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Boots and Pieces
Her big sister bosses her around; her mom makes her dog-sit Mr. Boots, the family's well-dressed Chihuahua; and she's convinced a strange and squishy swamp creature that lives down at the lake is eating high school kids.
When no one believes her, Arlie and her best friend, Ty (yes, he's a boy, and no, he's not her boyfriend), set out with Mr. Boots to stop the creature themselves -- because if they don't, half the school is going to end up as lakeside hors d'oeuvres!
When no one believes her, Arlie and her best friend, Ty (yes, he's a boy, and no, he's not her boyfriend), set out with Mr. Boots to stop the creature themselves -- because if they don't, half the school is going to end up as lakeside hors d'oeuvres!
230 pages, Paperback
First published August 5, 2008
29 people want to read
About the author
Emily Ecton
17 books61 followersEmily Ecton is a former writer and producer for Wait, Wait...Don't Tell Me!, the NPR news quiz. She has also been a playwright, a chinchilla wrangler, an ice cream scooper and a costume character. After years of living in Chicago, she now lives in Charlottesville, Virginia with her dog, Binky.
Also writes under the name Emily Fairlie
Also writes under the name Emily Fairlie
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Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews
March 27, 2025
Together with her best friend Ty and her well-dressed chihuahua Mr Boots, Arlie investigates a strange death that appears to be an accident at first sight. But Arlie feels there’s something off about it. She becomes convinced that a swamp monster was responsible. And other kids might be in danger too.
The story starts with a bit of exposition/info dumping. It’s the protagonist who tells us everything we need to know before the story actually starts. A bit more showing instead of telling might have slowed down the pace or might have immediately thrown us into the story without much explanation, but it could also have made the start of the story a bit more engaging.
I also have some mixed feelings about the way Mr Boots is treated. Even though I love dogs and I know Mr Boots is there for comic relief, I really don’t like dogs being forced to dress like a person or wear pink nail polish for that matter. Dogs have feelings too, they’re not accessories.
There are quite a few things that do work in favor of this story. Even though it’s a horror story about a swamp monster, some things feel very realistic, down to earth and relatable to kids or kids at heart like me. Like the cheerleader being a bit of a psychopath or a simple dentist appointment. Especially the latter I can relate to. I could literally write a horror story about a dentist where I wouldn’t even have to make anything up, because I’ve already had more than my fair share of bad experiences at the dentist.
I don’t know if this is supposed to be for a middle grade audience or YA, as it feels like a bit of a mix of both. It mostly reads like a middle grade story, but some things definitely feel more aimed at a YA audience. This story has some flaws, but it’s a solid horror story with a good enough plot and interesting characters.
The story starts with a bit of exposition/info dumping. It’s the protagonist who tells us everything we need to know before the story actually starts. A bit more showing instead of telling might have slowed down the pace or might have immediately thrown us into the story without much explanation, but it could also have made the start of the story a bit more engaging.
I also have some mixed feelings about the way Mr Boots is treated. Even though I love dogs and I know Mr Boots is there for comic relief, I really don’t like dogs being forced to dress like a person or wear pink nail polish for that matter. Dogs have feelings too, they’re not accessories.
There are quite a few things that do work in favor of this story. Even though it’s a horror story about a swamp monster, some things feel very realistic, down to earth and relatable to kids or kids at heart like me. Like the cheerleader being a bit of a psychopath or a simple dentist appointment. Especially the latter I can relate to. I could literally write a horror story about a dentist where I wouldn’t even have to make anything up, because I’ve already had more than my fair share of bad experiences at the dentist.
I don’t know if this is supposed to be for a middle grade audience or YA, as it feels like a bit of a mix of both. It mostly reads like a middle grade story, but some things definitely feel more aimed at a YA audience. This story has some flaws, but it’s a solid horror story with a good enough plot and interesting characters.
October 23, 2008
Straight-to-paperback works of fiction do not tend to win great and prestigious literary awards. The term "paperback writer" has never been a term one strives to attain (unless you happen to find yourself in a Beatles song, of course). I think that it's fair to say that this is a basic elemental truth that extends to all reading levels, from adults to tiny tots. So it was with great confusion that I found Boots and Pieces by Emily Ecton. It's a straight-to-paperback work of children's fiction, which generally tends to be a warning sign. Generally that would be enough for me right there but there was something compelling about the premise. Girl and boy beat supernatural menace with the help of a neurotic Chihuahua named Mr. Boots. I gave the book the old smell test, which in the case of children's books means reading the first page. The opening sentences read, "If Ty hadn't kicked me in the head that day, I probably wouldn't even have noticed when Stacy Sizemore disappeared. Heck, nobody else really seemed to, not at first anyway. Not until they found the pieces." Shoot. That's sort of compelling. Next thing I know I'm reading the whole thing from start to finish, silly premises and ridiculous random deaths and all. I'll tell you right now that when the Newberys roll around in January there won't be space for Ecton's first book in this new series. That said, if there's room on your shelf for a horror/comedy involving kids in snowsuits and gigantic gummy monsters, I think I've found something to fill the void.
