Attack of the Fluffy Bunnies

by Andrea Beaty

When Joules and Kevin Rockman’s parents drop them off at Camp Whatsitooya on their way to an International Spamathon, the twins expect a summer of marshmallows, campfires, and canoe trips. What they do not expect is to defend the earth from an invasion of sugar-addicted, murderous, seven-foot-tall rabbits from another galaxy. Happily, the Rockman twins, veteran watchers of the Late, Late, Late Creepy Show for Insomniacs, are unusually well-prepared for dealing with monstrous beings from outer space. If only their fellow campers were so lucky.

Genres: Science Fiction, Humor, Middle Grade, Fiction, Childrens, Fantasy, Chapter Books

192 pages, Paperback

First published March 1, 2010

About the author

For more information, visit my website (www.AndreaBeaty.com).

Also, visit www.Questioneers.com for posters, activities, educator resources, and other information about the Questioneer books.

Further, check out Story Time From Space to see Ada Twist and Rosie Revere read at the International Space Station by astronauts! It’s out of this world.

https://storytimefromspace.com/ada-tw...

Reviews

[Arminzerella · Rating 3 out of 5]

They came from outer space! The Fluffs are large alien bunny rabbits who communicate telepathically, thrive on sugar, and hypnotize others to do their bidding. They spend most of their time annoying one another, eating, and belching loudly. They can also assume the shape/semblance of anything they ingest. When a meteor strikes their planet, three of the Fluffs are able to escape in an abandoned rocket ship that takes them back to Earth. Uh-oh.

Meanwhile, twins Joules and Kevin are going to summer camp for the first time – Camp Whatsitooya – while their parents participate in a SPAM cook-off. Camp isn’t actually too bad until the Fluffs crash land in the surrounding forest and eat the camp counselors, director, and activities coordinators. But they also provide a banquet of sugary snacks and meals, so most of the campers are deliriously happy. Joules and Kevin, however, discover that the Fluffs plan to take over the Earth and use their powers to rot everyone’s brains – so that they will be tastier and more compliant. They must be stopped! Will the twins be able to use their secret weapon – SPAM juice – to melt the Fluffs in time to save themselves, camp, and human civilization as we know it?

Full of action, suspense, and silliness, this will appeal to fans of Dav Pilkey (Captain Underpants). It’s a bit over-the-top loony, but definitely entertaining. The twins were likable characters, and unlike other popular series siblings, they manage to get along really well (without all kinds of bickering and drama) – that’s a relief. The Fluffs themselves were a little disappointing in spite of their incredible powers (they were the ones fighting and bickering) – they seemed to lack intelligence and imagination (maybe it’s all the sugar in their diets?). I’m partial to bunnies, so I was hoping for something more from them. This book’s brand of funny will have kids rolling in the aisles and adults rolling their eyes.

[Preston · Rating 4 out of 5]

it was a good book I made a mistake on the jot but to mark the real finish im doing this but read my latest update for the jot

[Raina · Rating 4 out of 5]

I liked this book a lot. The premise is, of course, completely wacky. Giant alien rabbits who survive on candy and can consume and imitate the bodies of humans. Two children stuck at a summer camp while their parents are at a Spam cooking championship must find a way to survive and beat the dreaded Fluffs. The book is a small size and there are pages of comic-style illustrations integrated throughout the story. The whole package is designed very approachably and in a totally fun way.

But really, there's a lot more to this than you might expect. It actually took me a while to read, there's some advanced vocabulary; the font is fairly small through most of the book. The story is told through not only linear text, like I said before, but through comic-style illustrations, tables, varying fonts, and joke chapters (i.e. Chapter 23: "With our heroes pursuing mysteries and awaiting rescue in a large lake, let's take a moment to enjoy these messages about our favorite products." Followed by illustrated advertisements for Bob's Life Preservers (Floating Good. Drowning Bad.) and Spam (Unnaturally square. Unnaturally Good.)). So clever and wacky.

