The Swamps of Sleethe

             The Swamps of Sleethe is one of Jack Prelutsky’s most recent books. His many years of hard work show up in some of the most interesting and exciting and eerie verses he has ever written.

The illustrations, like this image of what might happen to a person on the planet Drifig Prime, are absolutely beautiful. But the story of Drifig Prime is not all fun! Imagine a place so cold that your eyeballs froze in your head! We often refer to Earth as the Blue Planet, but the blue of Drifig Prime is only pretty from far away.

But what about the forest of Fesstor, surely we all would like it there? Well, until the vines caught us by our hair! Fesstor is as lush and green as Drifig is icy and blue. But if you venture there, the final results the same for you!

And what about those swamps in Sleethe? Surely, there is something good there? But no, the swamps of Sleethe are deadly as they are unsightly, and the smell, well the smell is something one cannot describe politely.

“On Fabled Gazook” you will meet a grand cook, but to find out what happens then, you will have to read this book.

This is a scary and interesting look at other worlds in this imaginary universe.  Prelutsky takes us to dark places all the while having us think and learn about reading (unscrambling words).  It also has us look at our own world and how it can be scary, but hints that we need to change to save our planet. 
This book gives us an opportunity to promote literacy in an exciting way by engaging a child's imagination and use cross curriculum to further develop their minds.