Review by New York Times Review
KATHI APPELT can tell a story. She has published over 30 children's books, for everyone from toddlers to teenagers, and won awards, including a Newbery Honor, along the way. In "The True Blue Scouts of Sugar Man Swamp," aimed at middle-grade readers, Appelt returns to the folksy narrative voice of her beloved picture book, "Bubba and Beau, Best Friends." Her mastery of pacing and tone makes for wonderful reading aloud, even to children who would happily take on a relatively long novel on their own. There is music in her prose: "For as long as raccoons had inhabited the Sugar Man Swamp, which was eons, they had been the Official Scouts, ordained by the Sugar Man himself back in the year Aught One, also known as the Beginning of Time." At the novel's start, two young raccoon brothers, Bingo and J'Miah, who live in the swamp somewhere near the Gulf of Mexico, have just been promoted to official Sugar Man Swamp information officers, charged with heeding the Voice of Intelligence and waking the Sugar Man in times of trouble - if they can actually find him. The Sugar Man, protector of the swamp and its inhabitants, is a yeti-like creature with hands as large as palmetto ferns, feet as big as small boats and fur all over, like a bear. He has been slumbering "somewhere in the deepest, darkest part of the swamp" for over 60 years, guarded by an enormous rattlesnake. The narrator warns: "The wrath of the Sugar Man was something to avoid. His bursts of anger were legendary, which we'll discover soon enough. . . . Brothers and sisters, the stakes were high." In short chapters, in a style reminiscent of "Holes," by Louis Sachar, Appelt tells a mythic tale with a rich cast of characters. And as in Carl Hiaasen's "Hoot," the threat of an impending environmental disaster moves the plot along. The story flashes backward to Grandpa Audie (a human character, nicknamed for the great bird illustrator, Audubon) searching the swamp for a glimpse of the Lord God bird. In the present day, his grandson, 12-year-old Chap Brayburn, grieves the loss of his grandfather. Appelt then takes her readers to spy on a greedy land developer, Sonny Boy Beaucoup, who is plotting with Jaeger Stitch, the World Champion Gator Wrestler of the Northern Hemisphere (her signature move: kissing the defeated reptile on the lips) to implement a nefarious plan to create an adventure theme park on the land, destroying the swamp habitat. And if that isn't enough excitement, a rampaging gang of huge wild hogs is headed in the direction of Sugar Man Swamp, wrecking everything in its path. "Mothers and fathers, lock your doors. Pull the covers up to your chinny chin chins. Head for the hills." All that's missing is a soundtrack by T Bone Burnett. Appelt gracefully balances seemingly unrelated plotlines: the story of fearless Bingo and cautious J'Miah as they set forth on their quest for the Sugar Man, Chap's determination to save his mother's Paradise Pies Cafe and their home by earning "a boatload" of cash, and Grandpa Audie's swamp adventures. The machinations of Sonny Boy Beaucoup, who couldn't care less about protecting the lives in the swamp, are set to the rhythm of the ominous "rumblerumble-rumble-rumbles" of the coming hog invasion. And what of the mysterious missing Polaroid photos that may prove the existence of the mythical Sugar Swamp Man? If found, they might just save the day, for Sonny Boy Beaucoup has promised Chap, "If I see some proof of the Sugar Man, I'll give you the whole darned swamp." EVEN as the plot heats up, Appelt keeps the humor coming, as when Chap's large ginger cat, Sweetums, tries to warn the household of impending disaster. Sadly, none of the humans understand his language, Catalian, and Sweetums runs off in a snit, dodges underneath the bed and starts grooming himself. Appelt ties up all these threads neatly in a triumphant and unexpected confrontation of good and evil. Will Bingo and J'Miah face their fears? Will Chap save his mother's livelihood and their home? And where is the Sugar Man, anyway? Librarians often say that every book is not for every child, but "The True Blue Scouts of Sugar Man Swamp" is. Lisa Von Drasek is the curator of the Children's Literature Research Collections at the University of Minnesota. She blogsfor EarlyWord.
Copyright (c) The New York Times Company [July 14, 2013]
Review by Booklist Review
*Starred Review* Swamps provide great fodder for stories, and Newbery Honor Award-winning Appelt uses every inch of the Sugar Man Swamp and its inhabitants to tell her engaging tale. At the helm of the complex ecosystem is the Sugar Man, a gigantic, fur-covered cousin to the yeti and bigfoot, who rules benevolently but has been asleep for the past 60 years. He is to be woken, preferably with an offering of sugarcane, only in the case of an emergency. Bingo and J'Miah, two raccoons who live in an abandoned DeSoto car, are the official Sugar Man Swamp scouts, and it's their job to alert him to impending danger. Meanwhile, on the edge of the Bayou Tourterelle, a 12-year-old boy named Chap has just lost his beloved grandfather, and he and his mother must raise a whole boatload of cash making sugar pies to prevent Sonny Boy Beaucoup and an alligator wrestler from developing a theme park on their home turf. On top of all that, there are wild hogs headed straight for the swamp rumble, rumble, rumble! This delicious, richly detailed story is told in 104 short chapters, which swing the plot beautifully from one thread to the next and keep the action moving. Appelt's omniscient third-person narration exudes folksy, homespun warmth while also feeling fresh and funny. A satisfying romp with plenty of memorable characters to root for and some to boo. Illustrations to come.--Kelley, Ann Copyright 2010 Booklist
From Booklist, Copyright (c) American Library Association. Used with permission.
Review by Publisher's Weekly Review
Legendary country music singer Lyle Lovett lends his voice to this tale of two raccoon brothers, Bingo and J'miah, and their quest to awaken the mystical Sugar Man who rules the swamp. Lovett's voice is smooth as silk and Southern to the core; it is quite simply the perfect fit for this charming tale. His delivery is well paced and his tone that of a wise old seer who knows all and has no trouble teaching others about right and wrong. The result is an absolutely entertaining listening experience that will appeal to listeners of all ages, just as the story itself is a timeless moral lesson about helping those in need. Ages 8-12. An Atheneum hardcover. (July) (c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved.
(c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved
Review by School Library Journal Review
Gr 3-7-Appelt's latest work (Atheneum, 2013) features a host of eccentric characters including two raccoon scouts, Bingo and J'miah; a 12-year-old boy named Chap who is grieving his grandfather's death; and the Sugar Man, a Yeti-type creature who has been asleep for 60 years. The raccoon brothers are tasked with waking the Sugar Man if the swamp is threatened. On their first night as scouts, they feel an ominous rumble of oncoming wild hogs. Meanwhile, the man who owns the swampland is planning to pave it and put up a gator-wrestling park. This angers Chap, who cherishes the natural beauty of the swamp and whose mom makes the most delicious pies with the sugar cane. Lyle Lovett's rolling drawl and warm tone is the perfect complement to Appelt's tale (S & S/Atheneum, 2013) with an environmental message. It's a little disappointing that he doesn't actually sing the lullaby used to keep the rattlesnakes at bay. Appelt writes with a rhythmic cadence and some random rhymes that Lovett delivers with flair. With tension and humor, this charming tale highlights teamwork, family, and especially community.-C.A Fehmel, St. Louis County Library, MO (c) Copyright 2013. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
(c) Copyright Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Review by Horn Book Review
If it can be said that there was anything missing from Appelt's folksy, homespun tall tale of life in the bayou, it would be Lyle Lovett's voice narrating. The country star's understated drawl is a natural match for this agreeably ambling tale, with its unhurried pacing punctuated by -- "Aaarrroooooo!"; "Snip-snap-zip-zap"; "CHICHICHICHI" -- spot-on use of sound effects. Interspersed direct-address narration beckons listeners close and makes them feel invested in the outcome: "Say it, sisters and brothers -- lives were at stake." Longer chapters give listeners time to settle in, while shorter ones can unexpectedly unsettle them, all to the good of the serpentine story line. Chap Brayburn, the Raccoon Scouts, Gertrude, the Sugar Man, Sonny Boy Beaucoup, even the De Soto -- each has its own well-wrought personality. Hunker down with a big ol' slice of fried sugar pie and a mug of community coffee, sports fans, and enjoy the scenic ride. elissa gershowitz (c) Copyright 2014. The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
(c) Copyright The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Review by Kirkus Book Review
When rogue feral hogs and a greedy developer threaten to wipe out Sugar Man Swamp, two raccoons know it's time to rouse the legendary Sugar Man. Mythic Sugar Man has reigned over Sugar Man Swamp for a "gazillion yesterdays." Raccoons Bingo and J'miah descend from a line of Official Scouts Sugar Man designated to watch over the swamp and alert him in an emergency. Twelve-year-old Chap has also grown up along the swamp, where his mother operates Paradise Pies Caf. Like his recently deceased grandfather, Chap cherishes the swamp. When the swamp's sleazy owner, Sunny Boy Beaucoup, threatens to evict them to convert the swamp into Gator World Wrestling Arena and Theme Park, Chap takes his grandfather's place to preserve what he loves. When Bingo and J'miah discover feral hogs descending on the swamp to pulverize the native sugarcane, they risk Sugar Man's wrath and wake him. Set in the east Texas bayou, like The Underneath (2008) and Keeper (2010), this playful tale teems with bayou flora, fauna and folklore. In a honeyed dialect, the omnipresent narrator directly engages readers, ricocheting between the hilarious human and critter dramas to a riotous finale. A rollicking, ripping tall tale with ecological subtext. (art not seen) (Fantasy. 10-14)]] Copyright Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
