Kelli and Shawn Anderson are not excited about having to move to another state, especially when their new home is right next to a giant swamp. And to make matters worse, it's supposed to be home to the monstrous Shaggedy... a creature that can be summoned by a special ritual. Kelli's determined to go back home and wants to use the Shaggedy to make her father realize this place is too dangerous, but she soon gets in over her head.
This book provides examples of:
- Behemoth Battle: The Shaggedy gets into a fight with another monster that the kids summoned.
- Dads Can't Cook: After the divorce, the kids' father has to force himself to learn to cook but isn't very good at it. Kelli has to make dinner a lot of the time.
- Disney Death: There's a moment where it seems like The Shaggedy died in a fight, but it turns out to be fine.
- Fake-Out Opening: The opening scene features two teens being attacked by a swamp monster. This turns out just be a movie Kelli was showing to Shawn.
- Footprints of Muck: At one point they discover that something had gotten into their house, and it gives big dirty footprints. It turns out to be Kelli pulling a prank though.
- The Hermit: The kids meet one out in the swamp, who claims to be a former ranger named Saul. The animal skulls he keeps makes them suspicious though. He turns out to be helpful, but also an undercover cop.
- I Just Want to Be Normal: It turns out The Shaggedy is actually two people, Zeke and Decker. They just want to have a normal life but they are forced to go back to the swamp in the end.
- Involuntary Shapeshifting: Zeke and Decker are forced to turn into the Shaggedy if it is summoned.
- Non-Malicious Monster: The Shaggedy, which only attacks those who threaten it.
- Swamps Are Evil: The book features one that has a monster that becomes your slave when summoned, and has another, more dangerous but similar looking monster.
- Summoning Ritual: The Shaggedy is summoned by smearing the blood of a dead animal on a piece of paper 50 times, and then saying "Here Comes The Shaggedy" 10 times.
- Undercover Cop Reveal: Saul, a supposed Swamp Hermit, turns out to be an FBI agent who has come to investigate the eponymous monster.
