Reviewed by Dannielle Viera
When Sadie’s mum and dad take her and Charlie, her brother, to a cabin in the middle of a swamp, she thinks that it’s the worst place in the world to have a holiday. But there is more to this creepy quagmire than stink and slime. She meets Newt, a boy whose family is also staying at the swamp, and they soon discover that there’s something sinister going on below the muddy water … and their parents are in on the sickening secret.
Fionna Cosgrove’s middle-grade mystery dives deeper and deeper into the murk with every turn of the page. Kids aged eight to eleven who adore mild horror stories will love this book. The dark themes are tempered beautifully by comedic comments during Sadie’s first-person telling of the tale, and the twist at the end will surprise and delight readers.
Fionna keeps her readers hooked with action centred on strong child protagonists and shadowy adults. Sadie shows that bravery and loyalty are admirable attributes, and kids will become invested in her super sleuthing. Meanwhile, Newt, a science fanatic, proves that knowing about the natural world is not geeky—it can actually save your life. The Professor owns the swamp and is a menacing figure throughout the story … but looks can be deceiving.
Sadie and the
Secret of the Swamp is a real scream! Not too scary and not too silly,
it skids from one mucky misadventure to another on the way to the marvellously monstrous
reveal.
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