THE CASE OF THE MISSING SPOT

Meet Nancy Spector, a feisty, accomplished detective.

Big-eyed, violet-haired, tan-skinned Nancy and her opinionated talking dog, Jinx, have a new client: an invisible professor who has lost his invisible pooch, Spot. The pair search the Professor’s house and lab, as well as Spot’s amazingly well-equipped invisible doghouse. This graphic novel moves briskly, with surprising twists and turns, including an underground encounter with “adorable creatures of death,” in one of many original settings. Pham’s manga-esque illustrations artfully bring to life Nancy’s supernatural-infused world: a two-headed pterosaurlike creature, a young vampire’s spooky mansion, a diner where monsters nosh on eyeballs and fish heads, and a cemetery where Nancy visits her late parents. When Nancy becomes discouraged after a trap baited with a hot dog catches her monster friend Fred instead of Spot, her parents find a subtle way to show their support as flowers spontaneously blossom on their graves. Nancy is a complex character, direct and sure of herself but humanized by moments of doubt. Ultimately, her self-confidence returns, resulting in a happy conclusion, not to mention a brand-new evil nemesis. Readers of this clever take on the mystery genre will be eager for repeat readings and anticipate a sequel.

There’s no mystery here—this is one inspired, poignant, and imaginative tale.