Humor – Page 5 – Sneak Peek Books

The Princess in Black and the Mysterious Playdate

The fifth installment of the Princess in Black series is just as fun as the previous books. When Princess Magnolia heads into the city for a playdate, a monster follows the princess because she smells like a goat. As the two princesses play, the monster tries to eat someone’s pet kitty. Princess Magnolia jumps in to help, but when she arrives, the monster has disappeared. Will a new hero be able to help Princess Magnolia find the monster?

The Princess in Black and the Mysterious Playdate takes a humorous look at what it takes to be a hero, “Step 1: Wear a disguise. Step 2: Ride a brave, masked beast. 3. Do lots of cool ninja moves.” Readers will enjoy seeing the princess in blankets, Princess Sneezewort, figure out if she can be a hero princess. As the princesses look for the monster, the monster finds creative hiding places that make looking for him a fun part of the story. The Goat Avenger has very little action in the story and his presence is missed.

The Princess in Black and the Mysterious Playdate is an excellent book for beginning readers. Fun illustrations appear on almost every page to help readers visualize the story’s actions. The chapters are short with easy-to-understand language. The monster in the story is more humorous than scary. If you’re looking for a high-energy, enjoyable book with strong girl characters, then The Princess in Black and the Mysterious Playdate should be added to your reading list.

Sexual Content

None

Violence

A hungry monster wants to eat goats but cannot find any. Instead, he tries to get a pet kitten. “EAT PETS!” the monster said. The princess tells him he cannot eat pets, so he asks “EAT YOU?” When the monster pounces, “the monster got tangled in one of her (the princess’s) blankets.” The princess in black shows up and helps take down the monster with a “playtime romp, karaoke jam, and snack-time stomp, and a unicorn ram.”

Drugs and Alcohol

None

Language

None

Supernatural

None

Spiritual Content

None

The Princess in Black Takes a Vacation

After a night of keeping goats safe from monsters, the Princess in Black is exhausted. All she wants to do is take a nap. Then a new hero, the Goat Avenger, offers to watch over the goats so the Princess in Black can take a vacation. With the Goat Avenger keeping the goats safe, Princess Magnolia goes to the seaside, hoping to get some much-needed sleep. Just when Princess Magnolia curls up in her hammock, she hears a “Roar.” Soon people are running from a giant sea monster. Will Princess Magnolia ever get the sleep she needs?

Even though the story revolves around the Princess in Black needing a nap, the storyline is fast-paced and engaging. The story goes back and forth between the Princess in Black’s experience and the Goat Avenger, which adds interest and humor. The battles are reminiscent of the classic Batman and Robin comics with onomatopoeias that make the story even more fun.

The Princess in Black Takes A Vacation is an excellent book for beginning readers. Fun illustrations appear on almost every page to help readers visualize the story’s actions. The chapters are short with easy to understand language. If you’re looking for a high-energy, enjoyable book with a strong female character, then The Princess in Black Takes A Vacation should be added to your reading list.

Sexual Content

None

Violence

The Princess in Black “wages battle” against a “toothy monster” that wants to eat goats. The pictures show the action, “Sluggish swing! Double Dozy, Doozy Fling!”
A sea monster appears at a beach and wants to eat people. “People dropped ice pops in the sand . . . ‘EAT PEOPLE!’ roared the sea monster. “PEOPLE YUM!” Princess Magnolia climbs onto the sea monster and tells him “Sea Monster, you may not eat people.” After a short battle, she convinces him to eat fish instead.

Drugs and Alcohol

None

Language

None

Supernatural

None

Spiritual Content

None

Stranger Things

Ed’s parents have always encouraged him and his siblings to be unique, but when Ed finds a strange coin, his life becomes wacky. Ed’s sister’s food begins to move, his brother becomes a pool toy, and a bedtime story comes to life. After all the strange occurrences, Ed’s friends want him to be a little less strange. In an effort to stop the strangeness, Ed tries to get rid of the coin, but it won’t let him give it away. Can Ed find the coin’s true home before he loses his friends?

Newly independent readers will love the silly events that happen to Ed. Looniverse: Stranger Things has easy-to-read text and fun illustrations that will teach the importance of problem-solving. Through the wacky events in Ed’s life, the reader will learn that having others consider you strange is not necessarily a bad thing. The story points out that Albert Einstein and artist Pablo Picasso were both considered strange, but “Our greatest artworks and inventions happened because someone had a strange idea or saw a strange sight. Without strangeness, the world would be terribly dull.” In the end, Ed and his friends both realize that being different is part of what makes Ed such a fun friend.

