Boo-tique: The Monstore by Tara Lazar

AT THE BACK OF FRANKENSWEET'S CANDY SHOPPE, UNDER THE LAST BOX OF SOUR GUMBALLS, THERE'S A TRAPDOOR.

KNOCK FIVE TIMES, HAND OVER A BAG OF SQUIRMY WORMS, AND YOU CAN CRAWL INSIDE... THE MONSTORE.

Who could resist that invitation?

And Zack has a compelling reason to patronize the subterranean Monstore--his much-dreaded little sister, Gracie, The Room Invader. Since KEEP OUT signs have no effect on Gracie, who rambles and rummages through his bedroom daily, Zack figures a monstrous scary critter might do the trick, especially when he reads the ad which points out that their monsters can be useful in lying in wait under the kitchen table to make whatever horrible crab-leg casserole Mom delivers disappear!

Enter Manfred the Monster. He  looks scary and his casserole-scarfing skills are impeccable.

But Manfred is easily manipulated by the nefarious Gracie, even showing her Zack's favorite hiding places, from which the two of them soon conspire to scare Zack instead.

Since the Monstore has a NO RETURN NO EXCHANGE policy, the only thing the proprietors can offer is to sell Zack yet another monster, Mookie, who might intimidate the gutsy Gracie. Reluctantly, Zack forks over more money in hopes that this extra monster will make Gracie run screaming from his room. No luck.

Zack soon finds himself with a menagerie of monsters, all of them partying down with Gracie at the surprise birthday bash they cater for her. Is there nothing that this pesty little sister fears?

Well, there is one thing that strikes terror in Gracie's monster-proof heart, in Tara Lazar's look at siblingitis,  The Monstore (Aladdin, 2013), illustrated in jaunty cartoon style by James Burks. Older brothers and reputedly bothersome little sisters will both get their revenge in this silly monster tale for the scary season. Publishers Weekly says, " Zack gets a chance to prove himself as a capable older brother, but this story really belongs to Gracie."