The Big Hairy Secret (Furry and Flo)

Flo Gardner isn't exactly thrilled when she and her mom move into Corman Towers, a giant apartment building in the middle of the city. To call their new home strange is an understatement. And things only get weirder when she meets Ferdinand, better known as Furry. It doesn't take Flo long to realize that there's more than one secret lurking in her new home.

From Publishers Weekly

Fourth grader Flo and her mother have moved a lot since her father died, but never somewhere as creepy as Corman Towers. The apartment building is dingy, Flo's Popsicles get stolen out of the grocery bag, and the boy running around in his underwear as they move in does nothing to boost Flo's confidence. But "underwear kid" turns out to be nice-nicknamed Furry, he's a werewolf, and he's also the one who stole her Popsicles (werewolves get hungry). Furry shows Flo a strange, glowing crack in the basement that the former maintenance man, Mr. Rockwell, tells them leads to another world. Flo and Furry see this firsthand when a giant spider arrives, laying eggs all over the building. Flo's smart thinking saves the day, but the crack can never be fully sealed, laying groundwork for future books in the Furry and Flo series. Flo is a cool and collected narrator while Furry makes an endearingly rattled sidekick. Gilpin's dynamic cartoons, a mix of spot and full-page art, help bring the story's creepy comedy to life. Simultaneously available: The Trouble with Goblins. Ages 7-8.

From School Library Journal

Gr 3-4-Flo Gardener is tired of moving from place to place with her mom and she is especially unhappy about their newest home at Corman Towers. The building is full of spiders; an odd light shines through the floor; and her new neighbor, Furry, seems especially unusual. Will Flo be able to cope with her latest situation and possibly even befriend Furry or is she destined to be lonely and miserable? This is an odd chapter book with too much going on. At first it seems as though it is going to tackle emotional issues regarding the death of Flo's father, her relationship with her mother, and the constant upheaval in her life, but the story quickly veers in a different direction that randomly involves werewolves and spiders and the hint of something otherworldly at Corman Towers. This bizarre tale will appeal to a very limited audience.-Elizabeth Swistock, Orange County Public Library, VAα(c) Copyright 2013. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.

About the Author

Thomas Kingsley Troupe has written more than 30 children's books. His book 'Legend of the Werewolf '(Picture Window Books, 2011) received a bronze medal for the Moonbeam Children's Book Award. Thomas lives in Woodbury, Minnesota with his wife and two young boys. His fascination with planets, stars, and the many mysteries the universe holds began at age four. That's when he saw the original Star Wars in the movie theater with his dad. Whenever Thomas is out in the country, he can't help but stare up in amazement at the beautiful starry sky.

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