FICTION

Ruffleclaw

by Cornelia FUNKE
tr. from German by Oliver Latsch. illus. by Cornelia Funke. 112p. ebook available. Random. Nov. 2015. Tr $9.99. ISBN 9780385375481; lib. ed. $12.99. ISBN 9780385375504.
COPY ISBN
Gr 2–4—Ruffleclaw is a shaggy, red earth monster who lives in a burrow under an old tool shed, but unlike his friends Shaggystink and Wormtooth, who think humans are disgusting, Ruffleclaw is inexplicably drawn to the bright lights and jingly music of the human house. So one night when his friends are off digging up woodlice for dinner, Ruffleclaw decides to sneak off to live with the humans. Tommy, the young boy, soon decides he'd like to keep Ruffleclaw, but convincing his mother that the spitting, shampoo-eating, smelly monster would make a good pet is another matter altogether. Spot illustrations by the author add to the humor of Funke's text.
VERDICT This is a winningly unique chapter book starring a lovable monster with whom young readers will empathize.
Reviewed by Jessica Marie, Salem Public Library, OR
Ruffleclaw, an earth monster who's tired of living underground, moves in with his human neighbors, Tommy and his family. Spitting, messy, worm-eating earth monsters, though, do not understand human customs and manners, and Tommy must work hard to get his mother and (highly allergic) father on board. Full of kid-pleasing gross humor, the lively monster story includes black-and-white spot art by the author.
 , Nov 01, 2015

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