While readers who enjoy absurdist themes and gross-out humor will find this journey exciting and comical, those who favor a more logical story structure may at times feel a bit lost, as the narrative jumps quickly from scene to scene with minimal introduction to the strange new world readers find themselves in. The Wichlees use bat poop and farts to flavor their stew, and at one point they hilariously help exfoliate a giant slug, who makes a sound “like a symphony of a blend of a cats’ purr and some squeaky car brakes squealing.”
The story’s unusual and lively setting steals the spotlight and comes loaded with peculiar characters and activities: cats carry briefcases and pigeons deliver the mail, while the Wichlees revel in team sports where the rules are made up as they go and prepare for the Tueslethrump feastival by cooking their specialty, slug slime goulash. Moss’s dreamlike and at times psychedelic illustrations engross readers in the Wichlees’ extraordinary world, using deep, rich colors to depict WartyConk and her friends doing all their favorite things–like smiling while riding giant flies as the sun gently sets behind them and enjoying a celebration dance under the moonlight. This wacky fantasy offers readers open to nonsense and gross outs an entertaining escape.
Takeaway: In this zany tale, witch-like creatures enjoy a playful life filled with dragons, giant flies and slugs, and games.
Great for fans of: William Pène du Bois’s Otto and the Magic Potatoes, Rebecca Colby’s It’s Raining Bats & Frogs.
Production grades
Cover: A-
Design and typography: B
Illustrations: B+
Editing: B
Marketing copy: A-
