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Three young garbologists must defend the world from new magical trash creations.

Landon Murphy never imagined he would spend his summer battling the animated trash monster known as the Megalajunk, and he is eager to continue studying from the wizard-like janitors at the School of Garbage. He’ll need to improve his skills with magical pushbrooms and plungers now that the Thingamajunks have gone rogue.

When two Thingamajunks show up at Landon’s mother’s wedding, Landon is desperate to save his family. Using the lock he kept after defeating the Megalajunk, Landon accidentally triggers his own temporary transformation into the trash leviathan.

Now, he and his stepsister, Jade Shu, must team up again with Sabra, Dr. Bernard Weizmann, and Daisy Gates to figure out why the Thingamajunks are popping up to ruin parties, weddings, concerts, and other celebrations. Landon suspects the Locksmith is behind the attacks, but information about the mysterious figure is scarce.

The questions continue to pile up, but one thing is certain: War is coming to the landfill, and Landon, Jade, and Sabra will need all their courage, creativity, and focus to lay a trap for the Thingamajunks—before it’s too late.

304 pages, Hardcover

Published September 3, 2024

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Tyler Whitesides

20 books564 followers

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5 stars
31 (45%)
4 stars
24 (35%)
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10 (14%)
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1 (1%)
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2 (2%)
Displaying 1 - 21 of 21 reviews
Profile Image for Riella Cristobal .
433 reviews9 followers
September 3, 2024
An exciting second book in the Janitors School of Trash series! I had a lot of fun reading this story. I haven’t actually read the first series, but you can definitely jump into this second series and still enjoy it!
I enjoyed returning to the world. It is such an interesting concept. Landon’s POV feels very natural and I was easily engaged. I think his struggles are very relatable. He was facing a lot of changes and adjusting doesn’t happen all at once. I appreciated how his growth continued from the first book. He is learning about himself and where he fits in the context of all he is learning.
I loved all the other fun characters too! Jade and S are a great team for Landon and really cover his weaknesses. They also learn a lot over the book, especially Jade. There are also a lot of characters who are from the earlier series, which is a fun connection.
The story moves along quickly and there is a fun adventure feeling to it. I am enjoying the overarching story that is being developed and interested to see how things will progress. This is a fun MG fantasy adventure with themes of friendship, teamwork, and channeling emotions in a helpful way.

I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book which I received from the publisher. All views expressed are only my honest opinion, I was not required to write a positive review
Profile Image for Angela (justwant_2read).
266 reviews17 followers
August 28, 2024
My middle schooler said he would give this 7 out of 5 stars 😉 he thought it was so much fun, it only took him a couple of hours to read!
This book brings back some of our favorite characters from the original Janitors series, and it is so fun!! My MS thought it was so cool to see the elderly Servite still around. There are new creatures/machines added, that just continue to make this story extra fun for young readers. Squeak was a favorite for my reader- he was high energy and always ready for action!
Thanks to the author and publisher for an advance copy. All opinions are our own!
Profile Image for Meagan Myhren-Bennett.
Author 30 books162 followers
October 1, 2024
Trials of the Trash
Janitors School of Garbage #2
By Tyler Whitesides

Landon Murphy and Jade Shu are in the middle of their parents' wedding ceremony when a couple of Thingamajunks crash and trash the event. Yikes! Now, this twosome must protect their loved ones and battle anew against the force of evil garabage.

This is the second book in the Janitors School of Garbage series. While this magical world of garbage and garbage monsters isn't my normal cup of tea, it is a delightful adventure for its target audience: middle-school readers. I mean, what self-respecting tween, who craves adventure, wouldn't want to battle the evil forces of garbage. Force intent on crashing important events.

This is a war with garbage when the evil Locksmith forces the Thingamajunks into these acts of destruction. Landon and Jade must join forces with their friends and mentors if they hope to win.

Despite revolving around a world of trash, this is a clean read. No naughty language or parental disrespect just adventurous fun in this middle-grade fantasy.

I was provided a complimentary copy of thid book with no expectations but that I provide my honest opinion, All thoughts expressed are my own.
Profile Image for Book Geek Reviews.
Author 0 books19 followers
September 5, 2024
A fun story for middle-grade readers.

Landon, Jade, and Sabra, along with their magical pets and teachers must work together to fight the Megalajunk and Thingamajunks—evil beings made out of trash and junk from the landfill.

(Okay, really. Got a 10 or 11 year old who likes Transformers? This tells you all you need to know about the book.)

The story is funny, the thingamajunks are fantastically unique, and the ending is a surprise. There's some fantasy violence as the kids fight the monsters with brooms and plungers, among other janitorial tools. But it's going to really take some extra creativity and imagination to win the day.

This is book 2 in the series. I suggest reading book 1 first. I recommend it to advanced readers as young as 8, up to about 12 or so. Older if they are Transformer fans. It might appeal more to boys, but Jade, his sister, is a strong girl who fights right along with Landon. I give it 4.5 stars.
Profile Image for Trisha.
1,089 reviews17 followers
September 20, 2024
Landon and his half-sister Jade are back at the school of garbage meeting up with the team after their parents wedding is totally thrashed by some thingamajunks. But this is only the beginning of what the locksmith has in store for the team. Does Landon, Jade, Sabra and their trusty servites have what it takes to beat this new evil and will Landon master his new skill or will it master him?
I loved this book and hope it is not the end of our friends’ adventures. Landon and Jade are having issues bonding and being siblings. Will coming together over this latest crisis bring them closer together as only life and death can. Can they and hundreds of agents from the BEM The Bureau of Educational Maintenance win against the Locksmith? This is a really good book and brings a new set of readers to garbage, and the original readers get to see their favorite characters all grown up.

review copy supplied by Netgalley
Profile Image for Ms. Yingling.
4,026 reviews612 followers
May 31, 2024
E ARC provided by Edelweiss Plus

Landon and his friends have finished the school year, and are at the wedding of Landon's mom and Jade's dad. His mother faints, and then the rest of the assembled crowd starts to go down. Landon smells the telltale aroma of Stink Spores, and has to fight a massive Thingamajunk. Here he thought he would get a summer off from school and studies, but finds himself pitted against General Clean, who is trying to turn the Servites (he has Squeak, while Jade has Muse) into Toxites with his Restorer. When there's an epic battle of Thingamajunks in the park, Landon comes across an unexpected nemesis in the restroom. In order to make things right again, Landon and Jade, need to find Spencer Zumbo, so there's definitely a book three on the way!
Profile Image for Pam.
9,904 reviews55 followers
July 1, 2024
I received an electronic ARC from Shadow Mountain Publishing through NetGalley.
Landon, Jade and Sabra are back for further adventures to save the world. They learn more from Daisy and Dr. Weizmann after Thingamajunks ruin Jade and Landon's parents wedding. As the book unfolds, they discover they are facing two enemies who want to rule the world their own way. Whitesides continues to share more of this world and reveal more about his characters. Readers will appreciate the humor woven through the adventures as well as the more serious side of relationships and finding ways to work together. I appreciate how he lets readers draw their own conclusions about interactions and events. It's quite a cliffhanger to introduce the next quest in book three.
Profile Image for Cathy.
1,968 reviews71 followers
September 23, 2024
I love it when I find a series that's fun for me to read and fun for my son to read as well. This one by Tyler Whitesides is one of those. This is actually a spin off series of the Janitors series. And I've read and enjoyed each of them!

I loved Landon in this book. I loved the way he had a lesson he needed to learn, and that it's one all of us also need to learn. He learns it in a way that will help kids see that it's okay to not be perfect, and to learn to better themselves. His lesson is part of a fun story that I did not want to put down.

This authors books really will suck you in from the very beginning. I hope that there's another book in this series soon!
Profile Image for Bonnie.
268 reviews5 followers
October 11, 2024
Fantastic addition to the Janitors series. I really like the emotions that were felt and talked about among characters. It showed that sometimes our expectations are not what they should be and it's ok. "There's nothing wrong with feeling anger. It's what you do with the feeling that matters." Daisy said. I actually really loved the cliffhanger that was left. I had a feeling and it's really a perfect way to end this story and have you chomping at the bit for the next one. Highly recommend it. 🥰🥰🥰🥰
Profile Image for Marinda (rindasreads).
518 reviews29 followers
September 7, 2024
This is my ten-year-old son's review!
I love the creativity that the author put into this book. This book was so fun to read. The end of the chapters made me keep reading all the time.
This book is a fun read for those who like action, adventure, and comedy.
Landon Murphy is a fun dude, although I, personally, like Jade Shu the best. I like how Shadowbox changes throughout the book. You really get to know the characters if you read it.
5 STARS! 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟

Profile Image for Engel Dreizehn.
2,076 reviews
August 31, 2024
Arc Copy...Surprised to find out I was reading book #2 in a series but didn't feel lost and was able to grasp the world of magical trash and living trash creatures quite well, which I found unique as a world building setting + feel.
Profile Image for Melanie.
Author 1 book7 followers
August 10, 2024
I loved this second installment. Tyler Whitesides is one of my favorite authors and I've loved delving into this series again. I don't want to wait another year for the next one though
39 reviews
October 5, 2024
Once again tyler has captured my attention with this book. Very creative and well put together leaves it open for another book.
1,653 reviews
November 26, 2024
Libby wow what an imagination. Different book but all about good and evil
3 reviews
March 16, 2025
So good. I love the nostalgia of this book. Janitors is what made me love reading and got me into fantasy. Even now after all these years these books hold a special place in my heart
541 reviews
April 25, 2025
Still going strong, but will leave you on a cliff-hanger. I am eager for the next book, but know it will probably be a little while.
Profile Image for Nisa.
395 reviews
November 5, 2025
Another great series by author Tyler Whitesides. My 11 year-old son just finished this one as well and we both loved it.
Profile Image for Wren.
1,221 reviews149 followers
February 27, 2025
Children who are interested in mechanics will find this book interesting. It describes piles of junk coming to life in a Transformer (TM) way. It gets very descriptive and technical frequently. However, if the reader is interested in spatial relationships, he or she will love it. It also has a lot of puns such as "trash talking" being a form of combating these trash monsters. It was a fun read.
Displaying 1 - 21 of 21 reviews

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