Experiments of Doctor Vermin

Publishers Weekly

In this wry sendup of horror cliches, an affable pig has car trouble in wolf country one dark and stormy Halloween. When he approaches a gloomy mansion for help, a diabolical scientist turns him into a giant. "You're huge, and I'm in complete control of your mind!" Dr. Vermin cackles. "But this was where the evil doctor was wrong." The hero foils Vermin and even overcomes his dread of wolves. Egan (A Mile from Ellington Station) sets a satiric tone with nuanced understatement. His earthy palette exudes firelit warmth, and his pliant, pillowy forms soften the spookiness. Ages 4-8. (Sept.)

Children's Literature

Sheldon, a short-order cook, was out looking for work on the scariest night of the year. Not only was it Halloween, but a tremendous thunderstorm and howling wolves further terrified the little pig. When his car broke down, he went to a mansion to ask for help. Imagine his surprise when the step beneath him opened and he plummeted into a dark tunnel. The evil Dr. Edmund Vermin, who wanted to rule the world, experimented on poor frightened Sheldon. The pig grew to an enormous size and Dr. Vermin thought he was in complete control. Wrong! Sheldon refused to eat a liverwurst sandwich upon command, so Doctor Vernon gave the pig the boot. Gigantic Sheldon, in search of help, knocked on another door. It just so happened that the occupants were not what they appeared to be. They were actually wolves that had been turned into humans. When the unlikely trio goes in search of the evil scientist, more surprises await the reader. In this rollicking tale, Sheldon must face all of his greatest fears to save the world. Cartoon ink and watercolor paintings of a muted palette playfully capture the mood. Enjoy a wild and wacky story that is sure to keep young readers glued to their seats! 2002, Houghton Mifflin,
— Laura Hummel

School Library Journal

PreS-Gr 3-Sheldon, a porcine short-order cook, is driving along looking for work on his least favorite night of the year (Halloween) when his car breaks down. Then a loud clap and a distant howling in the dark woods terrify him, as he has a distinct fear of both thunder and wolves. And so begins the rollicking romp through the mansion of the evil Dr. Vermin, who captures Sheldon, turning him into a pig monster four times his original size. When the mad scientist realizes that he doesn't have control of his victim's mind, he kicks him out, and Sheldon runs next door for help, only to find two kindly humans who, he learns, are really wolves on whom Dr. Vermin has experimented. The pig admirably faces all of his fears, saving the day (or night, in this case) and securing a job in the process-cooking for the wolf couple. Egan's not-at-all-frightening artwork is full of amusing details, from the expressions of the evil doctor and terrified pig to the wolves in human form. Young children will enjoy the muted artwork as much as they will appreciate this super silly, slightly scary story.-Lisa Gangemi Kropp, Middle Country Public Library, Centereach, NY Copyright 2002 Cahners Business Information.