The Almost Fearless Hamilton Squidlegger

K-Gr 2—Hamilton Squidlegger spends his days on fearless quests, but when night falls, he would rather be nestled safely between his parents. Bribed by his father's promise of "a double-decker grasshopper worm-cake, with snake-belly frosting" if the young frog will spend one night in his own mud, Hamilton agrees to try, but his taste for excitement outweighs his craving for cake. This wild bedtime story incorporates playful language in a Skippyjon Jones—type fashion. "Fire-breathing frackensnapper" and "scrintalberry swamp" are just a few of the lively terms that help bring the story to life. While the wording is enjoyable, the images steal the show, blending a dreamlike surrealism with cartoon humor through full-bleed images created with acrylic paint on paper with ink, charcoal, and graphite. The pictures are intriguing, but the story is hard to follow because of the quick pacing and frequent change of settings. Although this title teeters between creative and chaotic, it will serve as a worthwhile general purchase for libraries.—Megan Egbert, Meridian Library District, ID