Synopses & Reviews
Meet Bingo and Jmiah, raccoon brothers on a mission to save Sugar Man Swamp in this National Book Award finalist from Newbery Honoree Kathi Appelt.Raccoon brothers Bingo and Jmiah are the newest recruits of the Official Sugar Man Swamp Scouts. The opportunity to serve the Sugar Man—the massive creature who delights in delicious sugar cane and magnanimously rules over the swamp—is an honor, and also a big responsibility, since the rest of the swamp critters rely heavily on the intel of these hardworking Scouts.
Twelve-year-old Chap Brayburn is not a member of any such organization. But he loves the swamp something fierce, and hell do anything to help protect it.
And help is surely needed, because world-class alligator wrestler Jaeger Stitch wants to turn Sugar Man swamp into an Alligator World Wrestling Arena and Theme Park, and the troubles dont end there. There is also a gang of wild feral hogs on the march, headed straight toward them all.
The Scouts are ready. All they have to do is wake up the Sugar Man. Problem is, no ones been able to wake that fellow up in a decade or four…
Newbery Honoree and National Book Award finalist Kathi Appelts story of care and conservation has received five starred reviews, was selected as a National Book Award finalist, and is funny as all get out and ripe for reading aloud.
Review
* "This delicious, richly detailed story is told in 104 short chapters, which swing the plot beautifully from one thread to the next and keep the action moving. Appelts omniscient third-person narration exudes folksy, homespun warmth while also feeling fresh and funny. A satisfying romp." Booklist, STARRED REVIEW
Review
* "In a honeyed dialect, the omnipresent narrator directly engages readers, ricocheting between the hilarious human and critter dramas to a riotous finale. A rollicking, ripping tall tale with ecological subtext." Kirkus Reviews, STARRED REVIEW
Review
"Appelt 'nailed it.' She has weaved a delightful yarn with a cast of affable characters and somehow manages to make a rusted 1949 DeSoto in a Louisiana swamp a cozy home for two raccoon scouts--absolutely charming.” Harry Bliss, New Yorker illustrator and illustrator of Diary of a Worm
Review
“Kathi Appelt's amazing lyrical language with that perfect Southern cadence draws us deeper and deeper into the world of Sugar Man Swamp. Hilarious and heartfelt, Bingo and J'Miah draw you into their home, into the swamp and we care about each creature as though they are family.” An NA, author of the Printz Award-winning and National Book Award finalist A Step from Heaven
Review
* "Told from the perspectives of animals and humans, Appelts (The Underneath) rollicking tall tale exposes the trouble brewing in Sugar Man swamp. The main concern of Bingo and Jmiah, two raccoon Swamp Scouts, is the approaching brood of feral hogs, which could destroy the precious canebrake sugar used to make fried pies at the local Paradise Pies cafe. Meanwhile, 12-year-old Chap Brayburn, the cafe proprietors son, is worried about rich, horrible Sonny Boy Beaucoup, who wants to turn the swamp into the “Gator World Wrestling Arena and Theme Park.” The swamps salvation may lie with the furry, bearlike Sugar Man, whose “hands were as large as palmetto ferns” and “feet were like small boats,” but finding and awakening him is no easy task. The books folksy narrative adds brightness and humor to the story as Appelt explores the swamps rich history, varied denizens, and current threats. Heroes and villains are drawn in bold strokes, but while theres little doubt who will emerge victorious, finding out how events unfurl is well worth the read." Publishers Weekly, STARRED REVIEW
Review
and#8220;Kathi Appeltand#8217;s prose rolls like swamp mist and molasses. A sweet and tangy American classic.and#8221;
Review
* “Appelt returns with a rich tale set deep in a Texas swamp, full of critters including gators, rattlesnakes, and feral hogs. Brothers Bingo and Jmiah are true-blue scouts (raccoons) who have set up house in an abandoned old DeSoto, adorning it with their artwork and following orders from the Voice of Intelligence (actually the lightning-enabled car radio). The young raccoons are affable and easy to root for as they attempt to stop the gang of wild hogs intent on destroying their beloved Muscovado sugar cane…. Appelt has adeptly intertwined the folksy narrative of a tall tale with a perfect blend of adventure and mystery, all the while subtly bringing an ecological message to the surface.” School Library Journal, July 2013, STARRED REVIEW
Review
* "This delicious, richly detailed story is told in 104 short chapters, which swing the plot beautifully from one thread to the next and keep the action moving. Appelt’s omniscient third-person narration exudes folksy, homespun warmth while also feeling fresh and funny. A satisfying romp." < -="" i="" -=""> - Booklist - < -="" -=""> - , starred review
Review
