Down in the Dumps #1: The Mystery Box

«Gross-out gags are certainly the draw to this early chapter book, which offers three points of access: boxed-off narrative text tells the story in straightforward prose, dialogue bubbles bring action and drama, and visual cues offer opportunities for recall and prediction. Loose lines and dynamic composition keep an energetic pace, and the dump’s denizens manage to be strangely offputting and yet weirdly adorable. While Ted finds his happy ending outside the trash heap, readers will want to follow Nana back to Westerfield for more smelly adventures." — Bulletin of the Center for Children’s Books»