This was a really great kid's adventure story. The characters were all interesting and the dilemmas actually had some weight to them. Some aspects are predictable, but not very many. The end was a slight surprise, going more for an open ending rather than spelling it all out. I really appreciate that in books for a younger audience.

I think I could have used more of Munch, the magical alligator, but maybe that's because I was really digging the magical side of this story.

My only gripe is that I wish I read this book in the summer instead of in the dead of winter. It has a really great summer vibe that reminds me of a few books I read when I was a kid.