A HOME FOR UNUSUAL MONSTERS

Raised by Kairos—an agency that investigates “strange phenomena and creatures”—a supernaturally gifted girl embarks on her first solo mission.

Twelve-year-old orphan Samantha Osborne, who can make people see her as someone else, yearns to prove her worth to Kairos. Assigned to retrieve a list of monsters who are masquerading as humans that was compiled by a deceased agent, “Sunny” moves in with the Griffin family, posing as a visiting cousin. After younger Griffin son Graeme discovers her deception, she joins forces with him and her old friend Hector, who can travel to the land of lost things. As they follow the agent’s enigmatic clues to the list, Sam also starts to investigate the unsettling Draven family, the Griffins’ new neighbors. She knows they’re hiding something. Though Kairos orders her to desist, Sam’s loyalty to the agency is wavering. Do they really avoid hurting monsters who pose no threat? And what role has Kairos played in her own history? Returning fans will welcome this sequel, focused on the adventurous Sam, and they’ll appreciate Hector’s return as well. Despite the book’s large cast, its characters, mostly cued white, are distinct and interesting. Though the story unfolds at a leisurely pace, the worldbuilding is creative and detailed, and the various mysteries will keep pages turning. Interspersed throughout the story are delightful Field Guide entries on various types of monsters, Santa Claus among them.

This creative sequel explores questions of trust, betrayal, ethics, loss, and the meaning of family.