SHOCK CITY

A human boy and a monster girl form an unlikely duo to save their city.

Green-skinned, purple-eyed Sunny Von Shock is thrilled to have a visitor, even if anxious Milo, who has light brown skin and wavy black hair, only rang her doorbell on a dare from classmates. The lonely monster immediately embraces Milo as a friend and is devastated when he announces a few weeks later that his family is leaving Shock City; his parents believe it has a lot of “not fixable” problems. Hilariously upbeat Sunny, who loves to tinker with machines, is determined that she and Milo actually can fix everything, so Milo can stay and (crucially) come to her birthday party. As they work to rid the city of threats such as Frost Clowns, radioactive gas leaks, and undead children, Milo tries to explain to Sunny precisely why Shock City is in such a poor state. When he finally reveals that her late grandfather, Great Darkness Von Shock, wasn’t “the greatest science wizard of all time” as she believes, but rather, a corrupt and “famously evil” tyrant, Sunny is determined to set things right and make humans change their minds about her family. Milo must brave his greatest fears to help the one friend who unconditionally embraces him. The vibrant colors and varied panels elevate the fast-paced reading experience. Against a backdrop of imaginative thrills and chills, Alexovich explores themes of friendship and perseverance in genuinely touching ways.

A heartwarming and nail-biting adventure.