children will love seeing characters who won't notice what's right in front of their faces. Stinkbomb repeatedly says "Wowsers my trousers!" when he is surprised, which is funny and cute. My favorite character was Malcolm the Cat because he reminds me of my two cats, because he takes his sweet time following the King's orders.
Upon researching this title and author, I realized that this is a series and am definitely excited to get my hands on the other titles. I also saw that John Dougherty is a well-established author, and will be seeking out more of his works in the future.
I think this book is one that fans of Captain Underpants and similar works would definitely enjoy. It's very action-packed and goofy, too, so parents won't mind if they have to read it aloud. I read the parts with Malcolm aloud to my cats and they agreed that he was the best character!