Alan Snow

Rating: 4 of 5

Buncha nonsense, really. The stuff of pure fantasy - I loved it! One of those books I wish I could've read for the first time when I was like 11 years old. Aside from the quirky illustrations, I think my fave was the imaginative twists on reality, like "Oil of Brussels" used as a weapon. Because what kid thinks of Brussels sprouts as anything other than parent-sanctioned poison? Be warned: No matter what age, you will giggle A LOT whilst reading Here Be Monsters! (And if you show more don't, why the hay would you pick this book up in the first place?!) show less

A COUNTER-REVOLUTION in children’s literature has banished the grim plethora of social realism and reclaimed those elements of magic and imagination so necessary for childhood. Here Be Monsters features the indefatigable Arthur, an orphan who lives underground with his grandfather and a quirky community of Box trolls, Cabbage Heads, Rabbit Women and Trotting Badgers. On one of his nightly forays into the town above for food, Arthur witnesses an illicit cheese hunt… From then the action show more is fast and furious as his band of misfits and recreants battle to save the old town of Ratbridge from the evil plans of the sinister Cheese Barons. show less

This is a fun, but far-fetched sequel to [b:Here Be Monsters!|79088|Here Be Monsters!|Alan Snow|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1347986052s/79088.jpg|76366]. Arthur and his friends set off on the Nautical Laundry to retrieve a medicinal plant with sinister side effects. Yup, it's a long story.

I love this book so much I am putting it in my category for favorite dog books. As I currently have no grandchildren (STILL!!!), I have to imagine reading to a small child like I fondly remember when my boys where little. And for me, it is all about all the details and quirky things to read and discuss with that child. This is a great book for that. So many quirky details and intricate drawings would make it a joy to look at over and over again. Then if your dog had to go to the vet, you show more could go to that page in the book and talk about how the vet goes in to fix the internal parts.

Here is the from the start of the book:

What is a dog?
A dog is a four-legged animal that eats, sleeps, runs around, and smells when wet! It has a nose, a tail for wagging, and strange ears. These ears can hear food from half a mile away, but cannot hear 'NO' from three feet. If you throw something for a dog, he may go and get it, but he's not very likely to give it back - this is called "Fetch." Dogs also make a lots of noise, have wet noses, sticky tongues, and many disgusting habits. show less