THE LOUDS MOVE IN!

A new family shatters the hushed tranquility on Earmuffle Avenue in this sonic counterpart to Sam Swope’s neglected classic The Araboolies of Liberty Street (1989). Cowering in their homes while the Louds crash about and bellow in CAPITAL LETTERS—“WILL SOMEONE PLEASE ANSWER THE PHONE? WHO TOOK THE REMOTE, FOR PETE’S SAKE? THE BABY’S EATING THE CAT’S FOOD. WAAAAH!”—neighbors Miss Shushermush, Mr. Pitterpatter and Miss Meekerton at last nerve themselves to lodge a complaint. But before they can, the Louds’ house goes suddenly silent. Dunnick adds hand-lettered sound effects to crank the volume of his cartoon scenes, all of which feature pop-eyed, open-mouthed figures set in a well-kept suburban cul-de-sac, up even further. The lifestyle conflict ends, as in Arthur Howard’s Hubbub Above (2005) and other takes on the premise, with reconciliation; the neighbors discover that they miss the noise, and so gladly join the returning Louds (who had been on a vacation) in a pizza party and a communal closing belch. A sound effort. (Picture book. 6-8)