True Blue Scouts of Sugarman Swamp

Appelt, K. (2013). True blue scouts of Sugarman Swamp. New York, NY: Atheneum. Two raccoons, a giant rattle snake, and a cousin of the Yeti, battle alongside a very human boy for the swamp and surrounding area. A corrupt politician and an alligator wrestler have plans to cement over the swamp and ruin the environment. In a warmly humorous account, Appelt makes us care about all the creatures of the swamp. This book reached the bestseller list several times early in the year as it was on the shortlist for the National Book Award and perhaps was being considered for the Newbery. Voice is what makes this novel so appealing. The raccoons, snakes, and human inhabitants of the swamp are individually developed and fascinating to watch in action. Here is a link to the trailer for the book: www.youtube.com/watch?v=6wHUMloYN2A‎