* "In a honeyed dialect, the omnipresent narrator directly engages readers, ricocheting between the hilarious human and critter dramas to a riotous finale. A rollicking, ripping tall tale with ecological subtext." < -="" i="" -=""> - Kirkus Reviews - < -="" -=""> - , starred review
Review
“Kathi Appelt's amazing lyrical language with that perfect Southern cadence draws us deeper and deeper into the world of Sugar Man Swamp. Hilarious and heartfelt, Bingo and J'Miah draw you into their home, into the swamp and we care about each creature as though they are family.” Na An, author of the Michael L. Printz Award-winning and National Book Award finalist < i=""> A Step from Heaven <> <>
Review
"Appelt 'nailed it.' She has weaved a delightful yarn with a cast of affable characters and somehow manages to make a rusted 1949 DeSoto in a Louisiana swamp a cozy home for two raccoon scouts--absolutely charming.” Harry Bliss, < i=""> New Yorker <> illustrator and illustrator of < i=""> Diary of a Worm <>
Review
* "Told from the perspectives of animals and humans, Appelt’s (The Underneath) rollicking tall tale exposes the trouble brewing in Sugar Man swamp. The main concern of Bingo and J’miah, two raccoon Swamp Scouts, is the approaching brood of feral hogs, which could destroy the precious canebrake sugar used to make fried pies at the local Paradise Pies cafe. Meanwhile, 12-year-old Chap Brayburn, the cafe proprietor’s son, is worried about rich, horrible Sonny Boy Beaucoup, who wants to turn the swamp into the “Gator World Wrestling Arena and Theme Park.” The swamp’s salvation may lie with the furry, bearlike Sugar Man, whose “hands were as large as palmetto ferns” and “feet were like small boats,” but finding and awakening him is no easy task. The book’s folksy narrative adds brightness and humor to the story as Appelt explores the swamp’s rich history, varied denizens, and current threats. Heroes and villains are drawn in bold strokes, but while there’s little doubt who will emerge victorious, finding out how events unfurl is well worth the read." PW *STARRED REVIEW
Review
“Kathi Appelts prose rolls like swamp mist and molasses. A sweet and tangy American classic.” Peter H. Reynolds, creator of The Dot and illustrator of Someday
Review
“Kathi Appelt can tell a story. She has published over 30 childrens books, for everyone from toddlers to teenagers, and won awards, including a Newberry Honor, along the way. In “The True Blue Scouts of Sugar Man Swamp,” aimed at middle-grade readers, Appelt returns to the folksy narrative voice of her beloved picture book, “Bubba and Beau, Best Friends.” Her mastery of pacing and tone makes for wonderful reading aloud, even to children who would happily take on a relatively long novel on their own. There is music in her prose: ‘For as long as raccoons had inhabited the Sugar Man Swamp, which was eons, they had been the Official Scouts, ordained by the Sugar Man himself back in the year Aught One, also known as the beginning of time.…In short chapters, in a style reminiscent of “Holes” by Louis Sachar, Appelt tells a mythic tale with a rich cast of characters. And as in Carl Hiaasens “Hoot,” the threat of an impending environmental disaster moves the plot along…Appelt takes her readers to spy on a greedy land developer, Sonny Boy Beaucoup, who is plotting with Jaeger Stitch, the World Champion Gator Wrestler of the Northern Hemisphere (her signature move: kissing the defeated reptile on the lips) to implement a nefarious plan to create an adventure theme park on the land, destroying the swamp habitat. And if that isnt enough excitement, a rampaging gang of huge wild hogs is headed in the direction of Sugar Man Swamp, wrecking everything in its path. ‘Mothers and fathers, lock your doors. Pull the covers up to your chinny chin chins. Head for the hills. All thats missing is a soundtrack by T Bone Burnett. Appelt gracefully balances seemingly unrelated plotlines: the story of fearless Bingo and cautious JMiah as they set forth on their quest for the Sugar Man, Chaps determination to save his mothers Paradise Pies Café and their home by earning a ‘boatload of cash, and Grandpa Audies swamp adventures…Even as the plot heats up, Appelt keeps the humor coming, as when Chaps large ginger cat, Sweetums, tries to warn the household of impending disaster. Sadly, none of the humans understand his language, Catalin, and Sweetums runs off in a snit, dodges underneath the bed and starts grooming himself. Appelt ties up all these threads neatly in a triumphant and unexpected confrontation of good and evil. Will Bingo and JMiah face their fears? Will Chap save his mothers livelihood and their home? And where is the Sugar Man, anyway? Librarians often say that every book is not for every child, but “The True Blue Scouts of Sugar Man Swamp” is.” The New York Times Book Review, July 14, 2013
Review
Some books for young readers perfectly capture childhood in a particular time and place.
