The Loch Mess Monster

PreS-Gr 2—Three monsters live at the bottom of Loch Ness-Nessie; her husband; and the wee laddie, Angus. They all follow basic monster rules, which include picking up after themselves and never going to the surface of the loch. Little Angus loves to make a mess. His parents give him an ultimatum that if he does not clean up his room he will have to stay in it to keep everything from spreading. Undaunted, Angus continues to throw his things on his bedroom floor. Soon, he runs out of room and has to toss them on his bed. The pile soon becomes a mountain ("grottie laundry, puggy-nits,/spoon and skirpy cup"), and up it goes with Angus on it-until he is seen on the surface of the loch. Once curious bystanders see him, Sloppy Angus decides to clean up his act. Munsinger's watercolor illustrations are bursting with detail, energy, and wittiness, and the three animals that spot Angus and frighten him are quite funny. Youngsters will fall in love with Angus, and adults will appreciate the laugh-out-loud lesson Angus learns about the hazards of a messy bedroom. A glossary of Scottish terms "in order of appearance" is included at the front of the book. The amount of text and the pacing are ideal for storytime.—Krista Welz, North Bergen High School, NJ