Scary School: Monsters on the March

Gr 3–6—This second book in the series finds the students-some human, some not-on a field trip to Albania to meet the Monster King. In the process, Charles Nukid (the only one to actually wear the school uniform) becomes engaged to marry a monster princess, much to his annoyance. Disaster seems inevitable as the wedding approaches and an army of monsters plans to attack Scary School, but a few last-minute twists tie everything up neatly. Throughout the book, the promise of gore meets very little follow through, and the odd collection of teachers and students, while entertaining, is confusing. Broadly humorous, black-and-white exaggerated cartoons appear throughout. The story takes "off the wall" to a new level, to the point that it becomes tough to follow. Purchase only where Scary School (HarperCollins, 2011) is popular.—Amanda Struckmeyer, Middleton Public Library, Madison, WI