Secrets of Dripping Fang Book One: The Onts

by: Dan Greenburg; Illustrations by Scott M. Fischer

Published by: Harcourt Children's Books

Reviewed by Alia Pranke

Dan Greenburg has hit on a series of books that children between 8 and 12 will absolutely love. It has all things creepy, scary and funny that kids will read as fast as they can and ask for the next installment.

The Shluffmuffin twins, Wally (who has awfully stinky feet) and Cheyenne (who has allergies and constantly sneezes) are orphans. They lost their father when he fell through the seat of a Porta Potti and drowned. The following day, their mother was smothered by a gang of angry bunnies at a petting zoo. Then 98-year-old Grandma Gloria was carried off by a nearsighted eagle. He mistook her for a racoon. There were no other family members to care for them so off they went to The Jolly Days Orphanage. It was not a good place to be.

The twins longed to be adopted but it didn't happen until the day the Mandible sisters brought them home for a week-long adoption trial. The sisters live in Dripping Fang Forest and seem to have extra arms. Things are pretty strange at the Mandible house and if Wally and Cheyenne aren't careful, they could end up at the wrong end of the food chain.

Armchair Interviews says: This is a book for kids that enjoy the scary things that lurk in the night and sometimes during the day, right where they live.