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Strange Scout Tales #2
The Loch Ness Lock-In
The ragtag scout troop returns in a new adventure—this time, to solve a mystery surrounding the famed Loch Ness Monster.
Some scouts spend their weekends weaving baskets, but if you’re a Strange Scout you spend them tagging Massachusetts Pukwudgies (harder than it sounds—Pukwudgies like to set things on fire). Troop Danger has come a long way from their Troop Dweeb days, but nothing can prepare them for what’s next: The Strange Scouts Annual Loch Ness Lock-In!
Once a year, Strange Scout troops from around the world are invited to test their scouting skills in an old lighthouse on the shore of the infamous Loch Ness. But when the area surrounding Loch Ness suffers unusual damage, evidence points to a dastardly plot to frame Nessie herself! Can the Strange Scouts’ newest troop clear Nessie’s name and earn their badges before it’s too late?
Some scouts spend their weekends weaving baskets, but if you’re a Strange Scout you spend them tagging Massachusetts Pukwudgies (harder than it sounds—Pukwudgies like to set things on fire). Troop Danger has come a long way from their Troop Dweeb days, but nothing can prepare them for what’s next: The Strange Scouts Annual Loch Ness Lock-In!
Once a year, Strange Scout troops from around the world are invited to test their scouting skills in an old lighthouse on the shore of the infamous Loch Ness. But when the area surrounding Loch Ness suffers unusual damage, evidence points to a dastardly plot to frame Nessie herself! Can the Strange Scouts’ newest troop clear Nessie’s name and earn their badges before it’s too late?
128 pages, Hardcover
Published August 21, 2018
4 people are currently reading
18 people want to read
About the author
Matthew Cody
47 books148 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 - 6 of 6 reviews
March 12, 2019
This time our Strange Scouts/Troop Danger is off to Scotland! Time to meet Nessie!
Of course, after having so much fun reading the first Strange Scouts book, I couldn't resist reading this one quite soon afterwards. This time not much camping, but still tons of supernatural things happening and of course also a good message about taking care of nature and all the beings (normal or supernatural) that are living there.
This time our troop goes to Scotland. They have a new mission, meet Nessie and help out in Scotland. I was excited, I love Nessie, and Scotland always has such magic surrounding it.
The first thing the kids have to do is clean out the lighthouse that will house them for the duration of the trip. Clean out? Yes, red caps, aka gnomes are living in there but you need to know how to handle them, and I was just rolling in laughter when I saw how things went from OK to OH SNAP in just a few minutes.
Then later we got the Nessie situation, something is going on with Nessie. Is she truly the one breaking stuff left and right? Stepping on busses and murdering them? Or is there something more going on? I had fun reading about this part, and quite soon I had a good idea what was going on. I was just waiting for the characters to also figure it out and then take action, as that is their job now that they are Danger Scouts.
I wasn't happy to see a certain character also added to the mix, for all I care that dude can be eaten by an angry red cap, but we do see another side to him. I am happy that the author added this to the book, I can honestly see that I am now looking with different eyes at this character. Though I do hope that he will show this side more often. It fits him more than his tough guy persona.
The ending was pretty great, and I can say that I am now looking forward to the next books in this series. I do hope there will be plenty more.
The book is, once again, delightfully illustrated and I just adored seeing them. They make the story come to live further and also make things even funnier/more exciting. Though I did notice a little error. In the text it is said that the red cap Manuel captured is sleeping, however in the illustration we can clearly see that the little guy is very very awake and not amused. Later on we read that the characters were able to rent a small rowboat with an outboard motor, however in the next illustration we just see a normal rowboat, no motor.
So, I would recommend this one (and the previous book) to everyone looking for a fun book!
Review first posted at https://twirlingbookprincess.com/
Of course, after having so much fun reading the first Strange Scouts book, I couldn't resist reading this one quite soon afterwards. This time not much camping, but still tons of supernatural things happening and of course also a good message about taking care of nature and all the beings (normal or supernatural) that are living there.
This time our troop goes to Scotland. They have a new mission, meet Nessie and help out in Scotland. I was excited, I love Nessie, and Scotland always has such magic surrounding it.
The first thing the kids have to do is clean out the lighthouse that will house them for the duration of the trip. Clean out? Yes, red caps, aka gnomes are living in there but you need to know how to handle them, and I was just rolling in laughter when I saw how things went from OK to OH SNAP in just a few minutes.
