ESCAPE FROM THE DUNGEONS OF SNERBVILLE

A boy who is prepared for anything, a doll-size girl, and a scientist save the world from an experiment gone wrong.

After a thorough-enough recap for brand-new series readers, the 40-foot chicken that Barker McMifflin rode into a giant hole in the ground leads him to another encounter with the disgustingly troublesome creatures from Jenny’s armpit known as Snerbs. Still determined to get to the bottom of the strangeness clearly connected to the scientific research facility in their town, Barker takes off into Snerbville, an underground network of tunnels full of secrets and hungry Snerbs. Lucky for him, nine-inch-tall Tilda Huxley, daughter of the founder of Colossal Chemistry, is right behind him, her quest to un-shrink herself having turned into a rescue mission. Unfortunately for them all, blundering scientist Maverick McFadden’s ineptitude has allowed the Snerbs to run rampant, and the kids, along with Dr. Vernsy von Vexler, must save the earth from being consumed entirely. Some readers may find the shifting perspectives among series hero Barker, Tilda, and Dr. Vexler challenging, though chapter titles add context to assist in determining narrator shifts. There is no shortage of witty repartee or inventive descriptions; it’s perhaps the silliest and most entertaining series entry yet. Illustrations show Barker with brown skin, while Tilda describes herself as a “mix of [B]lack, brown, and white,” and Dr. Vexler presents as white.

Ridiculous and hilarious.