Sexual Content

None

Violence

None

Drugs and Alcohol

None

Language

None

Supernatural

When Ed finds a coin with the words “Strange, stranger” on it, odd things begin to happen. One example is when the story The Pied Piper comes to life and his sister leads rodents around the house.
When Ed tries to give the coin away, it becomes hot to the touch and the boy gives it back. Later Ed throws the coin in a bush; someone sees him drop the coin and gives it back to Ed.

Spiritual Content

None

Attack of the Kraken

Buzz Richards and his team receive an urgent call from Atlantis. Mayor Julius Blacksand dreams of expanding crystal technology, but the Kraken keeps attacking. When Buzz begins searching for answers, he meets Emily Airwalker. Soon, Buzz begins to think that the mayor’s story “smells a little fishy.”

As Buzz unravels the mystery of the Kraken, Alex and Gunthar explore the city and learn about Atlantis’s rules such as, “Never swim alone in a dark alley.” The adventures of Alex and Gunthar add interest and excitement to the story.

Reluctant readers will enjoy Attack of the Kraken because the story is full of comic style black-and-white illustrations. The plot is random, silly, and fun. If you are looking for an amusing book that will make readers giggle, Attack of the Kraken is a good choice.

Sexual Content

None

Violence

A shark chases Alex and Gunthar. When the shark tries to eat them, the Atlantians put a net over the shark because “eating visitors is not allowed.”
Later, the shark captures Alex and Gunthar; while he is looking in the book for “recipes for eating people”, the two escape. An orca appears and eats the shark, and then a whale eats the orca.
A giant crab grabs two characters in his pinchers. The crab lets them go when someone gives him a “drippy, disgusting fish head.” The crab declares that he “didn’t want to eat that furry white guy anyway!”

Drugs and Alcohol

None

Language

None

Supernatural

Atlantis has crystal technology that “powers their cities, grows their food, and produces everything they need. It can make anything disappear, including socks, homework, and human ships that stray into the so-called Bermuda Triangle.”
“There are many kinds of crystals, with many different powers. They inspire scientific discovery, art, music, food, love, and friendship. And the most important crystal of all, the Heart Stone, keeps the oceans alive and creates harmony around the world.”

Spiritual Content

None

Inspector Flytrap

A Venus flytrap makes an unlikely detective in the first book of the Inspector Flytrap series. Inspector Flytrap solves big deal mysteries, with his assistant Nina the Goat. On his first case, Inspector Flytrap is called in to figure out what the strange blob is on Da Vinci’s flower painting.

Over the course of the story, Inspector Flytrap is called upon to discover “The Big Deal Mystery of the Stinky Cookies” and “The Big Deal Mystery of the Missing Rose.” As he investigates the clues, he has to keep Nina from eating them.

Inspector Flytrap is full of illustrations that bring the animal characters to life. The silly storyline and funny antics of Inspector Flytrap and his assistant will engage readers.

Sexual Content

When Nina the Goat meets another goat, she said, “William, you are the goat I have dreamed of all my life. Let me kiss you! Kissy-kissy smooch-smooch!”

Violence

Inspector Flytrap and Nina the Goat flee from an angry mob. They escape the mob when they crash into a restaurant. “We crashed into his kitchen. Pots and pans and goats and skateboards and linguini went everywhere.”

Drugs and Alcohol

None

Language

None

Supernatural

None

Spiritual Content

None

Inspector Flytrap in The President’s Mane Is Missing

Welcome to Inspector Flytrap’s Detective Agency, home to the world-renowned solver of BIG DEAL mysteries. Inspector Flytrap, a Venus flytrap, works tirelessly with his assistant Nina the Goat, on unsolved cases. Inspector Flytrap is looking for a thrilling mystery to solve. When the President of the United States calls, Inspector Flytrap thinks he has found his mystery.

When the president of the United States Horse G. Horse unveils a huge statue of himself, a huge fly from outer space attacks the city. Detective Flytrap tries to solve the mystery as he assistant Nina eats everything in sight. This story is random and wacky with turkey reporters, talking plants, and a huge space alien fly. This story combines illustrations with humor to create a book for early-chapter readers.

