JANITORS SCHOOL OF GARBAGE

Students trained in the use of magic janitorial tools face giant trash monsters in this series opener set in the world of Whitesides’ popular Janitors series.

Mopping up terrifying monsters as part of the crew of a weaponized garbage truck is just one of the highlights of the summer before sixth grade for Landon Murphy after he reluctantly teams up with his weird stepsister-to-be, Jade Shu, and snotty know-it-all classmate, Sabra Malik, at a school located in a seemingly endless landfill (“I think we’re somewhere in Texas”). There, along with learning how to put pushbrooms, plungers, and like implements to decidedly unconventional uses, he and his teammates sweep up clues to the reasons behind a sudden rash of massive trash attacks in the outside world on the way to disposing of a fiendish threat. Returning fans will welcome some familiar characters—including supposedly vanquished villains—as well as more janitor gags to wince at (“What did the janitor say when he jumped out of the closet?” “Supplies!”) and desperate struggles aplenty with towering assemblages of animated detritus. Whitesides buries a subplot involving Landon’s feelings about his dad’s upcoming remarriage and leaves the end of the climactic battle offstage. Still, the stepsibs do end up more closely bonded, and there’s more than enough gross, slimy action before the finale to sweep readers along. Landon reads white; names cue some diversity in the cast.

Garbage in…gold—or at least a few sweepings of gold dust—out.