In the seemingly never-ending quest to educate children at younger and younger ages, people sometimes forget that kids are really kids—not simply pint-sized adults eager to learn the latest math equation or scientific formula. Fortunately, author Slater is keenly aware of this and has begun a series of books that will likely teach kids a lot even though they might think they’re simply having fun.

This book is for younger children. If they are old enough to watch cartoons, look at pictures, and comprehend basic stories, then they are old enough for this well-written and enchantingly illustrated story. They need not be able to read. It’s the perfect book for a loving parent to be able to walk their children through.

The heroes of the story are the kids themselves—three mop-topped scamps young enough to still need parental supervision, but old enough to get into all sorts of adventurous mischief on their own. They live with their dad in Oregon. He’s a TV sleuth dedicated to unmasking fakery as it relates to things out of the ordinary, such as magic, monsters, and the paranormal. They’re precocious scamps dedicated to fun, frolic, and finding any and all monsters that might come their way. Surprisingly, they run into more than one in this opening book—a big hairy Sasquatch, and two flesh and blood humans who give adults a bad name.

Older kids too, who can read for themselves, are also likely to find this slim volume fun and entertaining. The Mattigan kids, and their impending adventures with monsters, may prove a great way to get children started on a lifelong love affair with books.

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