The adult characters are all arche-stereotypes (For example, the Craft-Obsessed, Beehived Camp Director; or the Surfer-Dude Slacker Counselor). The heroes include a list-obsessed, nerdy boy named Kevin (who narrowly and mercifully missed being named Kelvin) and athletic, risk-taking girl named Joules (did I mention their Spam-Chef parents are scientists?).

So yeah, a definite booktalk for upper elementary.

Did I mention the cover draws you to it like a chocolate chip cookie?

Or that the Fluffs come from a planet made of marshmallow?

Sold?

Ok, good.

[Grace · Rating 5 out of 5]

Although Attack of the Fluffy Bunnies is a "kids" book, I'm pretty sure it would usurp Invader Zim on my list of most fun things to watch if it was a TV show. I honestly couldn't have spent a hot day doing anything better.

The story itself is about a group of Fluffs that come from outer space and land near Camp Whatsitooya. They have a mighty craving for sweet foods, which gives them their alien powers. A camp is quite the perfect place to land for them. After stealing candy and marshmallows, they move on to loftier plans of world domination.

That's as much of the story as I'm giving away. Read it yourself! Actually, read it to your kids. Middle school and up will absolutely love it. Adults will love it to for the off the wall comments, amusing sarcasm, and most of all, hilarious situations the campers find themselves in - SPAM always saves the day. Plus, it will remind you that SPAM has a good role in the world. I plan to stock up SPAM myself after reading this book.

[Uflchildrens · Rating 4 out of 5]

Kevin and Joules, twins, are dropped off by their spam obsessed parents at a barely functioning summer camp. Strange things begin to happen as you might imagine from the title. Strange in the form of giant white, sweet craving bunnies whose burps could bring down a house. The twins have to figure out a way to save the other campers and themselves.
3rd-4th graders who like funny and exciting books should like this one.
--Rachel V.
J/Beatty

[Tricia · Rating 2 out of 5]

It was funny in an absurd way, but not as well executed as, say, MT Anderson books. It did not work well as a read-aloud. The 11 yo (reading on his own) enjoyed it more than the 9 yo (listening to me).

[Carolyn · Rating 3 out of 5]

Fun, silly. Good combo of chapters & images for young readers. This would have taken me maybe 45 minutes to read if I hadn't been reading it a section at a time weeks apart with students... :)

[Kim · Rating 5 out of 5]

Hungry, alien monster rabbits crash to earth with one goal, to eat tasty, crunchy humans and candy.

They crash near Camp Whatsitooya where our heroes, Jules and her twin brother Kevin are staying while their parents attend a SPAM convention. When the camp counselors start acting strange and the other campers disappear, it's up to our heroes and their sidekick Nelson to save the world.

Hilarious and ridiculous and super fun. I like humor and whenever I find a book that makes me laugh and keeps me reading (while laughing), then it gets 5 stars from me. This was selected for the Florida Sunshine State Award Master List.

[Edward Creter · Rating 4 out of 5]

The bunnies attack! Resistance is futile! Give in to cuteness or face the wrath of the meek which shall inherit the earth!....Anyway, this funny bunny book has three alien bunnies from a marshmallowy planet who come to earth with powers and abilities beyond those of mortal comprehension! They love to snack on humans (so THEY say!) and especially Swedes! IE: they smorgasbord on the Swedish cuties in ABBA, they gorge on Ingmar Bergman's classic films...but those girls with dragon tattoos they might avoid with their ten-foot carrot! Their purpose: to dominate with fluffy cuteness while snacking on humans with energy to spare...except kids. Bunnies from space don't think kids have any energy. I guess they don't know kids THAT well! Three mini-heroes have arrived in a camp made more for gullibles who can actually handle soft mush created by people in pop fiction (the kids in camp are actually MADE to enjoy such filmed classics as Junior High School Musical: The 40-film (or so) Saga! The heroes won't put up with THAT, and now intergalactic bunnies have a plan to rule thru faux kindness thru bad TV! Can our heroic Trio save us from false cuddlies? Can real love triumph once more? (It has happened before! ANYONE remember ET? Thought so!) Wonderful story that kids of all ages, colors and genders (yes, people of earth, there are at least three: male, female and "blended", put it that way!) should find riveting, rabbiting and enjoyable! YOU WILL BOW TO CUTENESS!

