The Snagglegrollup

Reviewed: May 27, 2009
By: Daniel Postgate / illustrated by Nick Price
Publisher: Scholastic Books
32 pages, $21.99

While Sam’s parents were quite firm about not getting him a cat or a dog, they figures they were on safe ground when he asked if he could have a snagglegrollup. They were quite shocked when he came home from school with one the next day - but they had promised...

It was large and green and hairy, with two horns, some weird tentacles above its eyes, a trunk and two upside down walrus tusks. Sam looked after it very well, but t was high maintenance and it ate a lot. On the plus side, it was a great dancer and it took the family on some great adventures.

But it was sad sometimes, and didn’t exactly know why until Sam’s friend, Emily, struck the same deal with her parents and brought home a quibblesnuff. They hit it off right away and one day they simply flew away together (did I forget to mention the wings?)

Sam’s family made a topiary snagglegrollup out of a tree on their front lawn and considered getting another pet - maybe a dog this time.

This book is lots of fun. The story has quite a few twists and turns it for something so short. The pictures are quite delightful and the monsters look like a bit of a tribute to Dr. Seuss.

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