Arlie's life isn't perfect but she's got a pretty good grip on things. A typical day might consist of hanging out with her best friend Ty or rescuing her sister's Chihuahua Mr. Boots from yet another degrading wardrobe (think: nail polish). But that was before Stacy Sizemore disappeared and the adults conspired to create an elaborate and transparent excuse. It was also before Arlie and Ty began to get a sense of the danger haunting the local lake. Why does the school's science teacher want to hang out there all the time? What is Sheriff Shifflett doing covering up all the evidence of the disappearances? Together Arlie and Ty must get to the bottom of this mystery before the year's annual prom party ends in tragedy and ... pieces.
As a grown-up I was pretty much taken with the snappy dialogue and language found here. And kids certainly have proven time and time again that they are as keen on smart jokes as their adult counterparts (unless the perceived popularity of A Series of Unfortunate Events and Diary of a Wimpy Kid is all a great and grand mistake). So when I read through this book I was mighty pleased. Take as an example the moment when Ty's dad tries to come up with an excuse as to why all the grown-ups are having a secret meeting. "My dad said it was a meeting of PHAPT - Parents Helping Actualize Prom Traditions. He said it was pronounced `Phat' but with a silent second P. I think he must've worked on that one for a while." Or Arlie describing her physical similarities to her sister. "Mom always tells me that we look alike, but I'm pretty sure it's more in that before-and-after-picture kind of way." Basically any author who can work the phrase "hairy eyeball" into a sentence in a work of middle grade fiction has my deep-seated appreciation.
Speaking of middle grade, the reading level on this is a bit of a question. Essentially we are talking about a plot that revolves heavily around a high school prom, and the main characters are definitely high schoolers. But the reading level falls into the 8-12 range (which is the proposed range the publisher has set as well). Kids adore reading about teenagers but the material is often too out of their age range. By making her stars teens Ecton not only gives her characters a little more independence and mobility than they'd have if they were ten, she makes them characters a kid can feel cool reading about. Pretty sneaky, sis. Admittedly, there are a couple mean teens that get eaten off-screen in the course of this book. If you or your child has a problem with this, best to avoid it entirely. Since we're dealing with some pretty silly stuff I don't think you'll find too many eleven-year-olds crying to you about the fact that kids are being devoured. But who knows? I leave that call up to you.
Here's something I thought of as I read the book. The story stars a blond girl and her black best friend who is a boy. Black best friends appear in children's books all the time. No surprises there. But how many middle grade fantasy novels in contemporary America star blond girls? I know that this sounds odd, but blonds are usually relegated to the realm of villainess in both realistic fiction and mysteries (unless they're old-timey heroines like Nancy Drew and Trixie Belden, of course). I'm not blond myself but I recognize that it's not entirely fair to keep them out of our literature. So when I saw the blond gal on the cover I had a sudden shock of "huh!" followed swiftly by "well, I'll be hornswaggled."
If I had any problem with this book it had to do with the location of the monster. The whole crux of the story revolves around the fact that there's some kind of disgusting scary creature haunting the local lake. The creature is sort of centralized at that location. It's not going to pick up and walk across town to surprise our heroes. And this would be fine except it means that our author has to continually find excuses to send her characters into a very specific point of danger over and over again. After a while the book begins to bear some similarities to those stage plays turned into full-length motion pictures. The characters keep walking around the same set over and over. And even if they may not notice this consciously, child readers will be a bit confused or bored.
As odd as it may sound, this book would actually fit well into a particular genre that doesn't exactly have a name yet. It's the genre that includes M.T. Anderson's Whales on Stilts and Billy Hooten: Owlboy by Thomas E. Sniegoski. These are fun books with a penchant for action and adventure (sometimes with a retro feel thrown in for kicks). They tend to be written out of pure enjoyment on the author's part with passing consideration for the child reader. Of course some kids just eat these up with a spoon while others aren't sucked in. I can't hope to guess what your own children will think of Ecton's latest but it's a fun book that doesn't attempt to be anything other than an enjoyable monster mystery tale. If you're looking for something a little bit different, here's the book to possess.
Ages 8-12.
