Troupe, Thomas Kingsley. The Big Hairy Secret.

Troupe, Thomas Kingsley.  The Big Hairy Secret.  Capstone/Stone Arch    2014 128p  ISBN 978-1-4342-3858-0 elem E-BNS  Fantasy    

Flo is forced to move with her mother once again, to a new apartment building, city, and school, since her father’s death. Reluctant to stay in this new place, she finds fault with many things, such as the numerous spider webs, white cottony things that grow on the floor, and the odd boy who lives across the hall.  When the grocery bag that contains Flo’s popsicles appears to have been bitten by a large animal and the treats have been taken, Flo is determined to find the source of the problem.  What Flo finds however, is a strange occurrence in the basement where Furry is doing laundry.  What happens in the basement takes Flo and Furry on a wild adventure throughout the building, all the way to the roof and back again.

This cute story is sure to appeal to young and reluctant readers.  A low reading level and a fun, fantastic plot, combined with interspersed illustrations, make this a non-threatening read for struggling readers as well.  To further engage readers, the book concludes with a glossary, “questions from Flo,” and “prompts from Furry.”  This book will appeal to young readers with large imaginations.

This is the first book In the Furry and Flo series.  Book number two is The Problems With Goblins.   

Summary: Fourth-grader Flo moves with her mother to yet another city and school since her father’s death, to an apartment building where she meets Furry and finds adventure like never before.

Adventure-Fiction                                     --Virginia McGarvey