Russell is in middle school, his only friends are Charlotte and Preston. Russell is not your normal middle school kid; you see he has plants growing out of his body. Russell’s parents found him near a swamp when he was just a baby. They tried to find his real parents, but when they couldn’t they decide they would raise him.
Now Russell is noticing some strange things are happening to his body. He will go into a daze and the next thing you know he has done something strange. One day in gym class he is set to run against one of the best in the school. As they line up to start, Russell goes into one of his dazes, and the next thing he knows he has beaten him.
Now Russell really wants to find out where he came from. So he waits until his parents are asleep and he goes down to the swamp. Russell comes across the swamp monster who tells him his time will come and he should leave. Russell also picks a frog that also has a plant growing out of him.
Will Russell ever find out what has made him into what he is now? Maybe someday his time will come.
Kirk Scroggs writes a great graphic novel for kids. However, I also enjoyed this book. I found myself pulling for Russell to find out what he is looking for. I have to say the illustration in this book are fantastic. I gave this to my nephew who is ten. I know he will enjoy it as much as I did. So parents, if your child loves to read this book they will love it.
Okay, if you are still with us, here is what we can
share: Russell is a middle schooler; he excessively
doodles in his spiral notebook; he has two best friends,
Charlotte and Preston; he is not-so-great at sports; and
he is pond scum. Nicknamed "Swamp Kid" by his classmates,
Russell has algae for hair, a tree trunk of a right arm,
webbed toes, and a parsnip for a thumb. Also, Russell's
favorite meal is sunlight. Also, a frog lives in his arm.
In this notebook, Russell details, in both hilarious text
and green-tinted illustrations (complete with ketchup
stains!), what it's like to be different, to be
comfortable in his own skin (no matter how slimy), to
discover his true talents, to avoid the intense stare of
Mr. Finneca (his suspicious science teacher), and to find
humor in the everyday weird.
This is The Secret Spiral of Swamp Kid by writer and
illustrator Kirk Scroggs, and you'll never look at the
bayou the same way again.
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