Arlie's life isn't perfect but she's got a pretty good grip on things. A typical day might consist of hanging out with her best friend Ty or rescuing her sister's Chihuahua Mr. Boots from yet another degrading wardrobe (think: nail polish). But that was before Stacy Sizemore disappeared and the adults conspired to create an elaborate and transparent excuse. It was also before Arlie and Ty began to get a sense of the danger haunting the local lake. Why does the school's science teacher want to hang out there all the time? What is Sheriff Shifflett doing covering up all the evidence of the disappearances? Together Arlie and Ty must get to the bottom of this mystery before the year's annual prom party ends in tragedy and ... pieces.
As a grown-up I was pretty much taken with the snappy dialogue and language found here. And kids certainly have proven time and time again that they are as keen on smart jokes as their adult counterparts (unless the perceived popularity of A Series of Unfortunate Events and Diary of a Wimpy Kid is all a great and grand mistake). So when I read through this book I was mighty pleased. Take as an example the moment when Ty's dad tries to come up with an excuse as to why all the grown-ups are having a secret meeting. "My dad said it was a meeting of PHAPT - Parents Helping Actualize Prom Traditions. He said it was pronounced `Phat' but with a silent second P. I think he must've worked on that one for a while." Or Arlie describing her physical similarities to her sister. "Mom always tells me that we look alike, but I'm pretty sure it's more in that before-and-after-picture kind of way." Basically any author who can work the phrase "hairy eyeball" into a sentence in a work of middle grade fiction has my deep-seated appreciation.
Speaking of middle grade, the reading level on this is a bit of a question. Essentially we are talking about a plot that revolves heavily around a high school prom, and the main characters are definitely high schoolers. But the reading level falls into the 8-12 range (which is the proposed range the publisher has set as well). Kids adore reading about teenagers but the material is often too out of their age range. By making her stars teens Ecton not only gives her characters a little more independence and mobility than they'd have if they were ten, she makes them characters a kid can feel cool reading about. Pretty sneaky, sis. Admittedly, there are a couple mean teens that get eaten off-screen in the course of this book. If you or your child has a problem with this, best to avoid it entirely. Since we're dealing with some pretty silly stuff I don't think you'll find too many eleven-year-olds crying to you about the fact that kids are being devoured. But who knows? I leave that call up to you.
Here's something I thought of as I read the book. The story stars a blond girl and her black best friend who is a boy. Black best friends appear in children's books all the time. No surprises there. But how many middle grade fantasy novels in contemporary America star blond girls? I know that this sounds odd, but blonds are usually relegated to the realm of villainess in both realistic fiction and mysteries (unless they're old-timey heroines like Nancy Drew and Trixie Belden, of course). I'm not blond myself but I recognize that it's not entirely fair to keep them out of our literature. So when I saw the blond gal on the cover I had a sudden shock of "huh!" followed swiftly by "well, I'll be hornswaggled."
If I had any problem with this book it had to do with the location of the monster. The whole crux of the story revolves around the fact that there's some kind of disgusting scary creature haunting the local lake. The creature is sort of centralized at that location. It's not going to pick up and walk across town to surprise our heroes. And this would be fine except it means that our author has to continually find excuses to send her characters into a very specific point of danger over and over again. After a while the book begins to bear some similarities to those stage plays turned into full-length motion pictures. The characters keep walking around the same set over and over. And even if they may not notice this consciously, child readers will be a bit confused or bored.
As odd as it may sound, this book would actually fit well into a particular genre that doesn't exactly have a name yet. It's the genre that includes M.T. Anderson's Whales on Stilts and Billy Hooten: Owlboy by Thomas E. Sniegoski. These are fun books with a penchant for action and adventure (sometimes with a retro feel thrown in for kicks). They tend to be written out of pure enjoyment on the author's part with passing consideration for the child reader. Of course some kids just eat these up with a spoon while others aren't sucked in. I can't hope to guess what your own children will think of Ecton's latest but it's a fun book that doesn't attempt to be anything other than an enjoyable monster mystery tale. If you're looking for something a little bit different, here's the book to possess.
Ages 8-12.
November 5, 2008
Arlie Jacobs has issues. She has a big sister who bosses her around, an incompetent town sheriff who always seems to think she's up to something, and the best dressed pet Chihuahua (Mr. Boots) you've ever seen. Oh, and something is eating the kids in her town.
Arlie has never been one to sit around at home and do nothing when there's something more interesting going on, so she and her best friend Ty decide to do some investigating. And that's when they discover the mutant gummy monster that lives in the local polluted lake. The local lake which is the site of the upcoming prom. One thing's for sure: if Arlie and Ty can't do something about the gummy monster soon, half the kids in town are going to end up as monster hors d'overs.