[Lora · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was incredibly witty, appealing to both child and adult readers. There are funny illustrations and the plot itself is very entertaining. Two kids are dropped off at camp, while their parents go to a national Spam cooking competition. While at summer camp the kids end up fighting evil enormous alien rabbits with fangs!

What I liked the most about it is that it breaks that "fourth wall" and talks to the readers. It steps away from the story and discusses things with the reader of the book separately from the story, and then makes a snarky comment and goes back to the story.

I really look forward to booktalking this to 3rd and 4th graders. But I think the story is funny enough that a lot of older kids...reluctant readers in middle school even...would really enjoy it.

[Alea · Rating 4 out of 5]

Attack of the Fluffy Bunnies is a extremely humorous novel/graphic novel hybrid for middle graders. Crazy giant bunnies that are sugar addicted and twins who's parents are obsessed with SPAM, and girls that are known asSmellyCat because they said their names all at the same time and that's what one of the characters heard... this author has a good sense of humor...

Aside from the humor I loved all the graphic bits mixed in from full panel pages or random advertisements thrown in, it really works for this book and helps break up the text.

I think this is a fun, humorous and suspenseful mystery for the younger set but adults might also have a good time with it.

[Claire · Rating 3 out of 5]

This has to be the strangest book I have ever read! Hypnotising bunnies, SPAM-loving grown-ups and some kids that are very resourceful. Part book, part comic (or graphic novel if you prefer), quite an enjoyable read! I have to admit though when they got to camp and were offered "tube steaks", I had no idea what they were talking about! Thankfully Joules enlightened me! (hotdogs, just FYI)

[Amy Bearce · Rating 5 out of 5]

AWESOME! Hilarious and perfect for a reluctant elementary and even middle grade reader. Fast, fun, cute read. Future fans of Hitchhiker Guide will enjoy this.

[Josh Newhouse · Rating 5 out of 5]

that was funny and fun!

[Cosette · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a fun read... but may be better for a middle school aged reader.

[Edward Sullivan · Rating 3 out of 5]

Lots of fun silliness that will appeal to fans of writers like Dav Pilky and Jon Scieszka.

[Roy · Rating 2 out of 5]

Always nice to start the year with something light. I read this one because I was so impressed with the author's picture books "Rosie Revere, Engineer" and "Ada Twist, Scientist" and I wanted to see what she did with something where she had a few more pages and a lot more words to work with. This one had won and award, and that title was irresistible.

I enjoyed it some, but I could only give it two stars. I think I'm trying to grade on "reading to children" but also "what makes it fun." The plot twists are pretty weak, even by the standards of this genre. And while I can understand making Spam (TM) a butt of many jokes, that couldn't carry the story for me -- maybe because I like Spam, at least in some cases.

I did laugh, and the story drew me in well at the beginning. I was pretty much enjoying the story until the Fluffs began their attack. I read a lot of science fiction and fantasy, so I don't object to "late night science fiction double feature" logic per se, but it just stopped working for me.

[Ashley Fitzpatrick · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a fun book that is written with a mix of comics and standard chapter book format. This is a story about alien bunnies that invade a summer camp and try to brainwash the campers so that their heads are mushy and taste good. Jules and Kevin are two campers that do not get taken by the alien bunnies, so they have to try and save the day. I thought that this book was a fun one to read and I would definitely recommend it to kids who do not like to read that often because it is filled with images and funny jokes throughout the novel. I think that this could also be used in the classroom to teach about different kind of writing styles since this one is written in a unique way. There are multiple perspectives and comics that are written into the book which is why it has such a unique style.

