Young raccoon brothers Bingo and J'Miah, are scouts in the bayou's Sugar Man Swamp, where they monitor the Voice of Intelligence in the rusted-out DeSoto in which they live (lightning occasionally charges the car's radio). If there's a threat, they're to awaken the Sugar Man, a Sasquatch-like creature who's been sleeping for sixty years. Twelve-year-old Chap Brayburn wonders how he's going to come up with the money Sonny Boy Beaucoup is demanding for Chap and his mom to stay in their home. Sonny Boy, meanwhile, is joining forces with North American gator-wrestling champ Jaeger Stitch to start a "Gator World Wrestling Arena and Theme Park." Dreaming of fortune, Sonny Boy has decided to disregard the blood oath his ancestor swore to protect the swamp or face the wrath of the Sugar Man. Chap wishes he could show people how special the swamp is. He could if he had the photo his late grandpa, Audie, took of an ivory-billed woodpecker back in 1949, but it was lost along with Audie's prized DeSoto during a terrible flood years before. There's little doubt all will end well in Kathi Appelt's delightful novel that moves back and forth among these and other interconnected stories. But rich writing steeped in the oral tradition and unexpected twists and turns make the journey a pleasure. Expressive language, a deeply rooted sense of place, and distinct and memorable characters are all part of the magic in a novel full of humor that speaks to the power of legend, and to the possibilities when good hearts prove strongest. (Ages 8-11)

Meet Bingo and J’miah, raccoon brothers on a mission to save Sugar Man Swamp in this National Book Award finalist from Newbery Honoree Kathi Appelt.

Raccoon brothers Bingo and J’miah are the newest recruits of the Official Sugar Man Swamp Scouts. The opportunity to serve the Sugar Man—the massive creature who delights in delicious sugar cane and magnanimously rules over the swamp—is an honor, and also a big responsibility, since the rest of the swamp critters rely heavily on the intel of these hardworking Scouts.

Twelve-year-old Chap Brayburn is not a member of any such organization. But he loves the swamp something fierce, and he’ll do anything to help protect it.

And help is surely needed, because world-class alligator wrestler Jaeger Stitch wants to turn Sugar Man swamp into an Alligator World Wrestling Arena and Theme Park, and the troubles don’t end there. There is also a gang of wild feral hogs on the march, headed straight toward them all.

The Scouts are ready. All they have to do is wake up the Sugar Man. Problem is, no one’s been able to wake that fellow up in a decade or four…

Newbery Honoree and National Book Award finalist Kathi Appelt’s story of care and conservation has received five starred reviews, was selected as a National Book Award finalist, and is funny as all get out and ripe for reading aloud.