{Review} INVASION OF THE SCORP-LIONS by Bruce Hale

O P E N I N G   L I N E:

  THE ONLY THING more dangerous than a dare is a double-dog dare. Most kids I know are powerless to resist one, and Benny Brackman and I were no exceptions. That's why nighttime found us creeping around the school's mechanical room searching for a ghost—despite common sense, good judgement, and the risk of missing my favorite TV show.

"Darn Tyler Spork," said Benny. He shone his black-light flashlight into a shadowy corner behind one of the massive boilers.

"We didn't have to take his dare," I said.

Benny gave me The Look. It could mean different things at different times, but just then it meant Stop being a total doofus, Carlos.

(pg. 1-2, US Hardcover Edition)

“ Oh yeah, buddy?" sneered Tyler. "I heard you unleashed the forces of darkness, then let a kindergarten teacher face them for you."

~Tyler Spork, INVASION OF THE SCORP-LIONS

Were-Hyenas, Praying Mantis Lunch Ladies and SCORP-LIONS oh my!!! If you or someone you know is in need of a fantastic monstery mystery for middle-graders then the Monstertown Mystery series by Bruce Hale is for you! The third installment in a series that is equal parts creepy and hysterical is titled INVASION OF THE SCORP-LIONS and it releases on Halloween!! The series features Carlos and Benny, students at Monterrosa Elementary, who have become unofficial detectives regarding paranormal and creepy mysteries in their town. If you haven't read the first two books in the series, that's okay! There's enough backtrack for you to catch up and enjoy this story.

When strange smells and odd sounds start erupting through the vents at school, people think it's odd. When students start experiencing strange hysterics that end in a coma, everyone is duly concerned, afraid, and perplexed. What Carlos and Benny expect to be a haunting turns out to be something a little more . . . Frankenstein-ish . . . lion/scorpion hybrids that have made themselves a home in the school. As detectives Carlos and Benny are adorably well intentioned, a bit out of their league, but dedicated in a way that makes them admirable. Following their dynamics with their classmates gives you that relatable feeling of childhood social interactions, and the dialogue left me laughing out loud more than once. Beneath the monster hunting and mystery, Carlos navigates a concern that his parents are going to be getting a divorce, and it adds a bit of perfectly sobering reality to the otherwise paranormal tale.

I loved how the plot grew, with a hypothesis that was proved wrong, and then into something bigger than either of the boys could imagine. I loved that they were forced to ask for help from other students and adults around them and that both of them realized the benefit of teamwork. This is a swift, fun read and the chapter headings are so stinking adorable I almost couldn't stand it. ALMOST. Get out your magnifying glass and your monster hunting guides, friends, and join Benny and Carlos in this Monstertown Mystery. Ghost into a store and pick up your copy of INVASION OF THE SCORP-LIONS by Bruce Hale on October 31st!

C O N T E N T R A T I N G S

Content Ratings: highlight between ( ) for details

Romance: (None)

Language: ( All G-rated )

Violence: ( A couple monster battles but they're not all that violent )

Other: --

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C O V E R   D E S I G N:

This book has a HOLOGRAPHIC cover!!! I am way too excited about it, okay, the way the scorp-lions move are so awesome! It's just the right mixture of creepy, mysterious, but the expressions on the boy's faces add just a hint of humor that reminds you this is a quirky tale meant to induce goosbumps and giggles.

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O F F I C I A L   I N F O:

Title:  INVASION OF THE SCORP-LIONS
Author: Bruce Hale

Release Date: October 31st, 2017

Publisher: Disney-Hyperion
Received: For Review

 

SUMMARY:

Something is very wrong at Monterrosa Elementary--again. Weird noises and funky smells are coming through the classroom vents. Could the school be haunted? When one of their classmates falls into a coma, best friends Carlos and Benny know it's time to call in the best monster hunters they know: each other. This may well be their wackiest extermination challenge yet! In his third Monstertown Mystery, Bruce Hale delivers another silly, strange, and spooky tale for readers who like their chills with a side of chuckles.