This book surprised me. It's funny and clever, and a little bit gross, and the tiniest bit gory. The monster is actually (ridiculously) scary. Arlie is a likeable, grumpy, engaging protagonist, with a fantastic voice. She's really funny. She's like an underachieving Buffy without the Slayer powers. This is a book for reluctant readers, girls and boys, who like their fiction with a little bite and fast-paced, funny action. Read this book. You'll like Arlie, and if you've ever had a big sister, or been the dorky kid in school, or wanted to save the day, you'll like this book.
And let me leave you with the first line:
If Ty hadn't kicked me in the head that day, I probably wouldn't even have noticed when Stacy Sizemore disappeared. Heck, nobody else really seemed to, not at first anyway. Not until they found the pieces.
How can you resist a book that starts like that?
Arlie has never been one to sit around at home and do nothing when there's something more interesting going on, so she and her best friend Ty decide to do some investigating. And that's when they discover the mutant gummy monster that lives in the local polluted lake. The local lake which is the site of the upcoming prom. One thing's for sure: if Arlie and Ty can't do something about the gummy monster soon, half the kids in town are going to end up as monster hors d'overs.
This book surprised me. It's funny and clever, and a little bit gross, and the tiniest bit gory. The monster is actually (ridiculously) scary. Arlie is a likeable, grumpy, engaging protagonist, with a fantastic voice. She's really funny. She's like an underachieving Buffy without the Slayer powers. This is a book for reluctant readers, girls and boys, who like their fiction with a little bite and fast-paced, funny action. Read this book. You'll like Arlie, and if you've ever had a big sister, or been the dorky kid in school, or wanted to save the day, you'll like this book.
And let me leave you with the first line:
If Ty hadn't kicked me in the head that day, I probably wouldn't even have noticed when Stacy Sizemore disappeared. Heck, nobody else really seemed to, not at first anyway. Not until they found the pieces.
How can you resist a book that starts like that?
May 16, 2009
Boots and Pieces is a childrens book about two kids, Arlie and Ty, who are learning more about the recent disappearances of kids in their town than they wished they knew. What's worse is no one believes them. As the prom on Lake Heather gets closer it becomes evident that the disappearances are caused by something not human. In order to try and be school heros Ty and Arlie, and Mr. Boots the chihuahua, try to save prom, and all their fellow school-mates.
This book was very well written. I'm not a big fan of kids books anymore I have to say that I did like this one. It had a good plot, and the character development was better than many adult novels I've read. The story is action packed and leaves you guessing till the very end. It's part of a series so there wasn't much in the way of resolution. I probably won't be picking up the rest of these, but if you're looking for something for your children to read I'd say this is a good one to go with. I did have one issue though, towards the end of the book the word pissed is in there. For a kids book I didn't think it was appropriate, but I guess depending on the age of the kid reading it, it's not that bad of a word.
This book was very well written. I'm not a big fan of kids books anymore I have to say that I did like this one. It had a good plot, and the character development was better than many adult novels I've read. The story is action packed and leaves you guessing till the very end. It's part of a series so there wasn't much in the way of resolution. I probably won't be picking up the rest of these, but if you're looking for something for your children to read I'd say this is a good one to go with. I did have one issue though, towards the end of the book the word pissed is in there. For a kids book I didn't think it was appropriate, but I guess depending on the age of the kid reading it, it's not that bad of a word.
November 9, 2012
Reviewed by Breia "The Brain" Brickey for TeensReadToo.com
For someone like me who has older siblings, I can relate very well to the life that Arlie leads on a day-to-day basis.
That being said, BOOTS AND PIECES also has some scary elements to it, as well. I think that older kids will like it and maybe some of the younger kids if they don't scare easily.
I thought the adults in the story were slightly off with their way of thinking. I don't know any parents who behave the way the adults did in this book!
Overall, though, this was a funny, enjoyable read and I loved the way it ended. I am planning on getting other books by this author. I rate this book 4 stars only because I wanted the adults to be smarter!
For someone like me who has older siblings, I can relate very well to the life that Arlie leads on a day-to-day basis.
That being said, BOOTS AND PIECES also has some scary elements to it, as well. I think that older kids will like it and maybe some of the younger kids if they don't scare easily.
I thought the adults in the story were slightly off with their way of thinking. I don't know any parents who behave the way the adults did in this book!
Overall, though, this was a funny, enjoyable read and I loved the way it ended. I am planning on getting other books by this author. I rate this book 4 stars only because I wanted the adults to be smarter!
August 17, 2008
I really enjoyed this book. It is funny and reminds me of RL Stine or Bruce Coville. Funny, a nice voice, and a surprise ending!
August 14, 2008
This book is the AWESOMEST!!!
Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews