ANOTHER KIND

A group of special youth find themselves a family.

In a clandestine meeting hinting at trouble to come, readers learn that there are six Irregularities, ranging in age from 6 to 16, and that malevolent interest swirls around them. These Irregularities turn out to be a motley group of charming kids with a variety of unusual qualities. One is a quiet selkie, always attached to her seal skin; another is a reptilian alien from a race that has disguised itself as human to infiltrate the government (which nods uncomfortably at antisemitic conspiracy theories that reference alien lizard people); one can turn into a bear; and the angst-y will-o-the-wisp is capable of malicious mind control. The young almost-people are safe in their sanctuary, the Playroom, but when they’re removed by a double agent, they must find their way to safety as a chosen family. Classic comic-style art is effectively deployed to show intense emotion and fast-paced action, and in addition to being nonhuman, the characters represent a diverse group of racial and gender identities that are generally background to the plot. A satisfying climax with a harmless but clichéd resolution about the power of love makes this a fun choice ideal for a middle-grade audience with a taste for more relatable X-Men–style heroes.

An irregularly enjoyable read.