How to Rid Your Swimming Pool of a Bloodthirsty Mermaid

Slug Pie Story #2

by Mick Bogerman

All Mick Bogerman wanted to do was teach his little brother how to swim in the coolest swimming pool in town. He didn’t ask to take care of a bunch of Sea-Monkeys while he was there. He certainly didn’t mean to morph one of them into a mermaid by feeding it genetically enhanced super food. No one is more surprised than Mick when the creature starts luring unsuspecting adults into the deep end of the pool. Adults who don’t resurface.
Join Mick as he battles a powerful adversary: a bloodthirsty mermaid who hypnotizes with a golden gaze, shatters glass with a piercing shriek, and reveals her true menacing self by the light of a full moon.

Genres: Mermaids, Fantasy, Middle Grade, Horror

156 pages, Paperback

First published July 21, 2014

About the author

Mickey "Mick" Bogerman has lived in Beachwood, North Carolina all his life. Mostly he tries to stay out of trouble, but mostly trouble seems to find him anyway. He has a knack for antagonizing scary creatures and girls, not necessarily in that order.
Mick's favorite subjects in school are science (slime, rockets, bugs, and rocks-- what's not to like?), gym class (running, climbing, throwing-- more stuff to like), and reading (yay Mr. Corcoran lets him read whatever he likes-- like comic books).
Speaking of comic books, Mick's favorites are X-Men, Demon Knights, Spiderman and Batman.

Reviews

[Renee · Rating 4 out of 5]

My son (8), my daughter (12) and I (Mom) reviewed this book for Mother Daughter Book Reviews. Visit us to see our FULL REVIEWS.

SON SAYS:

The book cover was really cool but it might give people nightmares; but, I liked it! I thought it was funny when PJ named the bloodthirsty mermaid, “”Marilyn” and I liked it when Marilyn made a new friend in the ocean. It was funny when they were all jumping into the dumpster with Marilyn and Marilyn was eating a “brain”. I liked the part when Mick and Finley were running out of gas in the golf cart and they jumped out and tried to run; but Marilyn grabbed them and threw them over her shoulder and ran with them. I thought the book was really good because it was cool. I like reading about monsters. I want to give it infinity stars. I think boys (especially) who are 7 and older will like this book.

DAUGHTER SAYS:

I thought the book cover was kinda terrifying but super cool and definitely NOT how you would imagine a typical mermaid. My favorite part of the book is when Finley takes Marilyn (which PJ named the mermaid) grocery shopping and then Mick comes and sees Marilyn eating cauliflower which he thinks is Finley’s brains. I don’t think it made sense when Marilyn dragged the adults in the swimming pool and everyone who saw thought they had drowned. But if Marilyn turned them into the weird bubble things, I think someone would have noticed weird bubbles at the bottom of the pool. I thought this book was really fun and creative. I really liked how Marilyn was not just your average fairytale mermaid. This book overall was really funny and exciting. I think boys and girls 9-13 would like this book. Unless the girls don’t want the reputation of a mermaid ruined. >:)

MOM SAYS:

How to Rid Your Swimming Pool of a Bloodthirsty Mermaid delves into the mind of 12 year old author Mick Bogerman who assumes the hero role in a rollicking adventure filled with thrills, suspense, and danger as well as a good dose of tween humor. This young author has woven a creative and heart-pounding tale featuring a trio of compelling characters, led by the author’s fictional self, placed in a ludicrous but thoroughly entertaining predicament when they accidentally create a “monster”. This will be a sure-fire hit with reluctant readers (boys in particular) who will easily identify with the characters in the book. Ages 8 to 12.

* This book was provided to me by the author free-of-charge in exchange for our honest reviews. All opinions expressed are our own. *

[Carien · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is just as much fun as the first!

Mick wants to teach his brother to swim, but soon they find themselves eye to eye with a mermaid. And this isn't a nice mermaid: it's a monstrous, hungry mermaid, looking for a snack. And she doesn't care if that snack is meant to be a snack or not! Humans seem to be part of her dietary needs.

