BUGGING OUT

A newly formed alliance of monster keepers tackles a plague of designer bugzillas in this ichor-splashed sequel to Monsters Unleashed (2017).

Freddie Liddle’s talent for drawing realistic monsters literally comes back to bite him when insect-loving classmate Trevor tricks him into creating a fearsome fantasy “entomon,” then uses a very special 3-D printer to bring it—and, in next to no time, zillions of its voracious progeny—to life. Time for Freddie, his four friends, and the pet monsters tamed by each in the previous episode to spring into action. The ensuing gorefest rolls on amid near-continual stomping, indiscriminate spraying, and bursts of flame (“Pop! Pop! Pop! Freddie could hear their guts exploding and bursting into the air,” etc.) to a final desperate stand featuring, in deference to monster-movie tradition, a gigantic kaiju. Along with heroic exploits galore, Kloepfer folds in bits of science and further bonding in the physically and racially diverse cast (Freddie himself is white), Trevor is welcomed into the circle and everyone gets back home in time to throw Freddie’s Latinx best bud, Manny Vasquez, an impromptu birthday party. Finished illustrations not seen.

As Freddie aptly puts it: “It was gross, but it was also pretty cool.” (Fantasy. 9-12)