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Strange Scout Tales #1
How to Merit in Monsters
The lowest-ranked Troop D (or Troop Dweeb, as the other troops refer to them) learns that their sleepaway camp is really a training ground for protecting the earth's most endangered species—monsters! Now these underdog troopers are next in line to earn their Monster Merit Badges.
Troop D is on a mission to rescue the legendary Big Foot, whose water supply has been contaminated. Luckily, with the help of their troop master and the ever-handy century-old Scout's Handbook, they might just have a chance!
Troop D is on a mission to rescue the legendary Big Foot, whose water supply has been contaminated. Luckily, with the help of their troop master and the ever-handy century-old Scout's Handbook, they might just have a chance!
128 pages, Hardcover
First published April 10, 2018
1 person is currently reading
35 people want to read
About the author
Matthew Cody
47 books146 followersOriginally from the Midwest, Matthew Cody now lives in New York City with his wife and son. When not writing books or goofing off with his family, he teaches creative writing to kids of all ages.
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Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews
March 11, 2019
It is time for camp, but things are going to take a turn for the supernatural very soon.
I stumbled upon this book and was instantly interested. Camp? Sign me up! Supernatural stuff? Ohhhh yes! And this was even more fun than I had thought it would be.
Meet our MC, Ben, a very very indoorsy guy who sees the outdoors as only a way to get inside. :P Yep, he is that kind of guy, but his parents are now shipping him off to Nature Scout's sleepaway camp. Yep, this indoorsy guy is going to have to go outside and do stuff! I was at first not too sure about this guy, I am personally a girl who is both indoor/outdoor and I just love going outdoor, so I was wondering how this indoorsy guy who handle going outside. Well, beside some complaining... he was pretty OK with the camp situation. He made the best out of it, and he really did have fun. I think it also helped that his camp placement put him in Troop D, which at first hand seems to be the troop to put all the misfits in, it is even called Troop Dweeb, but later we find out that this Troop is actually very very special and has a big role to play. Since the blurb already tells us what is going on, and the cover is also very much spoiling things, I can just mention it. The book Ben found is a Strange Scouts book, and the scouts in Troop D (which stands for Danger), are being trained and educated about these strange creatures that live on this planet. Help out the creatures, let them have some peace and quiet. It was just the best, and I would LOVE to join that troop and help out.
As the camp continues things are happening, things are destroyed, and eventually people disappear! Oh no! What does it have to do with the handbook that Ben found in his troop's house? And what is up with that big giant footprint he found near destruction? It was all very exciting, and a bit scary as you never know if the Big Foot is a good or a bad guy.
I loved what they did to tame/calm down the Big Foot, though maybe I should say laughed, as it was hilarious!
I wasn't a big fan of Spitzer, he was just a big mean bully, and I would think, given revelations, that he should have known better. :|
I am glad that Walter had a talk about what was going on, and I adored the kids reactions to it. I can see that this troop will be fabulous at helping out supernatural beings.
The other kids in Troop D... well, hit and miss. I wasn't a fan of the gaming guy (if you are just going to play games, go home ), Ginger was OK I did like how she never let anyone get away with anything, and Asma was nice, though I wasn't sure how I felt about her thinking that she had all kinds of diseases and spraying disinfectant all over the place.
Walter, at first I thought he was just a kooky old man, but in fact he got all his marbles, and he fits so well with Troop D. he is your typical sensei/teacher type. :P
The illustrations? They were oh so much fun, and made the book even more fun to read. I was thinking they looked quite familiar, and I found out why when I finished the book and the author and illustrator were introduced. It is the animator from The Fairly OddParents and Teen Titans Go!. No wonder that they seemed familiar. I adored TFOP and I am still loving TTG.
I will be reading the second book very very soon, I so need more of this series, it is just too much fun to read. The next book promises a meeting with Loch-Ness monster!
And I would of course recommend this book to everyone in need for a fun supernatural book taking place at camp.
Review first posted at https://twirlingbookprincess.com/
I stumbled upon this book and was instantly interested. Camp? Sign me up! Supernatural stuff? Ohhhh yes! And this was even more fun than I had thought it would be.
Meet our MC, Ben, a very very indoorsy guy who sees the outdoors as only a way to get inside. :P Yep, he is that kind of guy, but his parents are now shipping him off to Nature Scout's sleepaway camp. Yep, this indoorsy guy is going to have to go outside and do stuff! I was at first not too sure about this guy, I am personally a girl who is both indoor/outdoor and I just love going outdoor, so I was wondering how this indoorsy guy who handle going outside. Well, beside some complaining... he was pretty OK with the camp situation. He made the best out of it, and he really did have fun. I think it also helped that his camp placement put him in Troop D, which at first hand seems to be the troop to put all the misfits in, it is even called Troop Dweeb, but later we find out that this Troop is actually very very special and has a big role to play. Since the blurb already tells us what is going on, and the cover is also very much spoiling things, I can just mention it. The book Ben found is a Strange Scouts book, and the scouts in Troop D (which stands for Danger), are being trained and educated about these strange creatures that live on this planet. Help out the creatures, let them have some peace and quiet. It was just the best, and I would LOVE to join that troop and help out.
As the camp continues things are happening, things are destroyed, and eventually people disappear! Oh no! What does it have to do with the handbook that Ben found in his troop's house? And what is up with that big giant footprint he found near destruction? It was all very exciting, and a bit scary as you never know if the Big Foot is a good or a bad guy.