A trackless swamp of "stinging pricker vines and high-pitched clouds of mosquitoes" could be a fetid place of malevolence and loss, as it was in Kathi Appelt's acclaimed 2008 novel, "The Underneath." But in her new book for young readers, "The True Blue Scouts of Sugar Man Swamp" (Atheneum, 326 pages, $16.99), the same setting is shot through with rollicking good humor.
The scouts of the title are scrappy young raccoons, Bingo and J'miah, whose job it is to keep watch for a snoozing sasquatch called the Sugar Man and his gigantic pet rattlesnake, Gertrude. On the edge of the bayou, meanwhile, lives a 12-year-old named Chap who has been shrouded in "a big cloud of lonesome" since the death of his grandfather.
As the story opens, the boy is frantic to find a way to save his mother's cafe (specialty: fried sugar pies) from the rapacity of a female gator-wrestler and a bow-tied real-estate developer whose own grandfather—stay with me here—long ago signed a treaty in blood with the Sugar Man himself.
Bearing down on this colorful array of personalities is the Farrow Gang, a family of feral hogs that enjoys nothing so much as to crush and destroy. Feral hogs, the genial omniscient narrator explains, "usually travel in family groups called sounders. Isn't that a great word? 'Sounders'? We just love that. But do we love . . . the Farrow Gang? Friends, there is nothing to love there. Nothing." Ms. Appelt has a genius for causing disparate narrative elements to cohere suddenly and movingly, and her talent is on full display in this zestful romp for 8- to 12-year-olds. Wall Street Journal
Review
As with her Newbery Honor book
The Underneath, Kathi Appelt sets this captivating web of interconnected stories in the ancient forests of piney trees and integrates the alluring lore of the bayou. But she adopts a lighter voice, just right for a storyteller with a Southern drawl to read aloud.
Deep in the Sugar Man Swamp, raccoons Bingo and J'miah serve as Information Officers from the safety of a 1949 DeSoto. Whenever lightning strikes nearby, it triggers "the Voice of Intelligence" (children will quickly realize it's a radio) that often gives them orders. Chap, the 12-year-old grandson of Audie Brayburn, makes it his mission to find his grandfather's DeSoto and complete his quest of locating the Ivory-billed Woodpecker. Ever since Audie's recent death, Sonny Boy Beaucoup, "the official owner" of the swamp, has threatened to run Chap and his mother out of their Paradise Pies Café, so that he can set up a theme park. The local radio announcer's daily sign-off bids "all you swamp critters to have a good day and a good idea," and each character gets at least one.
Appelt weaves the rich language of legends passed down through generations. The Ivory-billed Woodpecker is as mythical as the Sugar Man. She carries weighty themes lightly, and spins a story that reminds us that kin extends beyond the prescribed family tree. By the end of the story, we understand that that includes "all the swamp critter." As Audie told Chap, they are paisanos, fellow countrymen. They come from the same soil. --Jennifer M. Brown, children's editor, Shelf Awareness
Discover: Newbery Honor author Appelt's return to the bayou setting of The Underneath, with a lighter touch and an environmental theme. Wall Street Journal , July 19th - Wall Street Journal
Review
* andquot;This excellent take on modern, blended families melds a believable, resonant story arc and winsome, child-appealing illustrations.andquot;
andmdash;Kirkus, starred reviewand#160;
Synopsis
Meet Bingo and J’miah, raccoon brothers on a mission to save Sugar Man Swamp in this tale from Newbery Honoree Kathi Appelt.Raccoon brothers Bingo and J’miah are the newest recruits of the Official Sugar Man Swamp Scouts. The opportunity to serve the Sugar Man—the massive creature who delights in delicious sugar cane and magnanimously rules over the swamp—is an honor, and also a big responsibility, since the rest of the swamp critters rely heavily on the intel of these hardworking Scouts.
Twelve-year-old Chap Brayburn is not a member of any such organization. But he loves the swamp something fierce, and he’ll do anything to help protect it.
And help is surely needed, because world-class alligator wrestler Jaeger Stitch wants to turn Sugar Man swamp into an Alligator World Wrestling Arena and Theme Park, and the troubles don’t end there. There is also a gang of wild feral hogs on the march, headed straight toward them all.