Just as in the previous book there is lots of cool action, and gruesome moments. Mick and his brother Finley have to be quick on their feet, brave and resourceful to survive, and to get rid of the bloodthirsty mermaid.

This book is for children between the age of 8 and 12, so it never got too scary for me, but the gore was yet again plenty. I very much enjoyed reading this book, and if it had been Dutch, I would immediately get it as a present for my nephews, who most certainly would enjoy it as well.

I like how Mick has the help of his brother this time. They make a great team, and their interaction with each other, and with their friend PJ was fun to read.

The one trouble with a fun book like this, is that I finished it way too quickly. You can bet the books in this series will be reread when I'm in the mood for a fast, and adventure-packed read.

[Nancy Brown · Rating 5 out of 5]

Mermaid in the Pool

I am 10 years old and I love these books. I read this book for my Reading assignment for 5th grade. I have to read 9 books each trimester and they have to be 150 pages long so my Nanna has ordered book number 3 of your series. I recommend this book to all who like action books.

[Jody Ellis · Rating 5 out of 5]

Mick B has a new fan on his hands. What a perfect intro to horror stories. Original, fun, light hearted. Couldn't ask for more and better still, I was entertained without Mick having to resort to toilet humour.

Can't wait to read more.

[Deb Aronson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Disgusting, but in a great way!! Read these books!!

[Y. Correa · Rating 5 out of 5]

When I first picked up this story, the very thing to made me chuckle aloud was the title. I mean, really “How to Rid Your Pool of a Bloodthirsty Mermaid”? It was reminiscent of “The Goosebumps” collection, and I really liked it. I recalled having read “Goosebumps” as a kid and that moment of nostalgia was really pleasing.

Interestingly enough, while I am not a fan of books written in First Person Present Tense, it didn’t really bother me that much in this read. The narrative was so easy going to laid back that it was very much like listening to a kid tell you what he’d done or what trouble he’d gotten into.

There were so many things that I found amusing in this book. However, I won’t get into that just yet. First let me tell you all a little bit about the premise.

Once up a time there were brothers who’d just finished killing zombies not too long ago, and who seemed to not be able to stay out of trouble—Mick and Finley.

The story starts off with Mick sitting in a “meeting” of sorts with a boy by the name of PJ who is well off and quite spoiled, and is also irritated that his father expects him to mow that lawn. PJ hires Mick to do the job for him, along with his brother Finely. PJ tells Mick that he has sea monkeys. Mick doesn’t really know what to think of that. On the way home Mick stops at the comic book shop and gets into a nice conversation with the store owner who happens to have a vintage issue of a comic book and shows Mick what sea monkeys look like.

Soon after Finley and Mick find themselves at PJ’s house for their respective job, and Mick decides that Finely needs to learn how to swim. This is just the beginning of an outstanding adventure. The boys inadvertently create some sort of mermaid monster out the PJ’s sea monkeys. It is at around this time where an adult “companion” joins the fray. His name is Karl Wheetly.

I really enjoyed this story. While there were some instances where grammatically speaking, the story wasn’t completely accurate, the truth of the matter is that it’s being told by a 12 year old boy so this predicament only adds to the authenticity of the story. Seriously thought, what 12 year old do you know that’s a Grammar Nazi? None that I know of. There were many moments in which I found myself chuckling aloud—most of the time is was with the boys interactions and or the way things were express. Here is a good example:

“Don’t know where I get my last burst of energy, but I sprint to the pool to change back to me. And heck with the key in the padlock, I’ve got this fence hopping thing down to an art, this time I land like Spiderman. And, yes! This time, no sting in the knees.“

I couldn’t help but giggle at that because it reminded me of how a little boy would compare a nice jump to Spiderman, Superman even.