Inspector Flytrap in The President’s Mane Is Missing contains bathroom humor. In the beginning of the book, people keep asking Inspector Flytrap about his bathroom habits. His assistant Nina gets to the top of Horse G. Horse’s statue through an elevator in the horse’s butt. In addition, Inspector Flytrap solves the mystery when he realizes the giant fly has been attracted to Earth because the fly expects the giant horse statue to create “giant poopee.”

Sexual Content

Inspector Flytrap makes plans to have a date and his girlfriend says, “I want to do a lot of kissing tonight.”

Violence

A giant fly is destroying the city’s monuments and causing havoc. “Two of its massive legs—each as big as a telephone pole—reached down and grabbed the two taxicabs.”
A goat eats part of a statue and causes it to crash to the ground. “First it crushed the Capitol Building, then the art museum . . . and lastly, the White House. My statue was no more . . . and the nation’s capital was in ruin.”
A goat partly eats the statue of President Horse. “The enormous rear end of the giant horse fell backwards and crashed on top of the presidential limousine. It landed so hard that the ground shook like we were having an earthquake.”
A furious mob chases after Detective Flytrap. He races off on his skateboard and finds a place to hide.

Drugs and Alcohol

None

Language

None

Supernatural

None

Spiritual Content

None

Rise of the Balloon Goons

When Alexander moves to a new town, he finds strange things around every corner. On his first day of school, he arrives to find the school abandoned. While at the abandoned school, Alex finds a strange notebook that has drawings of monsters. If that was not creepy enough, school is now being held in a hospital and Alexander’s classroom is in the morgue.

As Alexander wanders through his new town, he notices balloon goons popping up everywhere. No one except Rip believes that the balloon goons are monsters. Soon Rip and Alexander bands together. Can the two defeat the balloon goons, before the goons deflate everything in town?

Full of monsters and silly illustrations, Rise of the Balloon Goons is full of fun adventures. The plot of the book is full of mystery, suspense, and humor. The text is broken up with illustrations from both the storyline and pages from the mysterious monster book. This easy-to-read story will captivate even the most reluctant readers.

Sexual Content
• None

Violence
• Two balloon goons attacked Alexander. “Foomp! Alexander was clobbered on the head, from behind. It felt like he’d been socked by a boxing glove. He spun around just in time to be hit in the face . . . their long, wobbly arms swooped in and grabbed at his jacket.” Alex was able to escape without being hurt.
• When balloon goons attack Alexander and his friend. His friend hits one with a shoe. “The goon scrunched down like a spring and then vaulted toward Rip. Rip swung the pointy-toed show with both hands—SPLACCK!—making a tear in the goon’s silk belly. The monster collapsed as the air whooshed out of its wound.”
• Alexander’s friend is kidnapped by balloon goons and tied up to an inflatable post in the goon’s fortress. He is not injured.
• As Alexander and his friend are trying to escape from the goon’s fortress. They are attacked. Several of the goons are deflated. “Alexander was hit by his old shoe, and begun to fall . . . He slammed down onto the green balloon goon. The goon exploded, releasing a blast of air that knocked the rest of the goons to the floor.” The goons are defeated when Alexander’s dad pops their fortress.

Drugs and Alcohol
• None

Language
• None

Supernatural
• None

Spiritual Content
• None

Day of the Night Crawlers

Alexander knows there are monsters in Stermont. After all, he found a notebook filled with drawings and facts about them. When night crawlers begin crowding the sidewalk, Alexander knows they will turn into megaworms and grow taller than a bus when the sun rises. But Alexander’s friend, Rip, doesn’t believe the night crawlers are dangerous.

In a strange twist, Mr. Hoarsely, the secretary-gym teacher turns up missing and a strange woman in a fencing outfit takes his place. Alexander and Rip must now find out what happened to Mr. Hoarsely, in addition to finding a way to keep Stermont safe from megaworms.

The second installment of The Notebook of Doom is just as entertaining as the first. Besides silly monsters, Day of the Night Crawlers adds a new character, which causes some jealousy. Even though the monsters are dangerous, the story is never frightening. Younger readers will fall in love with the story’s characters and the illustrations.

Sexual Content

None

Violence

A tunnel fish tries to eat the three main characters. “Just then, a spiky fin burst from the dirt. A scaly beast bulldozed its way toward the kids, chomping everything in its path.” The kids are able to hide in a caboose before the monster eats anyone, but then the fish eats the caboose. The kids are able to figure out how to get out of the tunnel fish’s mouth.
The strange substitute teacher attacks the kids with her sword nose. “Rip let out a battle cry and charged at the fish-kabob . . . Rip crashed into his friends, and they fell off the caboose. They landed on a giant bumpy green tongue, surrounded by growling tunnel fish.”

Drugs and Alcohol

None

Language

None

Supernatural

None

Spiritual Content

None

Battle of the Boss-Monster

The Super Secret Monster Patrol must fight in the ultimate battle against the boss-monster. Alexander, Rip, and Nikki need to find the boss monster, who has stolen the S.S.M.P.’s notebook. Unlike previous times, the S.S.M.P will have to battle an army of monsters. Will the S.S.M.P. be able to save Stermont from the boss-monster?

Young readers will love the next installment of The Notebook of Doom, Battle of the Boss Monster. Filled with illustrations that are more silly than scary, children of all ages will have fun reading about the S.S.M.P’s battle. If readers have not read previous books from the series, some of the events in Battle of the Boss Monster will be confusing. The Notebook of Doom Series will be more enjoyable if read in sequence.

Sexual Content

None

Violence

A rockodile attacks Rip and his friends. Rip transforms into a monster and slammed into the rockodile. “Cracks spread along the rockodiles’ body. Then the monster crumbled into pieces.”
A gloomp uses rubber cement to cement the S.S.M.P to the floor.
The boss-monster tries to eat Alexander, but a socktopus saves him. “The socktopus snapped its arms like whips. It immediately wrapped itself around the boss-monster.” The soctopus hits the beams in the ceiling and causes the beams to crash. “The beam fell like a tree, pinning the boss-monster to the ground.”
Many monsters join the boss-monster’s battle including a giant onion, a honkflower, and a skunky-monkey.”
When monsters attack the school, Ms. Vanderpants turns on a water fountain. Then, “Spiky cement balls dropped from the ceiling, crushing the monsters.” During the battle a balloon goon is popped.
Alexander throws the Notebook of Doom into the Rainbow sparkle glue. It turns into a “humongous monster . . . the pages grew larger, folding into horns and eyes and wings and claws.” The notebook eats the gloomp.

Drugs and Alcohol

None

Language

Rip calls his friends, “weenies.”

Supernatural

The boss-monster uses special rainbow sparkle glue that “shimmered, casting disco-ball sparkles around the room” to make new monsters. “Anything that hits the glue becomes a monster.”
Rip feeds ants candy that changes them. “As they ate it, the ants grew into huge, blue, puppy-sized bugs.”

Spiritual Content

None

March of the Vanderpants

The boss monster has stolen the S.S.M.P.’s monster notebook and Alexander must find a way to get it back. When Alexander sees the principal acting strange, he decides to follow the clues. Could Ms. Vanderpants be the boss monster? Can Alexander discover Ms. Vanderpants’s secret?

March of the Vanderpants focuses on the mystery of Ms. Vanderpants’s and Rip’s new monster abilities. Young readers will love the next installment of The Notebook of Doom: March of the Vanderpants. Because some of the plot revolves around issues that appeared in previous books, the twelfth book in the series will be enjoyed more if Sneeze of the Octo-Schnozz has been read. Children of all ages will have fun reading about the S.S.M.P’s battle, in this book that’s filled with illustrations that are more silly than scary,

Sexual Content

None

Violence

A forkupine attacks the kids. “An explosion of sparks lit up the room. The machine-thing spun toward Alexander, Rip, and Nikki. Sparks flew from where its metal pointy parts scraped the stone floor.” The S.S.M.P. are able to distract the forkupine with spaghetti.
The S.S.M.P. and Ms. Vanderpants battle. During the fight, “Rip lowered his horns and charged at his principal. She whipped around, blocking Rip’s attack with her armored shell.” The battle is described over a chapter.

Drugs and Alcohol

None

Language

One of Alexander’s friends calls him a “weenie.”

Supernatural

Ms. Vanderpants turns into a nar-madillo, “part narwhal, part armadillo.” She “balled her hands, arched her back, and, with a growl, burst through her gray suit. She had a leathery shell on her back, a long tail, and scaly feet with sharp claws.”

Spiritual Content