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Review: The Inflatables in Bad Air Day

 


By Beth Garrod & Jess Hitchman
Illustrated by Chris Danger
Scholastic Inc., 2022. Intermediate. 120 pages. 

If you love a good pun, you need to read this book because it is full of so many good ones. This story follows a flock of inflatables at Have a Great Spray Water Park. The Flamingo inflatable is destined to be a star because they have S.T.A.R. written in sharpie on them (which is totally not their old owner's initials). When they learn that a new wave pool is opening up at the water park, they devise a plan to get flamingo in front of the cameras and press that will be at the grand opening. They come up with a plan that involves deflating, an ice cream truck, and avoiding cats with sharp claws perfect for popping inflatables. This books is absolutely hilarious. I love books that actually make me laugh out loud and this book did many times. This would be a great read for fans of The Bad Guys series.

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