Then later we got the Nessie situation, something is going on with Nessie. Is she truly the one breaking stuff left and right? Stepping on busses and murdering them? Or is there something more going on? I had fun reading about this part, and quite soon I had a good idea what was going on. I was just waiting for the characters to also figure it out and then take action, as that is their job now that they are Danger Scouts.
I wasn't happy to see a certain character also added to the mix, for all I care that dude can be eaten by an angry red cap, but we do see another side to him. I am happy that the author added this to the book, I can honestly see that I am now looking with different eyes at this character. Though I do hope that he will show this side more often. It fits him more than his tough guy persona.
The ending was pretty great, and I can say that I am now looking forward to the next books in this series. I do hope there will be plenty more.
The book is, once again, delightfully illustrated and I just adored seeing them. They make the story come to live further and also make things even funnier/more exciting. Though I did notice a little error. In the text it is said that the red cap Manuel captured is sleeping, however in the illustration we can clearly see that the little guy is very very awake and not amused. Later on we read that the characters were able to rent a small rowboat with an outboard motor, however in the next illustration we just see a normal rowboat, no motor.
So, I would recommend this one (and the previous book) to everyone looking for a fun book!
Review first posted at https://twirlingbookprincess.com/
August 26, 2018
The Loch Ness Lock-In is an exciting, laugh-out-loud funny chapter book about a secret group of scouts protecting the monsters of the world. These cryptozoologists-in-training are preaching the gospel of weird, and I love them for it. Part of the Strange Scouts oath vows "To preserve oddity and strangeness in all its glory, especially my own, Because uniqueness is never weakness." For that sentence alone, I think every kid should read this book.
This is a clever, funny story that will keep kids riveted and have them clamoring for the next book in the series. It's well-plotted and full of hilarious asides from narrator Ben Beederman, one of the young Scouts investigating what appear to be Nessie attacks at the famed Loch Ness. The Scooby-Doo comparisons are inevitable — the villain of the piece is a mini golf magnate who seems suspiciously eager to blame the conspicuous property damage on Nessie, and I was holding my breath waiting for him to shake his fist and yell about meddling kids. (Spoiler alert: he didn't.) But this is no rehash. Matthew Cody's story comes across as a winking homage as it distinguishes itself with its humor, tight plotting, and heart.
Since I read an e-galley, I didn't see a lot of the final art, but based on what I did see, Steve Lambe's illustrations are terrific and complement the story's quirky humor nicely. That comes as no surprise, since Lambe was a character designer for several cartoons known for their humorous character work, including The Fairly OddParents and my personal favorite Teen Titans Go! There's one image in particular that I really hope makes it to print, because it's hilarious and ties in beautifully with a touching moment at the end of the story.
This is the second book in the Strange Scouts series, but Cody does a good job of catching the reader up in case you (like me) haven't read the first one. Still, I definitely want to go back to check out the first book, How to Merit in Monsters, and future entries in the series will be automatic adds to my TBR. Maybe I can learn how I can join the Strange Scouts, because the Scout oath is the perfect summation of my goal in life: to "preserve oddity and strangeness in all its glory, especially my own."
With its strong storytelling and clever humor, The Loch Ness Lock-In is a fun read that shows kids that monsters aren't always monstrous and that being weird is something to be celebrated, no matter what the rest of the world may think.
My thanks to Rodale Kids and NetGalley for providing an advance copy in exchange for an honest review.
This is a clever, funny story that will keep kids riveted and have them clamoring for the next book in the series. It's well-plotted and full of hilarious asides from narrator Ben Beederman, one of the young Scouts investigating what appear to be Nessie attacks at the famed Loch Ness. The Scooby-Doo comparisons are inevitable — the villain of the piece is a mini golf magnate who seems suspiciously eager to blame the conspicuous property damage on Nessie, and I was holding my breath waiting for him to shake his fist and yell about meddling kids. (Spoiler alert: he didn't.) But this is no rehash. Matthew Cody's story comes across as a winking homage as it distinguishes itself with its humor, tight plotting, and heart.
Since I read an e-galley, I didn't see a lot of the final art, but based on what I did see, Steve Lambe's illustrations are terrific and complement the story's quirky humor nicely. That comes as no surprise, since Lambe was a character designer for several cartoons known for their humorous character work, including The Fairly OddParents and my personal favorite Teen Titans Go! There's one image in particular that I really hope makes it to print, because it's hilarious and ties in beautifully with a touching moment at the end of the story.