There really wasn’t anything about this story I didn’t like, and that’s speaking as an adult. It has mystery, mayhem (at least in a kids mind) and plenty of chuckling for a kid of any age. I was pretty amused as to how the chapters weren’t called chapters, but “steps”.

Now, as a parent, here are some things to keep in mind:

1. There are some moments of “horror” if you can call it that. However, it’s mostly scary for a young audience; ages 8-12 or so, as per indicated on the cover.
2. It’s a bit on the longer side. Standing at about 130 pages of story alone (this doesn’t include the title pages and such). Some kids, unless they really love to read, might not have the patience to get through it.

Nevertheless in regards to the stories structure, here are the Pros:

1. Great character development.
2. Continually entertaining.
3. Great Plot development.
4. Well written and simple to follow.

If there were to be any Cons, I only found one:

1. There wasn’t much explained about the boys’ prior adventure, however it was mentioned a few times. I almost felt like I was jipped off a little bit because since it was mentioned I sort of wanted to know more.
All of that being said “How to Rid Your Pool of a Bloodthirsty Mermaid” gets 5 stars from me.

[Andi Houtsch · Rating 4 out of 5]

With a title like Slug Pie Story #2: How to Rid Your Swimming Pool of a Bloodthirsty Mermaid you know you’re in for an interesting take in children’s fiction. If there is any doubt allowed by such a title the cover says it all, reminding me of the classic horror-fiction of my youth. The two go hand in hand; a perfect alluding to the story to follow.
The author is clear at the outset in his warning note to parents that this is a story not to be taken too seriously since it’s a darker tale for children. I didn’t think this warning note was necessary but it opened the book with humor, setting the stage.
Bogerman either really knows pre-teens or remembers his formative years with precision clarity. The book opens with a twelve year old Mick making a deal with PJ, the son of wealthy business executives, to mow his mansion’s lawns in exchange for free use of the pool to teach Mick’s younger brother Finley how to swim. The need for these swimming lessons has something to do with events that transpired in the previous volume in the series, events that are cursorily mentioned in order, I’m assuming, to make this volume stand-alone. A little more details on the Zombie Cave would have been a nice touch but the lack doesn’t take away from the plot of this book.
PJ asks Mick and Finley to feed his newest pets, Sea Monkeys. Since the brothers have never seen seamonkeys or know what half of PJs vernacular means they accidentally feed the creatures something that irrevocably changes them. Only one creature survives to become a mermaid but it’s a mermaid defying Disney’s beautification process.
The story that ensues is full of wit and twelve year old snark that made me wonder if this is how my pre-teen son thinks or interacts with his peers. I chuckled quite a bit and was pleasantly surprised by Bogerman’s original style in delivering what at first appears to be a grim fantastical tale and turns out to be interwoven with appropriate levels of feasibility, charm and wisdom.
I loved the moral lesson brought home by the end, cautioning against pre-judgment of others based on cursory knowledge. The sibling relationship between the boys was marvelously utilized as was the connection to PJ making this a book (and series, assuming the other volumes are up to par with this one) I would suggest to my son for his or his grade’s reading program and pleasure.
I gave How to Rid Your Swimming Pool of a Bloodthirsty Mermaid a rating of 4 out of 5 stars only because I felt like I was missing something in the shortage of background information about the characters and their previous exploits.

[Bruce Gargoyle · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 stars

Full review at http://thebookshelfgargoyle.wordpress... (November 28)

I received a copy of this title through the Goodreads First Reads giveaways.

Ten Second Synopsis:
A slight miscommunication results in Mick and Finley accidentally feeding mutational food to PJ's sea monkeys. Bloodthirsty mermaidery ensues.

I was surprised at how much I really enjoyed this tale. The story is pitched at a middle grade audience, but Mick himself warns parents at the very start with a disclaimer that this book is not for the faint-hearted reader. On the other hand, if you have a young male reader (or female, obviously, but particularly male) who loves action, fantasy violence, heroic actions, kids having to solve problems out of their depth (pun intended) and just general mayhem and adventure, then get them onto this series right this second.

Mick is a rough-as-guts narrator with a strong sense of right and wrong, and is highly protective of his younger brother. Finley is the thinker of the partnership, considering problems from all angles before making a decision. And PJ….well, PJ learns some valuable lessons about moving out from under his rich parents’ shadow and thinking for himself.

I read this book in one sitting I was so riveted by the narrative style and the action and I think it’s a book that will have great re-reading value. I’m excited to see what happens in the other adventures in the Slug Pie stories series as this seems to be a fresh, action-packed take on the standard middle grade fantasy genre. The back of the book features a handy little recap of all the tips and tricks that the boys have picked up for dealing with mermaids of the bloodthirsty variety, which was a nice touch.

What I liked most about this tale, as an adult reader, was the references to the retro sea monkey ads that used to feature in the back of comic books.

I would definitely recommend giving this particular Slug Pie story a go – particularly if you are in summer right now, because there’s nothing better than reading a story about bloodthirsty pool-dwelling monsters in temperatures which demand regular swimming as an antidote to heat-related death.

[Frederick Crook · Rating 5 out of 5]

This one is definitely a book for kids. There’s not a cuss word from top to bottom and other than some mild violence, it’s definitely appropriate for adventure-loving children from 8 to 12 years old, so sayeth the cover and I agree. It’s well-written and part of series called “Slug Pie Stories”.
I’m 45 and I enjoyed the heck out of it. I wish this series had been around when I was a child. It stars three kids, Mick, his brother Finley and a local rich kid called Pj. All three of them read as if they are pre-teen or really early teens, like 13 at the oldest. The mini-gang reminds me of the group from "The Goonies" or, perhaps "Stand by Me". The camaraderie is there with just the right amount of stressful thrills of horror to balance it. I could definitely see this book turned into a short film or perhaps a television series, sort of along the lines of "Eerie, Indiana".

So, the three ‘accidentally’ create a mermaid from a batch of Sea-Monkeys. You know, those little brine shrimpy thingies that used to be advertised in comic books. Now, I don’t want to give away how this was done. Suffice it to say, it happened, mmkay? All sorts of shenanigans occur once the thing goes through a metamorphosis into a mermaid, befalling much insult and injury upon the adult members of the cast, of course [wink]. This leaves it up to the kids to solve the problem on their own, only involving one particular grownup, a fisherman by the name of Karl Wheetly, for a little bit of sideways advice, which as it turns out, was magically timely.

I really don’t want to give much of this story away, but suffice it to say that due to an almost Three’s Company-like misunderstanding, the solution presents itself, the boys carry it out and all is again right with the world. The ending is a bit too happy-feely, but what the hell? Children’s’ book! Duh!

So, I have to say that this may not be a book that a parent may wish to read to their child at bedtime, due to a mild nightmare-causing hazard, but it is a great little read that should not offend a soul. It is what it is and pretends to be nothing more. I give it 5 out of 5 for being wonderfully funny and at the same time horrifying.

[Liliana · Rating 5 out of 5]

Reviewed on Lili Lost in a Book

In this second installment of the Slug Pie Stories, Mick will teach you, as the title suggests, How to Rid Your Swimming Pool of a Bloodthirsty Mermaid... you know, if you're ever in such predicament ;)

After the happenings in the previous book, Mick decides to teach his little brother Finley how to swim, but in order to do so they need a swimming pool. This is where PJ comes in! Mick and PJ make an agreement: PJ will let Mick and Finley use his pool if Mick mows PJ's lawn for him. But on their first day there, they accidentally turn some of PJ's sea monkey into a freakin' mermaid! But not any pretty, friendly, Ariel-like mermaid... it's an evil, grown-up-eating mermaid! Yikes! The boys try to find a way to fix this before she eats one of them next. Dun, dun, DUN!

Guys, this book was a lot of fun! I cannot even tell you. We get to know Mick and his little brother Finley much better. We get more dialogue and way more character interaction than in the last book. Plus we get new, interesting characters such as the rich kid PJ. And I LOVE our main character Mick and his little brother! I really think kids will find it really easy to connect with them both. Also, like in the last book, this one had a ton of great descriptions and you could just picture things very clearly! And it was also quite suspenseful! I just wanted to know what was going to happen with the mermaid!

With a mixture of adventure, humor, and a little bit of a horror twist (again, nothing too scary since it is a children's book), How to Rid Your Swimming Pool of a Bloodthirsty Mermaid is a great quick read that the kiddos (or those young at heart, like myself ;)) will surely enjoy! I cannot wait to read more of Mick and Finley's adventures!

[Reading Bifrost · Rating 4 out of 5]

www.ReadingBifrost.com

“I don’t want to move in for a closer look, I really don’t, but overpowering curiosity’s propelling my feet forward, taking Finley with me. This is nothing like a Sea-Monkey.”

A few days ago I reviewed the first of this series. In this second installment Mick and Finley don’t go looking for trouble, but just so happen to stumble upon it anyway when PJ, a very much spoiled rich boy Mick’s age, has his Sea-Monkey turned into a mermaid.

I liked this book just a bit better than the first, probably because there was more interaction between the brothers. Mick tends to overthink things when it comes to his brother, and in this story he was put into situations where he had to let Finley make his own choices. Finley, on the other hand, had to stand up against the older brother he looks up too.

PJ is a spoiled little brat who is used to having what he wants when he wants it. When his Sea-Monkey goes psycho, PJ is convinced she didn’t really mean to nearly bite his arm off. Of course, going on the adventure with Mick and Finley may have changed him a bit by the end of the story.

A mysterious uncle was mentioned again, one I hope will make an appearance in a future story. He seems like the family’s go-to guy when they need strange or hard to find objects such as Mick’s pitchfork from the first book. His character intrigues me even though he has yet to make an actual appearance in the series.

Overall, I would recommend this second book to 8+, as it wasn’t as gory as the first. But I do have to say there was mention of a drunken man, so as always PARENTS: read the books first. See if there’s anything you’re not comfortable with your kids reading, and judge by your own kids levels.

[Rebecca Foster · Rating 5 out of 5]

Bogerman's mermaid had me so enthralled that I didn't really pay attention to how far I had gotten.

I was completely under her spell.

Sure, she had razor sharp teeth and a mouth large enough to swallow a person's head in a single bite, and sure, she devoured rotten vegetables and loads of fish and spam. She pulled a few people under water and kept them there, and yes, the thick, brackish water that her mere presence caused was rather unattractive...

But I love her just the same.

She isn't your standard mermaid. Cruel, animalistic, and definitely not beautiful, she's a far cry from the normal idea of a mermaid that we're accustomed to. And that's ok.

Awesome, even.

Now, before you get too excited, please remember that this is a YA horror novel, and it's written for readers in around 4th to 6th grade. Don't expect something written for people accustomed to rated R horror movies, because you won't get it.

Even a bloodthirsty mermaid can turn out to be scary for young readers, but not too much so, and Bogerman did an excellent job of ensuring that it fit the age group.

Indeed, I was so impressed with this ability that I'm planning on recommending that the librarian at my daughter's elementary school look into making a copy available for students. I think it's something that she'd like to add to the collection. This story is one that I would have pointed out to kids looking for scary books back when I worked in school libraries.

It feels like the kind of book that would get a reluctant reader interested in reading more of their own accord, and that goes a long way.

(This is a truncation of my full review of a free review copy, posted to Undiscovered Tomes.)

[Sarah · Rating 3 out of 5]

This review can also be found here

**Copy provided via the publisher in exchange for an honest review. All opinions expressed are mine alone.**

I loved this book as much as I loved the first in the series. In this installment we get to follow Mick and Finley around as they deal with a mermaid. This installment had more moments of suspense where I was wondering just how Mick and Finley were going to survive the ordeal they got themselves into.

This story was written in a how to style guide like the first, this one however was longer and seemed to be more detailed than the first book in the series. This was a great thing because I really wanted to spend more time reading about the boys shenanigans and all of the trouble they got themselves into.

I didn't really like PJ in the beginning. He was selfish and snooty, and really only thought about himself and what he wanted. He really grew on me as the book went on however and I'm really hoping that there is more of him in the third book. I'm also really looking forward to seeing more of Mick and Finley's adventures.

Much like the first book in this series, this novel is full of humor and suspense with monsters thrown in that Mick has to deal with. These books really fly by as you're reading them and I highly recommend them if you're a middle grade reader or just want a quick fun story. I will definitely be picking up the third book when it comes out and continuing on with this series.

[Stacie · Rating 5 out of 5]

How to Rid Your Swimming Pool of a Bloodthirsty Mermaid is an extraordinarily funny and wildly entertaining adventure that will leave readers eager for more.

With the zombie mishap still fresh in his mind, Mick is determined to teach his brother Finley to swim so when he finds out his preppy and not into manual labor rich friend, PJ is ordered to mow his own lawn Mick's brain hatches an idea. He offers to mow PJ's lawn and all PJ has to do is let Mick use the swimming pool to teach Finley how to swim. Sounds like a pretty simple trade, right? It should have been had a tiny gentle sea-monkey, turned bloodthirsty mermaid not taken up residence in the pool. And to make matters worse she seems to enjoy "collecting" adults. PJ won't let Mick harm the mermaid, but something has to be done. Can the three devise a plan before anymore adults go missing?

This is such a great read. I found the zany action and hair brained ideas the boys come up with to deal with the mermaid amusing, but I was a little freaked out by the missing adults. The author has a vivid imagination and it definitely shines through in this fantastic creation. He does such a wonderful job of capturing his readers through expressive detail and brilliant characters. Although, clearly fiction (I hope or my swimming pool days are over) the author writes his story in such a way that it becomes believable adding to the entertainment. Perfect for reluctant readers, especially boys.

I highly recommend picking up a copy of How to Rid Your Swimming Pool of a Bloodthirsty Mermaid.

[Queen Spades · Rating 4 out of 5]

Note: This book was provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review. Since I reviewed the first Slug Pie Story #1, and a lot of what I feel about this book mimics the 1st review, this review is not on TRB but will be on here and Amazon.

It is recommended that the parents take heed to the wise warning in front of the book whether this is appropriate for their middle school child.

With that being said, there are so many things I loved about this book.

1. The cover is visually striking! A definite spooky feel that will appeal to this author's target audience.
2. The titles of the chapters served as instructions. It was like getting a manual and a graphic adventure story all in one.
3. Normally I am not drawn to present tense writes (it’s an “Unleashed Thing”). Yet this one was done so well that (1) I barely noticed it and (2) The way the author was able to do 1st person without an excessive amount of “I’s” was clap worthy.
4. The dialogue between the child characters definitely fit their ages.
5. I enjoyed the splashes of humor in the tale. I found myself laughing after each chapter.
6. The detail about the mermaid even gave me Goosebumps.

Although this story can stand alone, some people who may not have read Slug Pie Story #1 (How to Navigate Zombie Cave and Defeat Pirate Pete) may feel cheated because although they know bits and pieces (hinted at in this one), they might desire more back story as to the adventure.

Verdict: 4 out of 5 Stars.

[Alexis (Lexi Swoons) · Rating 5 out of 5]

Original review posted on Lexi Swoons

Here we are again with the coolest kid i've ever met, Mick Bogerman. I mean seriously guys, this kid gets into the craziest adventures i've ever seen. This time we meet Mick and his little brother Finley as Mick wants to teach him how to swim. After the whole debacle that was Zombie Cave Mick is worried his brother not being able to swim will eventually spell doom, as it almost did in Zombie Cave! I won't give you any details of that book without you reading the book first, but I will say that it's so much fun and kind of scary. See my review here.

The mermaid swimming in PJ's pool used to be just a sea monkey, until Mick accidentally gave her some super food when PJ asked him to feed the sea monkeys. Yes, that means there was more than one in the bowl. I'm sure you can use your imagination to figure out what happened to the other sea monkeys after they ate the super food and ended up with only one mermaid in the pool. The events that ensue are pretty crazy and I have to say that I think this is the "darkest" Bogerman story so far. I wish I could give you more information on the book but since they are so short anything I say will give away the story.

Just know that overall, it was so much fun to read and I highly recommend it to everyone who loves middle grade books.

[Billy Buttons · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was entered and was a Red Ribbon Winner in The Wishing Shelf Book Awards. This is what our readers thought:

Title: How to Rid Your Swimming Pool of a Bloodthirsty Mermaid
Author: Mick Bogerman
Star Rating: 4 Stars
Number of Readers: 19
Stats
Editing: 8/10
Style: 7/10
Content: 7/10
Covers: 8/10
Of the 19 readers:
14 would read another book by this author.
15 thought the covers were exciting
9 felt the writing style was excellent: easy to follow and descriptive.
5 felt it was a little slow in the middle chapters.
8 liked the ending.

Readers’ Comments
‘I liked the way the kids spoke. It seemed very real.’ Boy, aged 11
‘I liked the story. It was funny in parts but I did find it difficult to work out where they were. The description of setting needs to be a bit better.’ Girl, aged 12
‘This is a very lively and fun story which the children in my class enjoyed. They liked the cover too. They thought it was funny, had lots happening in it and wasn’t too scary. It did lack good setting description so the children had difficulty visualizing the scene. The author might want to work on this. Also, the dialogue, although funny and sharp-witted was a little difficult to follow in parts. But, overall, a fun book for kids.’ Primary school teacher, aged 43
‘A bit scary but I liked it anyway. I like book where lots happen and plenty happens in this.’ Girl, aged 10

‘A fantastically-fun and exciting story. A RED RIBBON WINNER!’ The Wishing Shelf Book Awards

[Kristin Scearce · Rating 5 out of 5]

Disclaimer: I received a copy in exchange for an honest review.

I was so happy to have this one already when I finished "Zombie Cave" because I definitely dove right in (pun slightly intended). After his previous adventure, you'd think Mick might want to take it easy for a while, but nope! Now he's picked up a "friend" who has an issue of his own (thanks in large part to Mick and Finley), and the three of them have to figure out how to handle this creature which apparently likes tuna and SPAM...

Once again, I couldn't put this one down until I'd successfully gotten from cover to cover in one sitting. If you liked "Zombie Cave" you MUST read this one. And if you never read "Zombie Cave", just what's stopping you?!?

5 stars

[Sandra Lopez · Rating 3 out of 5]

In the first Slug Pie story, we learned how to defeat zombie pirates. Now, in the second installment, we take a guided tour of how to get rid of a mermaid—not one like Disney’s Ariel, but one that feeds on human blood. Ew!


Let me start off by saying that I LOVE the cover. Totally awesome!


What I liked best was that this one read more like a story, but then, like the first book, it dives into a step-by-step guide. Again, it was like a Goosebumps book with all the youthful, boyhood humor. It follows the same pattern as the first book: Not scary, but just a fun kid book.

[Carrie Sharkey · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book. Suspenseful, but not gory. It was easy to connect with the characters. I like the addition of PJ and can see him playing an important part in future books. Liked it even better than the first in the series (How to Navigate Zombie Cave and Defeat Pirate Pete - which I also enjoyed), but then I'm more for suspense than guts and gore. Zombies come with both suspense and guts.
I am looking forward to the next in the series.

[Barbara Signorelli · Rating 5 out of 5]

Really great book. I really enjoyed reading it.