Young readers will likely enjoy this nostalgic monster mash.
A mad scientist and his minions seek superpowered children in this debut middle-grade novel.
This novel harkens back to a time when thrills and chills for youngsters meant man-made monsters, werewolves and their ilk—not Japanese robots, magical realms or deranged killers. As this story begins, something is going very wrong in the town of Autumn’s Hollow, Oregon. There are reports of a mysterious creature; something is leaving a faint green glow all over the place; and a local boarding school, Grimm Academy, is teeming with unusual students. Strange things are happening to seventh-grade friends Blaine, Dash and Shelley; for example, Dash is turning into a werewolf, and Blaine is becoming invisible. In addition, Grimm Academy’s creepy headmaster seems unusually interested in them. Meanwhile, a new student named Drake joins the group and soon shows that he’s also not what he seems. They soon fall into the headmaster’s evil clutches; will the kids escape, or are they doomed to spend their lives locked in a dungeon? The novel follows two main stories: One is set in modern times, and the other’s an origin story set decades ago. Overall, the book contains more references to classic horror films than you can shake a mad scientist’s beaker at; there are characters with last names like van Helsing and Harker, a mad scientist and his laboratory, and even an assistant named Igor who gets to say the immortal line, “Yes, Master,” as actor Dwight Frye did in the 1931 movie Dracula. Page is obviously a fan of this and other great Universal films of its era. The book is well-written and briskly paced; the author is clearly having fun, and the story reflects it. But as much as the novel is a throwback to yesterday, Page also adds contemporary touches, such as metallic creatures that use cutting-edge nanotechnology. The young characters also have snappy comebacks and contemporary humor that will make the story more relevant to today’s youth. The only disappointing thing is the ending, because it sets up an obligatory sequel—but even classic monsters must bow to today’s publishing realities.
Young readers will likely enjoy this nostalgic monster mash.Pub Date: Nov. 25, 2014
ISBN: 978-1785071515
Page Count: 296
Publisher: New Generation Publishing
Review Posted Online: Dec. 23, 2014
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Feb. 1, 2015
Review Program: Kirkus Indie
Broccoli: No way is James going to eat broccoli. “It’s disgusting,” says James. Well then, James, says his father, let’s consider the alternatives: some wormy dirt, perhaps, some stinky socks, some pre-chewed gum? James reconsiders the broccoli, but—milk? “Blech,” says James. Right, says his father, who needs strong bones? You’ll be great at hide-and-seek, though not so great at baseball and kickball and even tickling the dog’s belly. James takes a mouthful. So it goes through lumpy oatmeal, mushroom lasagna and slimy eggs, with James’ father parrying his son’s every picky thrust. And it is fun, because the father’s retorts are so outlandish: the lasagna-making troll in the basement who will be sent back to the rat circus, there to endure the rodent’s vicious bites; the uneaten oatmeal that will grow and grow and probably devour the dog that the boy won’t be able to tickle any longer since his bones are so rubbery. Schneider’s watercolors catch the mood of gentle ribbing, the looks of bewilderment and surrender and the deadpanned malarkey. It all makes James’ father’s last urging—“I was just going to say that you might like them if you tried them”—wholly fresh and unexpected advice. (Early reader. 5-9)
Pub Date: May 1, 2011
ISBN: 978-0-547-14956-1
Page Count: 48
Publisher: Clarion Books
Review Posted Online: April 4, 2011
Kirkus Reviews Issue: April 1, 2011
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
The seemingly ageless Seeger brings back his renowned giant for another go in a tuneful tale that, like the art, is a bit sketchy, but chockful of worthy messages. Faced with yearly floods and droughts since they’ve cut down all their trees, the townsfolk decide to build a dam—but the project is stymied by a boulder that is too huge to move. Call on Abiyoyo, suggests the granddaughter of the man with the magic wand, then just “Zoop Zoop” him away again. But the rock that Abiyoyo obligingly flings aside smashes the wand. How to avoid Abiyoyo’s destruction now? Sing the monster to sleep, then make it a peaceful, tree-planting member of the community, of course. Seeger sums it up in a postscript: “every community must learn to manage its giants.” Hays, who illustrated the original (1986), creates colorful, if unfinished-looking, scenes featuring a notably multicultural human cast and a towering Cubist fantasy of a giant. The song, based on a Xhosa lullaby, still has that hard-to-resist sing-along potential, and the themes of waging peace, collective action, and the benefits of sound ecological practices are presented in ways that children will both appreciate and enjoy. (Picture book. 5-9)
Pub Date: Oct. 1, 2001
ISBN: 0-689-83271-0
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Simon & Schuster
Review Posted Online: May 19, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Sept. 15, 2001
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