ALA Booklist (Sat Feb 01 00:00:00 CST 2014)

The creators of Tacky the Penguin and Wodney Wat here introduce Angus, a young monster from Loch Ness. This wee laddie usually follows his parents' rules concerning polite behavior and staying underwater, but one day his messes get out of control. Sent to his room, he joyously wallows in debris until the pile on his bed becomes so tall it breaks the surface of the Loch, exposing him to some locals. Surprisingly, it is Angus who is most frightened: he quickly scampers down from his perch and begins sorting, shelving, and recycling his entire mountain of trash. Munsinger's ink-and-watercolor illustrations add to the story's deadpan humor, and although this is a message book, the lesson is delivered with such hilarity it never feels preachy. The use of Scottish terms and local color add to the fun: Angus drops puggy-nit (peanut) shells, eats tatties-in-a-can (potatoes), and is frightened by a Heeland coo (Highland cow) sporting a tam-o'-shanter. Pair with Mark Teague's Pigsty (1994) or Linnea Riley's Mouse Mess (1997).

Horn Book (Fri Aug 01 00:00:00 CDT 2014)

Legendary monster Nessie's son Angus is banished to his room for being messy. When his personal junk pile bursts through the surface of the loch, one look at "land-monsters"--a goat, duck, and cow--scares Angus into cleaning up and remaining in the lake's depths where he belongs. Munsinger's watercolors further the silly humor. A Scottish glossary is included.

School Library Journal (Sat Mar 01 00:00:00 CST 2014)

PreS-Gr 2 Three monsters live at the bottom of Loch Ness-Nessie; her husband; and the wee laddie, Angus. They all follow basic monster rules, which include picking up after themselves and never going to the surface of the loch. Little Angus loves to make a mess. His parents give him an ultimatum that if he does not clean up his room he will have to stay in it to keep everything from spreading. Undaunted, Angus continues to throw his things on his bedroom floor. Soon, he runs out of room and has to toss them on his bed. The pile soon becomes a mountain ("grottie laundry, puggy-nits,/spoon and skirpy cup"), and up it goes with Angus on it-until he is seen on the surface of the loch. Once curious bystanders see him, Sloppy Angus decides to clean up his act. Munsinger's watercolor illustrations are bursting with detail, energy, and wittiness, and the three animals that spot Angus and frighten him are quite funny. Youngsters will fall in love with Angus, and adults will appreciate the laugh-out-loud lesson Angus learns about the hazards of a messy bedroom. A glossary of Scottish terms "in order of appearance" is included at the front of the book. The amount of text and the pacing are ideal for storytime. Krista Welz, North Bergen High School, NJ