A smidge of scariness—with a light touch—and a lot of fun for dog lovers.
In his second outing, Rufus, a hairy canine snappily clad in a jacket and bow tie, keeps “very important pooches” happy at Hotel Woofmore.
Rufus must ensure that horror writer Silas Fang has a great vacation. The dark-caped German shepherd arrives in a scary car sporting a bat hood ornament, but he wants a break from all things macabre and requests “Unicorns! Bubbles! Rainbows!” Rufus, a “scaredy dog” through and through, is pleased, but when a few guests check in seeking a haunted hotel experience, Mr. Fang is ready to leave. Ms. Coco, the capable chihuahua manager, persuades everyone to stay, but trouble looms. Red pawprints appear…and is that a ghost? Mr. Fang threatens to go, but Rufus dazzles the writer with unicorn pupcakes baked by Chef Goodboyardee, and spa manager Sparkles prepares a poolside bubble bath. Rufus is working on the rainbow when the lights mysteriously go out. Uh-oh. Will the hotel’s valued guest storm off? Turns out, Rufus has found a way to please Mr. Fang after all. Some of the spookier scenes employ black and purple hues, but fans of the first installment will still find amusing puns, cheerful doggy employees, and canine guests in quirky clothing; Woofmore lovers will be laughing, while new readers will eagerly jump right in.
A smidge of scariness—with a light touch—and a lot of fun for dog lovers. (Chapter book. 6-9)Pub Date: Sept. 24, 2024
ISBN: 9781419767647
Page Count: 80
Publisher: Amulet/Abrams
Review Posted Online: May 31, 2024
Kirkus Reviews Issue: July 1, 2024
Disconcerting and possibly deadly dealings are afoot; certain to charm younger fans of the macabre.
In the latest installment of the delightfully disturbing chapter-book series, the mundane once more takes on supernatural qualities, this time in the form of veggies.
With this follow-up to Troubling Tonsils! (2025), our host, Jasper Rabbit, once more channels Twilight Zone creator Rod Serling. As Jasper narrates, we meet our heroes: fourth graders Thaddeus Badger and Oliver Possum, who love nothing more than eating junk food, particularly the hamburgers at Hurt-A-Burger (a mildly brilliant corporate name on the author’s part). When Oliver’s parents trick the two into a dinner of salads at their favorite fast-food joint, Thaddeus feels betrayed, but Oliver experiences something a little more dire. Soon after, Oliver starts acting strangely, and his parents begin behaving even more oddly. What’s going on? And does it have anything to do with the full moon? Tone is the true star of the show in this series; the mystery unspools thanks to the buildup of unnerving moments. Reynolds combines suspense with a keen ability to artistically frame both sunny innocent sequences and those rich with dark foreboding. Notably, this is no morality tale about eating your vegetables—this tale is fully on the side of its child readers. Brown’s black-and-white images, punctuated with eerie pops of green, heighten both horrifying and comedic moments.
Disconcerting and possibly deadly dealings are afoot; certain to charm younger fans of the macabre. (Chapter book. 6-9)Pub Date: Feb. 3, 2026
ISBN: 9781665961110
Page Count: 96
Publisher: Simon & Schuster
Review Posted Online: Oct. 25, 2025
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Dec. 1, 2025
Having put together a band with renowned cousin Duck Ellington and singer “Bee” Holiday, Rooster’s chances sure look...
Winning actually isn’t everything, as jazz-happy Rooster learns when he goes up against the legendary likes of Mules Davis and Ella Finchgerald at the barnyard talent show.
Having put together a band with renowned cousin Duck Ellington and singer “Bee” Holiday, Rooster’s chances sure look good—particularly after his “ ‘Hen from Ipanema’ [makes] / the barnyard chickies swoon.”—but in the end the competition is just too stiff. No matter: A compliment from cool Mules and the conviction that he still has the world’s best band soon puts the strut back in his stride. Alexander’s versifying isn’t always in tune (“So, he went to see his cousin, / a pianist of great fame…”), and despite his moniker Rooster plays an electric bass in Bower’s canted country scenes. Children are unlikely to get most of the jokes liberally sprinkled through the text, of course, so the adults sharing it with them should be ready to consult the backmatter, which consists of closing notes on jazz’s instruments, history and best-known musicians.Pub Date: Sept. 1, 2011
ISBN: 978-1-58536-688-0
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Sleeping Bear Press
Review Posted Online: July 19, 2011
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Aug. 1, 2011
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