Beware the Blue Bagoo

by Karl Newson (Author) Andrea Stegmaier (Illustrator)

Beware the Blue Bagoo
Reading Level: K − 1st Grade

BEWARE the Blue Bagoo! Join in with the detective who is on the trail of a mysterious blue creature in this fun picture book!

A detective tries to uncover the truth about the infamous "Blue Bagoo"--a creature so big and scary that it can't possibly be made up, can it?

Our detective addresses us--the reader--on the very first page, and then walks the winding cobbled streets of a Dr. Suess-esque seaside town, taking statements from the residents.

The Blue Bagoo proves elusive, but rumors of its "supposed" qualities have spread throughout the town. However, as the investigation proceeds, there is a critical twist....

This is a tale of rumors and fears, that also teaches us a gentle lesson about jumping to conclusions and judging others!

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Hardcover
$17.09 $18.99

Publishers Weekly

The "WELCOME TO RUMORVILLE" sign on this book's colophon provides a tip-off as to what's afoot throughout a rhyming story about misinformation. And indeed, an entire seaside town populated by toylike animal-human residents of various fanciful hues, rendered in nursery colors by Stegmaier (AAAlligator!), is obsessed with the putative existence of the titular monster. "My parrot was squashed by a Blue Bagoo shoe," one claims; "My hat disappeared without a clue!" another asserts. There's even a town song devoted to the menace, complete with sound effects ("STOMP! CHOMP!"), and warnings that the entity will "make a meal out of you." A skeptical, pink-skinned child with pointy cat ears and a deerstalker cap investigates and makes a big discovery: there is, in fact, a Blue Bagoo--furry, hand-size, cute, and friendly--as well as a giant and equally neighborly Blue Bagee. The town proffers apologies to the monsters and their kin, and updates the song ("A friend to me and you!"). If the tale is woolly in its telling, straightforward messaging from Newsom (I Am a Tiger) proves both sincere and relevant: "Isn't it strange, how a rumor can grow/ out of fear for a thing that we don't really know?" Ages 4-6. (Feb.)

Copyright 2022 Publishers Weekly, LLC Used with permission.

Review quotes

A detective walks the streets of a seaside town in search of the truth about the infamous Blue Bagoo, a creature so big and scary that it can't possibly be made up. Whimsical with a twist that teaches readers the importance of not judging others. —The Bookseller
Karl Newson
Karl Newson is an up-and-coming children's book writer and illustrator from London. He grew up in Norfolk, and on rainy days he would stay indoors and draw until his pens ran out of color. He was inspired to write when his children were small, and he has been making up stories ever since. When Karl isn't writing, he enjoys watching science fiction films, reading adventure stories, and listening to music from the 1960s. He loves to gaze at the stars and wonder... and he always gets his best ideas just before bed. Karl is also the author of Here Comes the Sun, Little Gray's Birthday Surprise, Fum, and A Bear is a Bear.
Ross Collins was born in Glasgow, Scotland. Growing up, he was particularly fond of drawing and precariously swinging backward on chairs. He has illustrated over 100 books and has written several too, including This Zoo Is Not for You and What Does an Anteater Eat? Several of his books have been nominated for awards in the UK, including There's a Bear on My Chair, which was awarded the inaugural Amnesty International Honor. His book, The Elephantom, was adapted for the stage in London. He lives with a strange woman, a small boy, and a silly dog in Scotland.
Classification
Fiction
ISBN-13
9780711267848
Lexile Measure
-
Guided Reading Level
-
Publisher
Happy Yak
Publication date
February 20, 2023
Series
-
BISAC categories
JUV001000 - Juvenile Fiction | Action & Adventure
JUV039000 - Juvenile Fiction | Social Themes | General
JUV028000 - Juvenile Fiction | Mysteries, Espionage, & Detective Stories
Library of Congress categories
Picture books
Fear
Rumor

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