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About The Book

The Junior Monster Scouts take out the trash when a new villain comes to town in the hilarious fifth chapter book of the Junior Monster Scouts series!

The Junior Monster Scouts have a new grump in town to contend with: Baroness Von Grumpier! A cousin of Baron Von Grump, she’s even grumpier, and even more diabolical! And her sidekick is a toad…a very warty, always frowning, not-ever-happy toad. Baroness Von Grumpier has come to visit while her cousin goes on vacation. She wants to tidy up his windmill, but when she takes out all of his garbage and dumps in into one big, stinking trash heap, it comes alive! Can the little monsters save the townspeople from the ruthless rubbish?

Excerpt

Chapter 1 CHAPTER 1
BARON VON GRUMP STARED AT the letter in his hand.

“This can’t be right,” he said. “This can’t be right at all.”

“Caw?” asked Edgar, his pet crow.

“Yes, here!” said Baron Von Grump. “To this very place. To our windmill!”

“Caw?”

“When?” said Baron Von Grump. “Why, I haven’t the slightest idea. She could show up at any moment. She could be almost here. She could be passing through the village at this very second!”

“Caw!” said Edgar. He flew to the windowsill and peered out over the village.

Baron Von Grump stared at the letter again.

“An extended stay,” he moaned. “To visit the countryside.”

He collapsed into his favorite chair and groaned.

“Caw?” asked Edgar.

“That’s it!” said Baron Von Grump, jumping out of his seat. “That’s exactly it, Edgar! We’ll pack up and leave. We’ll hang a sign on the door that says, ‘Not home, gone away.’ Why, she’ll have no choice but to turn around and go right back to her noisy, busy, hustle-and-bustle city. Hurry, Edgar, we must be quick. There’s no telling when she might—”

Three loud knocks at his front door interrupted him.



“Arrive,” grumbled Baron Von Grump, falling back into his chair.

But wait, what about the Junior Monster Scouts? Where are they? Why are we reading about Baron Von Grump? This book series isn’t called the Baron Von Grump series, is it? No, of course not! It’s called the Junior Monster Scouts series, and that’s who we really want to read about. What’s that? You want to know who is knocking at Baron Von Grump’s door? All in due time, but first let’s see what our favorite Junior Monster Scouts are up to on this nice sunny day.

“Okay, Little Junior Monster Scouts,” said Vampyra, “let’s try the scout oath.”

“Repeat after us,” said Franky.

“After us,” said Wolfy’s little sister Fern and the rest of the cubs.



“No, repeat what we say,” Wolfy said.

“What we say,” said Fern and the cubs.

“No, repeat the oath,” said Vampyra.

Fern scratched her head.

“But we don’t know it,” she said.

Wolfy rolled his eyes.

“That’s what we’re trying to teach you,” he said.

“This is very confusing,” said Fern.

As you can see, Vampyra, Franky, and Wolfy were trying very hard to teach the newly created Little Junior Monster Scouts the scout oath. Perhaps you and I could recite it together? After all, by reading these books, you are an honorary scout. Yes, of course you are! It doesn’t matter if you don’t have fur, or claws, or pointy teeth. What matters is that you are kind, and helpful, and follow all the other Scout Laws that are at the back of this book. But first, let’s start with the oath. Ready? Okay, repeat after me:

I promise to be nice, not scary. To help, not harm. To always try to do my best. I am a monster, but I am not mean. I am a Junior Monster Scout!

About The Author

Joe McGee loves to write about monsters and magic and other strange, curious, and quirky things. He grew up with his nose in a book and his imagination exploring other worlds. He knew when he was ten years old that one day he would grow up to be an author! He has an MFA in writing for children and young adults from the Vermont College of Fine Arts and an MFA in writing from Rowan University. Joe teaches at Sierra Nevada University’s low-residency MFA program and English at Eastern West Virginia Community and Technical College. He is a former Army officer and lives in the mountains of West Virginia with his wife (also a children’s author), Jessica Rinker. 

About The Illustrator

© Ethan Long

Ethan Long is the acclaimed author and illustrator of many books for children, among them the Theodor Seuss Geisel Award winner Up, Tall, and High. He is also the creator of the animated, Emmy Award–nominated series Tasty Time with ZeFronk, which aired on Disney Junior.

Product Details

  • Publisher: Aladdin (July 20, 2022)
  • Length: 128 pages
  • ISBN13: 9781534487420
  • Ages: 7 - 10

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