MIDDLE SCHOOL MONSTERS

Fan fiction imitates reality when a would-be werewolf and vampire become fast friends.

Jamie Rose McKenzie, a seventh grader who likes to pretend to be a werewolf, has moved to Godwin Bay. Classmates Aimee, Jazmin, and Olivia help her get her bearings, but Jamie doesn’t gel with their ideas of fun or their beauty standards. Meanwhile, goth outcast Vera shares a favorite TV show with Jamie and has an affinity for vampires. Away from prying eyes and rumor mills, they bond while chatting on an online site called Wyvern. Vera even introduces Jamie to a couple of creative, like-minded online pals, Peyton and Danny. When classmates accidentally discover—and mock—Jamie and Vera’s shared writing project, Jamie must choose between standing up for a genuine friend or playing along with the in crowd. The pleasing illustrations, which are rendered in soft jewel tones and accentuate the human figures, convey layers of meaning, such as when Jamie metaphorically transforms into a wolf while exerting herself during PE. Fantasy flourishes indicate when Jamie and Vera are role-playing as their paranormal identities with one another. These middle schoolers might have some trouble fitting in with a mainstream crowd, but their longing for friends with whom to share passions and creativity is genuine. Jamie, Vera, and Olivia present white, while Aimee and Jazmin are brown-skinned.

A heartfelt glimpse into tweens’ role-playing of different selves and a lifeline for anyone who’s ever felt different.