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.

A decent spooky read for kids. Sort of in between Goosebumps and Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark in terms of fear factor. While there are some silly moments, there's definitely enough horror to balance it out. Adult can probably guess the twists from a mile away, but hopefully younger readers can be more surprised.