Book Review of Night Buddies and Evil School Bus #264
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The Children’s Book Review
Night Buddies and Evil School Bus #264
Written by Sands Hetherington
Illustrated by Natalie Leininger
Ages: 7-12 | 156 Pages
Publisher: Dune Buggy Press (2023) | ISBN-13: 978-0-9847417-6-2
What to Expect: Adventure, imagination, good and evil, friendship, and problem-solving.
Book number 4 in the Night Buddies series delivers all the goofy, surreal, action-packed adventure that fans of the series will recognize from the first three installments.
John and Crosley are all set for yet another Program—because the Iguana Gang is back, and they have a seriously evil plan this time. With the school bus, which they’ve fitted up to fly and fire stink bombs and green paint, they’re roaming the borough, collecting roadkill for guandoo puddin’ and attacking anyone and anything to do with pineapple cheesecakes. It’s up to John and Crosley to work out how to stop them. But how do you stop a speeding, flying, stink-shooting school bus? And more importantly, can they work out the answer before the Iguanas hit John’s house and put the cap on his parents’ patience?
While the cast of characters is wacky, ranging from red crocodiles to cheesecake-making giantesses, John himself is a relatable hero with a fondness for back-talk and a healthy appreciation for trouble. The dialogue is written in quirky phonetic language that is fun to decipher and refreshingly incorrect, building readers’ literacy skills while they enjoy the ride of the story. Bright watercolor and digital artwork add to the dreamlike atmosphere, juxtaposing lifelike details (like Fat Rodney’s green crocs) with orange blimps and t-shirted iguanas.
Night Buddies and Evil School Bus #264 is an entertaining, fast-paced read, great for middle-grade readers with a taste for outside-the-box adventure.
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About the Author
Sands Hetherington, creator of the Night Buddies series of chapter books, credits his son John for being his principal motivator. Sands and young John developed the Crosley crocodile character in the series during months of bedtime story give-and-take. They collaborated many nights on escapades starring John and Crosley until, eventually, it occurred to Sands why it was that Crosley was bright red. That was when the first book came together.
Sands majored in history at the University of North Carolina (Chapel Hill) and has an M.F.A. in creative writing and an M.A. in English from UNC-Greensboro. He lives in Greensboro, North Carolina.
For more information, visit www.nightbuddiesadventures.com/
About the Illustrator
Natalie Leininger, illustrator of the 4th title in the Night Buddies series, grew up in New Jersey and has been drawing ever since she was young. She now lives in Nebraska and attends the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, studying the fine arts. She is in her third year at the university, primarily practicing oil painting, but spends time outside of the classroom working on a variety of projects. She has always enjoyed being with children, which made illustrating and working on Night Buddies such an enjoyable project!
Natalie strives to capture our world in bloom. Whether it be through the literal sense of a blooming flower or the simple act of sketching a character’s smile spreading across their face, her art is a place for all to engage in their own way.
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