The Scouts are ready. All they have to do is wake up the Sugar Man. Problem is, no one’s been able to wake that fellow up in a decade or four…
Newbery Honoree and National Book Award finalist Kathi Appelt presents a story of care and conservation, funny as all get out and ripe for reading aloud.
Synopsis
Now that Snip the cat is gone (but hardly forgotten), the classroom animals of the Midnight Academy are ready for things to get back to normal at the McKennaand#160;School.and#160;After all, protecting nutters (students) and lankies (teachers) is an around-the-clock job! When a rare coin and a strange code areand#160;uncovered in the school, Malcolm and the Academy have another mystery on their hands. To find answers, Malcolm must venture into the dangerous outside world full of shady characters, new friends, and old enemies. Once again there are more secrets in the halls of McKenna than there are crumbs in Malcolm's Comf-E-Cube. Will Malcolm save the school and solve the mystery before it's too late? As the clock strikes twelve, rejoin the animals of the Midnight Academy as they take on their most challenging assignment yet.
Synopsis
Now that Snip the cat is gone (but hardly forgotten), the classroom animals of the Midnight Academy are ready for things to get back to normal at the McKenna School. After all, protecting nutters (students) and lankies (teachers) is an around-the-clock job!
and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160; When a rare coin and a strange code are uncovered in the school, Malcolm and the Academy have another mystery on their paws.and#160;To find answers, Malcolm ventures into the dangerous outside world full of shady characters, new friends, and old enemies. Can Malcolm solve the mystery and save the school before itandrsquo;s too late? Join Malcolm and company as they take on their most challenging assignment yet.
and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160; Illustrated with black-and-white line drawingsand#160;by Brian Lies, author and illustrator of the New York Times bestsellers Bats at the Beach,and#160;Bats at the Library, andand#160;Bats at theand#160;Ballgame,and#160;this engaging noveland#160;will have readers rooting for Malcolm as they try to solve the mystery alongside him.
Synopsis
Whenand#160;a curious cat uncovers a terrible secret, a barnyard of full of memorable animal characatersand#160;hatch anand#160;unforgettable escape planand#160;in this illustrated chapter book in the tradition of Charlotte's Web.
Synopsis
When Burdock the barn cat sneaks into the Baxtersand#8217; farmhouse kitchen to hide behind a warm stove, he overhears a sinister plot that endangers all the animals on the farm. Itand#8217;s up to him and his cacophonous cohorts to figure out how to bust out of the barn before it's too late. In this winning debut, readers will fall in love with the solitary cat, the self-effacing cow, the unstoppable pig, even a wayward she-owland#8212;all brought to life with clever dialogue, poetic descriptions, and expressive black-and-white illustrations. This warm, lively read-aloud story about teamwork and friendship has the timeless appeal of a much-loved quilt.
Synopsis
Newbery Honor winner Kathi Appelt and best-selling illustrator Jill McElmurry (Little Blue Truck)and#160;offer an endearing, accessible picture book about accepting a new step-parent and appreciating everything that makes one's own family special.
Synopsis
Apart from sticker burrs and sand fleas, Cardelland#8217;s life is mostly wonderful. He knows heand#8217;s loved through and through by his perfectly good mama and his perfectly good daddy. They live in different parts of the desert, but thatand#8217;s okayand#8212;Cardell is mostly used to it. Then Otis comes calling, and Cardell feels aand#160;grrr form in his throat. Otis canand#8217;t make jalapeand#241;o flapjacks or play Zig-the-Zag anything like Cardelland#8217;s daddy. And so Cardell waits for Mama to say "Adiand#243;s, Otis." But what will happen if she doesnand#8217;t?
About the Author
andnbsp;andnbsp;andnbsp;andnbsp;andnbsp;W.H. Beck isandnbsp;both an author of childrenand#39;s books and a librarian. Sheandnbsp;grew up in Wisconsin, the oldest of four. As a kid, her dad always teased thatandnbsp;she would be a librarian someday. She read all the timeandmdash;walking home from school, while brushing her teeth, under the table at dinnertime, and under the covers at night. And, sure enough, after earning an elementary teaching degree from the University of Wisconsin,andnbsp;she went on to get a masterandrsquo;s degree in information studies from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee. She still lives and reads in Wisconsin and shares a home and books withandnbsp;her husband, two sons, andandnbsp;a big black dog.
Malcolm at Midnight is her first novel.