Fall of the House of Mandible (Secrets of Dripping Fang Series #4)
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Overview
Things seem pretty hopeless for the Shluffmuffin family in the fourth book in this hilarious series. The treacherous Mandible sisters have kidnapped Cheyenne again, and it's up to Wally to rescue her. And not only is their adoring dad a vampire, but lately he's taken up all sorts of offensive and unsavory activities like "volunteering" at a bloodmobile and licking strangers' bleeding wounds on buses. Gross!
Throw in thirty-six grubby orphans singing show tunes, a bizarre plot to overthrow the human race with a flu virus sprayed out of perfume bottles, and some deadly, chatty wolves, and things in Dripping Fang Forest couldn't get much more surreal.
But when Wally comes up with a brilliant SWAT team-style commando plan to get Cheyenne back, the Onts just may be defeated once and for all.
(Yeah, right . . .)
Synopsis
The fourth book in a hilarious series about two orphans and a world of monsters
Children's Literature
Part of the "Secrets of Dripping Fang" series, the humor in this book will certainly appeal to 11-year-old boys. When the Onts, who are really giant ants disguised as elderly aunts, kidnap twins Cheyenne for her snot production and Wally for his smelly feet, Wally escapes and must rescue his sister. Wally enlists the aid of 36 orphans and the mercenary orphanage director, who are busy singing show tunes and talking about pooing their pants. Their formerly zombie vampire dad helps after being fired from his volunteer position at the bloodmobile. The Spydells, a giant spider and her husband, and wolves from the forest add to the little army. Encounters with minor characters such as a taxi driver, a crop duster, and a department store employee add to the romp when they have varied reactions to the Onts. The illustrations are lively and contribute a lot to the story. The text is silly but fun. Reviewer: Sue Poduska
Editorials
Children's Literature
Cheyenne and Wally have been kidnapped by the horrible Mandible sisters. Why in the world would anyone (even Hedy and Dagmar, evil giant ants who are plotting to destroy the human race) want to kidnap a snotty ten-year-old girl with so many allergies that she is always sneezing and blowing her nose. Maybe it is better that you do not know. Now it is up to Wally to rescue his sister. Throw in a vampire dad whose volunteer activities at the bloodmobile are making everyone uncomfortable. Add Miss Jolly and her singing orphans ("Could we love a spider mommy? Yes, we could. We don‘t care if she is weird, if she‘s good." and the Spydells (they prefer to adopt because if they have children of their own, Shirley Spydell would devour husband Edgar after mating—it‘s a spider thing, you know. Fast paced, silly and gross—a quick and entertaining read kids will enjoy. Although this book is part of the "Secrets of Dripping Fang" series, it can be read and enjoyed independently. 2006, Harcourt, Ages 8 to 10.—Anita Barnes Lowen