Swamp Monsters: Level 3

by Mary Blount Christian, Marc Brown (Illustrator)

Using their cache of already published easy-to-read books, Puffin launched their Easy-to-Read program. Favorite stories by such beloved authors as James Marshall, Jean Van Leeuwen, and Harriet Ziefert are certain to attract readers to this series. Though the quality of stories in this series is uneven, some of them are superb. Like most other beginning-to-read series, Puffin Easy-to-Read is divided into reading levels. Level 1 uses sentences with clear and simple words and illustrations that help the reader understand the story line. Level 2 is the springboard for emerging the stories use longer sentences, yet maintain a vocabulary easy enough for the child to feel comfortable on his or her own. Level 3 offers more challenging sentences and longer stories. Grade 2 - Grade 4.

48 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1983

Reviews

[Edward Sojuwa · Rating 4 out of 5]

Mary Christian's Swamp Monsters are the kids lit answer to Beavis and Butthead kids deserve! Two fuzzy swamp creatures, Fenster and Crag, live with their hairy mom in a big swamp where they read scary books, eat snails for snacks and dream of what kind of people called "human children" are really like. Are they as scary/cool as in fairy tales they like to read, and is ice cream and pizza better than snails? So one day they sneak outside, find a bunch of real Children, and somehow wind up stuck in the same classroom with these kids. The teacher thinks these fuzzy creeps are extra kids and now has the headache of trying to get these two fuzzy nitwits in line. The two fuzzies take directions so literally, Amelia Bedelia herself must be looking on with a proud smile at her competition in klutziness! Teacher says "let's finger paint" they do just that-- paint their fingers, which the other kids find way cool. "Take a seat"-- "Sure! Where ya want us to put it?" And finally teacher gives the two some money for lunch. And yeah, they eat the money AS lunch! (What's known as putting the money where your mouth is... naturally!) Crag and Fenster are hardcore rule breakers and they cause chaos in ways that should keep young readers rooting for them, kinda like George and Harold from Captain Underpants. Be sure to introduce your kids to two extra counterculture heroes, the lovable Swamp Monsters!!!
Four stars
Swamp Monsters DOMINATE!!!

[Jane Maple · Rating 3 out of 5]

The swamp monsters have heard stories about children and want to try children food. They dress up like children and run into a class on a field trip with a substitute teacher. They are able to join the class and return to school where they aggravate the teacher by taking everything literally. (For instance when she says take a seat they pick up the seats and wonder were they should take them; when she tells them to finger paint the monsters encourage the kids in class to actually paint their fingers and toes and when they don't have lunch money - the teacher gives them some which they immediately eat the money). She tells them not to do that again and gives them more money. They go to the cafeteria and get to try children food but find they don't really like it. The teacher reads a story about swamp monsters so when the teacher falls asleep (really in the middle of class?) they escape and go home to their mother.

[MelMon Sanchez · Rating 5 out of 5]

You never know how life is on the other side, till you take a walk in someone else's shoes. A cute little read.

[C. Ditto · Rating 1 out of 5]

Not even one star. It’s like a .00000000000000000000000001/2 it’s was that bad to me