Bently, Peter. Pantemonium! Becka Moor, Illustrator. Andersen, 04/2022. [24]pp. Picture Book. GRADES Preschool – 1. ADDITIONAL. Trade $17.99. 978-1-72844-973-9.
Fred the Giant heads out to go fishing, traipsing through town on his way to the ocean. Unbeknownst to him, a pair of his pantaloon underwear becomes hooked to his rod and starts capturing things all along his route. The pantaloons somehow manage to swallow up people, zoo animals, a firetruck, and even a train without the giant realizing what’s wrong – only that his rod’s gotten heavier. Everything mysteriously escapes just as Fred reaches the ocean, where it all begins again, this time with a whale. Moor’s pencil-lined digital illustrations show the surprised looks on the capturees, but lack any apparent negative reaction by the swallowed people
or animals. Good for those looking for a simple laugh, though difficult to explain much of why or how it all happened.
Joshua Rees, Daly City Public Library