[Mayumi Shimose Poe · Rating 3 out of 5]

ATTACK OF THE FLUFFY BUNNIES by Andrea Beaty with minimal illustrations by Dan Santat: Aliens! Bunnies! Alien bunnies! Summer camp! Loads of sugar! Hypnosis! Useless adults that lead to kids having to save the world! This hilarious middle-grade chapter book might tempt reluctant readers with its high-octane zaniness. Andrea Beaty is the brain behind “Ada Twist, Scientist,” “Iggy Peck, Architect,” et al. books, and I will follow Dan Santat anywhere, to any project, whether he’s illustrating picture books, authoring and illustrating picture books, creating graphic novels, creating graphic memoirs… Anyway, this book is fun, funny, smart, weird, and an easy, page-turning read. #msp2022reads #amreading #readaloudfamily

[Lauren · Rating 4 out of 5]

In one of those cases of my brain connecting two very different things, Attack of the Fluffy Bunnies had me repeatedly thinking about Wet Hot American Summer – if Wet Hot American Summer were appropriate for children. I mean this as a compliment, by the way.

Attack of the Fluffy Bunnies is quirky and weird – evil aliens that look like bunnies take over a summer camp – and, best of all, doesn’t talk down to its target audience. It’s one of those great middle-grade books that I would recommend to boys and girls, reluctant readers and bookworms. Highly recommended.

[Lynn Davidson · Rating 4 out of 5]

What an imagination this author has!
Fluffy bunnies have to leave their home planet and end up on Earth at a summer camp. The alien bunnies are evil and take over the camp counsellors with the grand plan of taking over the world. They have to have sweet food so eat as much sweet stuff as they can find - such as crates of marshmallows.
There are three young campers who set out to save the camp and everyone in it -- and the world.

A funny, dramatic, kid-friendly chapter book with cartoon illustrations scattered throughout.

[kellylikestoread · Rating 4 out of 5]

The quote on the front "Lighthearted and fast-paced...a wholly fun read." is honestly so incredibly accurate. This book very much gives Captain Underpants meets A Series of Unfortunate Events vibes. I docked it a star because I think that if I had read this at the intended age, I would've been annoyed by how over-the-top unrealistic the REALISTIC details are. They were a bit much. But I do think that added some endearment to it.

[Michele Mulder · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a perfect read for the fourth to sixth grade crowd. It has burping, burning butts and lots of digs about parents' food choices. The writing is a combination of charts, comics and chapter book all working together to create a humorous story about bunnies. While I admit it was a little much for an adult, it is perfect for students who are easily distracted.

[Amylou314 · Rating 3 out of 5]

Very funny, although a little out of my kids' comprehension levels... My 8-yr-old loved the list of famous last words, but missed a lot of the other humor. The effort to explain some of the jokes to them (what is summer camp, what is a horror movie, what is spam, what is mission control, etc.) slowed down the pace and my personal enjoyment level.

[Beth · Rating 4 out of 5]

Amusing and happy story of a camping trip skewed by the invasion of rude, carniverous alien bunnies, but saved by resourced kids and their cooking skills. Sadly, the adult counselors all die, but some sacrifices must be made!

I hope the kids like it.

[Heidi Franke · Rating 3 out of 5]

It's cute. I'm always a fan of mixed-media style - in this case comic book and novella, and breaking-the-fourth-wall with the reader. Although I do feel that the story had more potential, it's a great little romp for younger kids and the artwork is enjoyable.

[J.C. · Rating 3 out of 5]

3 1/2 stars. Couple of kids are forced to attend a summer camp because their parents want to go to a SPAM festival. Bunnies from outer space arrive at the camp at the same time. It's just like real life.

[AMY · Rating 1 out of 5]

84 pages. I read 5 chapters/12 pages. It’s just plain WEIRD! I cannot figure out what’s going on. Skip this one.

[Virginia · Rating 2 out of 5]

Not nearly as good as Ada Twist, Scientist, Rosie Revere, Engineer, or Iggy Peck, Architect.

[Engel Dreizehn · Rating 4 out of 5]

The bunnies are coming and they are FLUFFY + DANGEROUS! Love how the entire mood plays out like a cheesy B-Movie!