OTTO NORMAL'S MONSTERTON

Monsters and humans find common ground in order to save their friends from dark forces on a magical island.

Born in a snowstorm in California on the same day his father tragically died, 11-year-old Otto Normal leads a life that’s always seemed destined to be anything but normal. Otto and his mom, Cherry, were just scraping by until a mysterious man came to the diner where Cherry was a waitress, offering her a job as a newspaper reporter on the island of Monsterton. Much to Otto’s shock, she accepted, and the two packed up their meager belongings and set sail from the Oregon coast. But upon their arrival, Otto and Cherry quickly realize that they’re outsiders in Monsterton: They seem to be the only humans and are surrounded by vampires, zombies, ghosts, and other creatures. Otto, who never had any human friends, goes to school determined to fit in. A trip to detention leads to an invitation to join a motley crew of classmates on an adventure to find the possibly mythical White Pine Beach, which jumps around within the foreboding Belcarra forest. The story unfolds through multiple viewpoints, and readers may become overwhelmed by the complicated worldbuilding and by plot intricacies that aren’t always sufficiently explained. But the rich illustrations amp up the delightful eeriness with deeply saturated colors and a playfully rendered cast of ragtag characters who will leave readers eager for the next installment. Otto appears white.

Wonderfully weird.