Rating: WORTHY!
I’ve had some success with AJ Cosmo’s children’s books and this was another one. Weird, but original and fun, and which took a Doctor Who approach to conflict resolution by showing that the brain is mightier than the sword. A nameless child is having a problem in that his stinky socks seem to be showing up in tatters the next morning – not clean ones, only the stinky ones. He doesn’t seem to grasp that if he washed them, or at least secured them, they might be safe from whatever it is that’s eating them, but he does have the smarts to lie in wait one night to find out that a green, three-eyed little creature is attacking and devouring his socks, and he makes a plan with his friend Ryan to trap the critter, which they do. He didn’t realize, though, that even monsters have families, and this one is only wanting to be able to take care of three kids.
Further investigation reveals that the monsters also love to eat bad homework and test results (now there’s an idea!), so the kids come up with a nice solution to the problem. In some ways I was a little bit disappointed that there was no opportunity seized here to discuss personal hygiene or the important of doing well in school. There doesn’t need to be a lecture, just a word or two here and there to get the idea into kids’ heads. That curmudgeonly comment aside, I did like the story and the monsters, and they message that you can help people even when, at first blush, they appear to be scary or beyond help.
And here I thought lost socks were orbiting Saturn alongside all the lost luggage! Shows what I know. I liked the overall story and the originality, and I consider this a worthy read. Besides, it has socks appeal!
