Trials of the Trash by Tyler Whitesides

Trials of the Trash
Series: Janitors School of Garbage #2
Author: Tyler Whitesides
Genres: Middle Grade Fantasy
Pages: 304
Published: September 3, 2024
Publisher: Shadow Mountain
Source: Author/Publisher

Three young garbologists must defend the world from new magical trash creations.

Landon Murphy never imagined he would spend his summer battling the animated trash monster known as the Megalajunk, and he is eager to continue studying from the wizard-like janitors at the School of Garbage. He’ll need to improve his skills with magical pushbrooms and plungers now that the Thingamajunks have gone rogue.

When two Thingamajunks show up at Landon’s mother’s wedding, Landon is desperate to save his family. Using the lock he kept after defeating the Megalajunk, Landon accidentally triggers his own temporary transformation into the trash leviathan.

Now, he and his stepsister, Jade Shu, must team up again with Sabra, Dr. Bernard Weizmann, and Daisy Gates to figure out why the Thingamajunks are popping up to ruin parties, weddings, concerts, and other celebrations. Landon suspects the Locksmith is behind the attacks, but information about the mysterious figure is scarce.

The questions continue to pile up, but one thing is certain: War is coming to the landfill, and Landon, Jade, and Sabra will need all their courage, creativity, and focus to lay a trap for the Thingamajunks—before it’s too late.

Trash Transformers for Middle-grade Readers

Landon, Jade, and Sabra, along with their magical pets and teachers must work together to fight the Megalajunk and Thingamajunks—evil beings made out of trash and junk from the landfill.

The story is funny, the thingamajunks are fantastically unique, and the ending is a surprise.

(Okay, really. Got a 10 or 11 year old who likes Transformers? This tells you all you need to know about the book.)

There’s some fantasy violence as the kids fight the monsters with brooms and plungers, among other janitorial tools. But it’s going to really take some extra creativity and imagination to win the day.

This is book 2 in a series. I suggest reading Janitors School of Garbage first.

What did I think?

A good solid story for kids, with themes on courage, friendship, and creativity. Fun writing, great characters, and lots of creative twists and turns. With creatures like Megalajunk and Thingamajunks, it will be a hit.

I recommend it to advanced readers as young as 8, up to about 12 or so. Older if they are Transformer fans. It might appeal more to boys, but Jade, his sister, is a strong girl who fights right along with Landon.

I give it 4.5 STARS.

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