This book is nice for emerging or reluctant readers. They
can experience reading success by completing the short chapters, and the amusing
illustrations encourage engagement. The main characters are three monitor
lizards, and the principal assigns them jobs as the only school hall monitors.
The story includes funny puns like this, although the narrator tells readers it
shouldn’t be blamed for them. Many pages include footnotes where the narrator
explains things mentioned. Although it's already light-hearted, they often add more levity to the story.
Even though the plot tells an innocent story of good
friends, it still includes issues that might be found in typical classrooms.
The lizards have a conflict with a bully, although he happens to be the son of
the town’s arch villain and wants to follow in her footsteps. A new student
arrives, and she’s an exchange student from a fish school (no pun
intended). Alicia spends more time with the student, helping her adjust to the
change. Daniel is excited that his new, pink (salmon-colored?) hat is noticed by other classmates. As a result, Zeke feels left out and a little jealous of the attention his friends are receiving. This makes Zeke feel
angry, but he doesn’t know how to deal with it appropriately. Another friend, a
blind falcon, has trouble handling his feelings of anxiety.
What didn’t work as well:
The country of France is on Zeke’s knee, which is pretty strange. It’s
not a tattoo but the actual country. France acts like another character, but it
doesn’t add much to the plot.
The final verdict:
The book presents an unusual story of friendship, anxiety, and
anger. Young readers can learn a little about these topics from the characters' successes and mistakes. The book won’t appeal to
everyone, but you should give it a chance.
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