Attack of the Fluffy Bunnies

by Andrea Beaty, Dan Santat

Overview

When Joules and Kevin Rockman’s parents drop them off at Camp Whatsitooya on their way to an International Spamathon, the twins expect a summer of marshmallows, campfires, and canoe trips. What they do not expect is to defend the earth from an invasion of sugar-addicted, murderous, seven-foot-tall rabbits from another galaxy. Happily, the Rockman twins, veteran watchers of the Late, Late, Late Creepy Show for Insomniacs, are unusually well-prepared for dealing with monstrous beings from outer space. If only their fellow campers were so lucky.
Andrea Beaty, author of several very funny picture books and a mysterious novel, here reaches new heights of hilarity and verbal dexterity in a novel sure to become a camp—ba-dum-dum—classic.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781613120057
Publisher:	ABRAMS
Publication date:	12/31/2010
Series:	Essex Sisters #02 , #1
Sold by:	Barnes & Noble
Format:	eBook
Sales rank:	252,213
File size:	8 MB
Age Range:	8 - 12 Years

About the Author

Andrea Beaty is the author of Iggy Peck, Architect, Rosie Revere, Engineer, and Ada Twist, Scientist, among other children’s titles. She lives just outside Chicago.

Editorial Reviews

In this screwy, nonsensical thriller, 11-year-old twins Joules and Kevin are unwillingly deposited at Camp Whats-itooya, an unusual summer camp that is about to be attacked by giant alien bunnies (aka “Fluffs”). Led by a naturephobic scientist, a down-on-his-luck surfer, and a beehive-haired lady with a craft fetish, the twins are joined by three giggling look-alike campers dubbed “SmellyCat” (for Sam, Ellie, and Cat), and Nelson, who exuberantly promotes the virtues of the Plumbing Channel. As the bunny threat grows, Nelson and the twins hatch a plan involving Spam (the edible kind) and freeze-dried ice cream to thwart them from taking over the camp and the world. Interspersed with parenthetical asides, directives to the reader (“Those of you who avoided reading Table 1 probably ought to be brave and read this one.... Go ahead. We’ll amuse ourselves by singing while you read. La la la la la...”), and Santat’s (Chicken Dance) kinetic comic book-style panel art, Beaty’s (Cicada Summer) storytelling is lighthearted and fast-paced. Though the story may not linger much past the last page, her unconventional and entertaining narrative make it a wholly fun read. Ages 8-12. (May)

Publishers Weekly

Twins Kevin and Joules Rockman come to Camp Whatsitooya armed for more than just an average summer camp experience. These young heroes use their curiosity and a lot of nerve, along with their knowledge of human nature, scary movies, and canned meat, to bravely face the fearsome Fluffs. Despite their gentle names, these giant and very hungry space invaders mean business, and world domination is at the top of their priority list. When the adult camp counselors start to disappear, it's up to the kids to save the world from giant rabbit fangs, fiery burps . . . and mind-numbing middle school musical movies. Santat's amusing and descriptive illustrations (sometimes in comic book format) tell a good portion of this tale. Although intended (and appropriate) for ages 8—12, Beaty's witty sarcasm, delivered in the form of an unseen narrator, provides a quick and very enjoyable read for an older audience as well. Reviewer: Julee Phillips

Julee Phillips

"Camp Whatsitooya, nestled on the aromatic shores of Lake Whatsosmelly..." Even the description does not make it sound like a place you would want to spend a week while your parents were competing in a Spam Dessert contest. Twins Joules and Kevin watch their parents waving cheerily while driving away after having dropped them off (literally) at the gate to their summer camp. As if the prospect of a week at camp on a stinky lake shore was not bad enough, unbeknownst to Joules and Kevin, the planet Earth is about to be invaded by giant evil rabbits from outer space. The rabbits have had to evacuate their own planet and have used an abandoned spaceship with a pre-programmed destination of Earth. The rabbits have an unnatural fondness for sugar, which turns them into evil monsters. When Camp Whatsitooya's supply of marshmallows starts to disappear along with some of the campers and counselors, the twins know they are in danger. As veteran viewers of the Late Late Late Creepy Show for Insomniacs, though, they know a thing or two about fighting aliens. Middle school readers will love the puns and ridiculous situations in this hilarious book. Reviewer: Ellen Welty

Children's Literature - Ellen Welty

Gr 3–5—Far, far away in the Starburst galaxy ("just beyond the Milky Way but not as far as the Peanut Cluster"), a flaming meteor smashes the marshmallow Planet of the Fluffs into sticky goo. Faced with planetary meltdown, Fierce, Large, Ugly, and Ferocious Furballs hop a salvaged rocket ship and head for Earth, seeking a fresh source of sugary energy. Meanwhile, Earth twins Joules and Kevin arrive at Camp Whatsitooya. The boys are horror-film fans, and they quickly find that the camp has all the hallmarks of a fright-night flick. There are odd noises and unearthly creatures—and a smashed spaceship out in the woods. Even worse, the counselors all seem to be turning into zombies. The kids discover that the Fluffs have taken over and plan to reduce the campers' brains to quivering sweet mush—perfect food for the invaders. Can Joules and Kevin find a way to defeat the killer space bunnies or will the fuzzy fiends get them first? The off-the-wall plot bounces from crisis to crisis as the twins use their movie expertise to predict the next emergency. The rather acerbic narrator frequently "breaks page" to address readers with asides, directions, and even mock commercials. Black-and-white cartoons—some in multipanel-comic form—and a lot of in-text graphic sound words add to the wacky fun. Similar in tone to Jon Sciezka's "Time Warp Trio" series (Viking), but for a slightly older audience, this title should have special appeal to reluctant readers, especially boys.—Elaine E. Knight, Lincoln Elementary Schools, IL

School Library Journal

Twins Kevin and Joules Rockman are happy they're spending a week at Camp Whatsitooya on the shores of Lake Whatsosmelly, because it means they don't have to accompany their parents to the International SPAMathon. Their parents would (and do) put the barely edible meat-like substance in everything. The camp's pretty lame, but craft-crazed Ms. Jones, her two batty counselors and a passel of oddball campers become the least of the twins' worries when people start vanishing and brain-controlling monster-bunnies attack. Thank goodness Kevin's studied survival tactics in awful horror movies and Joules is proficient with pointed sticks. With the help of clueless Nelson and a secret ingredient you can probably guess, the Rockman twins attempt to save the world from slavering, fanged, man- (and candy-) eating fluffy bunnies. Beaty's tale of high silliness is sure to please, and it's dotted with Santat's mini-comics and spot illustrations, which move the story along. If at times the reach for a larff is a bit of a stretch, it's all in fun. The hint at a possible sequel will have humorous-adventure lovers asking. (Adventure. 7-10)

Kirkus Reviews