Ants in Our P.A.N.T.S

Gr 2-4–In this latest installment about the InvestiGators (a pair of alligators who fight crime), Mango has continuing guilt over what happened to his wounded partner, Brash (who’s now in a coma), to the point that it haunts his dreams. He and his team of crime fighters are prepared to go undercover if a supervillain team ever takes shape. At the same time, teammate Cilantro, a chameleon, visits an evil base out of curiosity and discovers the space-themed villain Maestronaut and bothersome ants. Some of the characters are animals, while a racially diverse cast of humans also fill heroic roles. A villain team-up, mega-size ants, and an uncannily mature dream sequence are all major developments. Exuberant, bright art will grab readers’ attention. Dialogue is frequently bolded or italicized for emphasis, and sound effects are rendered in colorful, stylized fonts. Previous books in the series make cameos as in-story reference material, underscoring how necessary they are to making sense of the significant story beats in this book.