Synopsis: Raccoon brothers Bingo and J’miah are the newest recruits of
the Official Sugar Man Swamp Scouts. The opportunity to serve the Sugar Man—the
massive creature who delights in delicious sugar cane and magnanimously rules
over the swamp—is an honor, and also a big responsibility, since the rest of
the swamp critters rely heavily on the intel of these hardworking Scouts. Twelve-year-old Chap Brayburn is not a member of any such
organization. But he loves the swamp something fierce, and he’ll do anything to
help protect it. And help is surely needed, because world-class alligator
wrestler Jaeger Stitch wants to turn Sugar Man swamp into an Alligator World
Wrestling Arena and Theme Park, and the troubles don’t end there. There is also
a gang of wild feral hogs on the march, headed straight toward them all. The Scouts are ready. All they have to do is wake up the
Sugar Man. Problem is, no one’s been able to wake that fellow up in a decade or
four…
Review: It was with much trepidation that I picked up this novel. Kathi
Appelt’s The Underneath made me ugly-cry and left me depressed and heart-sore
(although it is an excellent book for that very reason) and I was not eager to
engage in a book that would cause emotions again.
However, I was pleasantly surprised. Told with a folk-tale vibe,
along with exclamations and onomatopoeia and funny little quips, this story follows
two raccoons who have the illustrations job of being Scouts for the Sugar Man.
The Sugar Man rules the swamp, a creature of lore and legend, who guards the
swamp and enjoys the particular sugarcane that grows in the damp low soil.
When the swamp is threated by unscrupulous land developers,
the scouts, along with unintended help by a local boy, search for the Sugar
Man.
The adventure, the character growth, the well-drawn
atmosphere of the swamp, the real trouble the characters find themselves
facing, all create a story fun to read for children. This book would be particularly
suited to reading aloud, for all the fun works and exclamations it includes.
Recommend for mid-late elementary children and older, and
worth reading for adults as well.
Bookmarks: 3.5 of 5
Awards: National Book Award Long Listed Novel
ISBN: 978-1-4424-2108-0
Year Published: 2013
Date Finished: 8-28-2018
Pages: 327
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