The True Blue Scouts of Sugar Man Swamp

&quot;Librarians often say that every book is not for every child, but <i>The True Blue Scouts of Sugar Man Swamp </i>is&quot; (<i>The New York Times</i>) . Meet Bingo and J'miah, raccoon brothers on a mission to save Sugar Man Swamp in this rollicking tale and National Book Award Finalist from Newbery Honoree Kathi Appelt.<br><br>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.<br> <br>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.<br> <br>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.<br> <br>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 ... <br> <br>Newbery Honoree and 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.