The Day Louis Got Eaten

“Louis and his big sister Sarah were out in the woods one day... when unfortunately... Louis was eaten up by Gulper.” Far from afraid, Sarah springs into action, chasing after the furry, egg-shaped monster on her bicycle. But just as she’s about to catch the Gulper, it’s eaten by a black, winged Grabular, which is in turn gobbled up by an Undersnatch, a giant tadpole-like creature. The hilariously preposterous chase unfolds quickly in Fardell’s panel illustrations, and Sarah shows bravery, ingenuity, and determination every step of the way: she reconfigures her bike again and again, outfitting it with a paddlewheel to traverse the sea and spidery legs to climb some Seussian rock formations. Thus, it’s especially disappointing that Fardell (Jeremiah Jellyfish Flies High) relies on an amphibia ex machina resolution, which takes the form of a “Hiccup Frog” that causes the creatures gastrointestinal distress. Fardell gives Louis a moment to shine, too, and it’s clear he’s as nonchalantly brave as his sister—when she crawls through multiple stomachs to rescue him, he’s hanging out reading comic books. Ages 4–9. (Sept.)