I loved what they did to tame/calm down the Big Foot, though maybe I should say laughed, as it was hilarious!
I wasn't a big fan of Spitzer, he was just a big mean bully, and I would think, given revelations, that he should have known better. :|
I am glad that Walter had a talk about what was going on, and I adored the kids reactions to it. I can see that this troop will be fabulous at helping out supernatural beings.
The other kids in Troop D... well, hit and miss. I wasn't a fan of the gaming guy (if you are just going to play games, go home ), Ginger was OK I did like how she never let anyone get away with anything, and Asma was nice, though I wasn't sure how I felt about her thinking that she had all kinds of diseases and spraying disinfectant all over the place.
Walter, at first I thought he was just a kooky old man, but in fact he got all his marbles, and he fits so well with Troop D. he is your typical sensei/teacher type. :P
The illustrations? They were oh so much fun, and made the book even more fun to read. I was thinking they looked quite familiar, and I found out why when I finished the book and the author and illustrator were introduced. It is the animator from The Fairly OddParents and Teen Titans Go!. No wonder that they seemed familiar. I adored TFOP and I am still loving TTG.
I will be reading the second book very very soon, I so need more of this series, it is just too much fun to read. The next book promises a meeting with Loch-Ness monster!
And I would of course recommend this book to everyone in need for a fun supernatural book taking place at camp.
Review first posted at https://twirlingbookprincess.com/
December 20, 2018
"Strange as in rare, weird, and wonderful"
This is the first book in the "Strange Scout Tales" series and it is a wonderfully nutty and upbeat volume.
The premise is that there is a special secret unit, "The Strange Scouts", within the Nature Scouts organization. It's their job to protect the "mythical" monsters of the world - Big Foot, the Yeti, and so on. Our narrator, Ben, finds himself as a first year Nature Scout camper in the company of three other new campers. These four kids, (two boys and two girls), will be the Strange Scouts whose adventures we will follow throughout the series. In this book, which serves as something of an origin story, our featured monster will be Big Foot.
So, we get four new friends, adventure, a bit of mystery, upbeat positive Scouting messages, and a wide range of humor - from slapstick to some very funny deadpan throwaway lines and observations from engaging Ben. Each of the four kids brings a different personality to the team and they share equal time, which makes this a happy choice for boys and girls.
It's a quick read. The print is big and the book is heavily illustrated. The writing is crisp and direct, but not childish, and the tale moves along briskly while still being interesting and sprinkled with a few twists and surprises. The overall reading experience struck me as cheerful and good natured, with a consistently positive tone. The drawings, (in a Saturday cartoony style), are helpful for a younger reader because they effectively illustrate the action and have great energy and expressiveness.
I have been looking for Scout themed books for the grandkids, and while this isn't official BSA the Scouting spirit that informs the humor and action is exactly what I wanted. This was a very happy find.
This is the first book in the "Strange Scout Tales" series and it is a wonderfully nutty and upbeat volume.
The premise is that there is a special secret unit, "The Strange Scouts", within the Nature Scouts organization. It's their job to protect the "mythical" monsters of the world - Big Foot, the Yeti, and so on. Our narrator, Ben, finds himself as a first year Nature Scout camper in the company of three other new campers. These four kids, (two boys and two girls), will be the Strange Scouts whose adventures we will follow throughout the series. In this book, which serves as something of an origin story, our featured monster will be Big Foot.
So, we get four new friends, adventure, a bit of mystery, upbeat positive Scouting messages, and a wide range of humor - from slapstick to some very funny deadpan throwaway lines and observations from engaging Ben. Each of the four kids brings a different personality to the team and they share equal time, which makes this a happy choice for boys and girls.
It's a quick read. The print is big and the book is heavily illustrated. The writing is crisp and direct, but not childish, and the tale moves along briskly while still being interesting and sprinkled with a few twists and surprises. The overall reading experience struck me as cheerful and good natured, with a consistently positive tone. The drawings, (in a Saturday cartoony style), are helpful for a younger reader because they effectively illustrate the action and have great energy and expressiveness.
I have been looking for Scout themed books for the grandkids, and while this isn't official BSA the Scouting spirit that informs the humor and action is exactly what I wanted. This was a very happy find.
February 11, 2018
Just when you believe you have every scouting badge possible, scout challenges evolves/revolves and you find there's another badge to strive for.
For younger readers who are not yet ready for Harry Potter and the Half-blood prince.
For younger readers who are not yet ready for Harry Potter and the Half-blood prince.
October 26, 2019
I already really like this series! The main characters, four misfits and a seemingly crazy old scout leader, are very likeable characters. And the story line is full of intrigue and adventure and still has plenty of normal kid stuff thrown in to make the books relatable.
June 12, 2018
Outdoor camp and monsters and bullies resulting in a lesson in ecology.
October 10, 2018
Nathan liked when the group helped soothe a Bigfoot.
October 18, 2018
Favorite line: "Uniqueness is never weakness" (119).
May 6, 2019
Cute beginning chapter book. I'm interested in seeing what happens in the rest of the series.
April 19, 2020
I enjoyed the nature part, but the jump from camp to finding Bigfoot was pretty huge?! Would have loved more Bigfoot buildup.
December 15, 2023
Miss 9 enjoyed reading this and is asking for the next :)
March 29, 2022
Note: I received an ARC of this book from the publisher at ALA Midwinter 2018.
Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews