Review by Kirkus Book Review
A three-legged dog approaches everyday life with boundless enthusiasm in this series opener. Scrapper is a small pup with one floppy ear and an irrepressible spirit; a missing front leg doesn't slow down this dog one bit. Scrapper adores playing fetch with Hank (the human boy who takes care of him), chewing bones, and exploring the nearby forest, where a terrifying monster lives. Scrapper's determined to find the creature, but he'll need help. He and his best doggy friend, Bo, and a young calf named Moon form Camp Monster-Finder, and Scrapper begins recruiting fellow adventurers. Soon it's time to track down that monster once and for all. Landy's charcoal-gray illustrations appear on nearly every page, capturing Scrapper's expressiveness and energy through simple, appealing pencil drawings that effectively convey his three-legged gait and joyful personality. The generous white space, large font, and short sentences make this tale well suited for newly independent readers transitioning to chapter books. Scrapper's first-person narration is engaging and age-appropriate, filled with doggy enthusiasm ("I'll fetch a stick, a Frisbee, a bouncy ball…anything that can be thrown, really!"), though at times the plot meanders through some slow sequences. Hank has paper-white skin. Final art not seen. A sweet, accessible early reader that takes its time getting to the adventure.(Early chapter book. 5-9) Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