This is the second book in the Strange Scouts series, but Cody does a good job of catching the reader up in case you (like me) haven't read the first one. Still, I definitely want to go back to check out the first book, How to Merit in Monsters, and future entries in the series will be automatic adds to my TBR. Maybe I can learn how I can join the Strange Scouts, because the Scout oath is the perfect summation of my goal in life: to "preserve oddity and strangeness in all its glory, especially my own."
With its strong storytelling and clever humor, The Loch Ness Lock-In is a fun read that shows kids that monsters aren't always monstrous and that being weird is something to be celebrated, no matter what the rest of the world may think.
My thanks to Rodale Kids and NetGalley for providing an advance copy in exchange for an honest review.
October 19, 2018
A Strange, Fun, Upbeat Adventure for Early Readers
This book, and this series, have a "scouting" frame that allows for all sorts of silly and fantastic adventures without the need for magical or fantasy world building. They are easy to get into, briskly paced, exceptionally good-humored, and loaded with lots of upbeat but understated messages about loyalty, responsibility, cooperation, independence, and the like. The mix is light and balanced and so the tales unwind crisply and cheerfully.
The idea is that our four heroes, (a nice mix of different kids), are "Strange Scouts", tasked with facing danger and adventure while saving the odd, unique and threatened strange creatures of the world. The first volume featured Sasquatch; this one leads us to the Loch Ness Monster. The scouting angle lets the kids be a troop, have a scoutmaster, earn badges, and so on, but it doesn't get in the way or require a lot of explanation. That leaves more room for jokes, bits of silliness, and setting up the big mystery - who's trying to frame Nessie?
Matthew Cody has written some elegant books for older readers, including "The Dead Gentleman", "Will in Scarlet", and the Pied Piper series, so he has a good handle on middle grade fantasy/adventure. This series aims at a much younger crowd. The drawings, which are friendly and engaging, are a bit cartoony and invite the young reader in. Sentences are clear and direct. The tale is narrated by Ben, one of the strange scouts. He is a good humored narrator and projects as a nice blend of frantic, deadpan, and cheerfully welcoming. There are funny asides, interesting adults, and just the right amount of haggis jokes.
As a consequence of the characters, the setup, the subject matter, and the welcoming style, this struck me as a book that could appeal to a wide range of early readers, from those just starting with chapter books up to and including more confident readers just looking for a laugh or two.
This book, and this series, have a "scouting" frame that allows for all sorts of silly and fantastic adventures without the need for magical or fantasy world building. They are easy to get into, briskly paced, exceptionally good-humored, and loaded with lots of upbeat but understated messages about loyalty, responsibility, cooperation, independence, and the like. The mix is light and balanced and so the tales unwind crisply and cheerfully.
The idea is that our four heroes, (a nice mix of different kids), are "Strange Scouts", tasked with facing danger and adventure while saving the odd, unique and threatened strange creatures of the world. The first volume featured Sasquatch; this one leads us to the Loch Ness Monster. The scouting angle lets the kids be a troop, have a scoutmaster, earn badges, and so on, but it doesn't get in the way or require a lot of explanation. That leaves more room for jokes, bits of silliness, and setting up the big mystery - who's trying to frame Nessie?
Matthew Cody has written some elegant books for older readers, including "The Dead Gentleman", "Will in Scarlet", and the Pied Piper series, so he has a good handle on middle grade fantasy/adventure. This series aims at a much younger crowd. The drawings, which are friendly and engaging, are a bit cartoony and invite the young reader in. Sentences are clear and direct. The tale is narrated by Ben, one of the strange scouts. He is a good humored narrator and projects as a nice blend of frantic, deadpan, and cheerfully welcoming. There are funny asides, interesting adults, and just the right amount of haggis jokes.
As a consequence of the characters, the setup, the subject matter, and the welcoming style, this struck me as a book that could appeal to a wide range of early readers, from those just starting with chapter books up to and including more confident readers just looking for a laugh or two.
August 23, 2021
Turtle: great! Return to library.
December 23, 2023
Miss 9 enjoyed reading this.
April 13, 2021
Note: I received an ARC of this book from the publisher at ALA Midwinter 2018 and a digital review copy through NetGalley.
Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews