Mostly about the laffs, but not entirely, what with some weighty issues rising up.
In his fourth outing, middle school multimonster Tom Marks does an old zombie a solid and just maybe launches a theatrical career amid thrills, chills, and lots of kissing.
Tom has no intention of trying out for the school play, which is a thinly disguised version of “Beauty and the Beast” (in outer space) that was plainly written by the drama teacher with him in mind as the beast. Nonetheless, he finds himself dragooned into the role…and minding it considerably less when he discovers that he gets to kiss the lead—or actually her understudy, as the original lead turns out to be prejudiced (“he’s not normal…he’s a Vam-Wolf-Zom”) and quits. Meanwhile, the pheromones fly as he gets more smooches, including from Martha, the 244-year-old teenage vampire who originally bit him. As further proof that he’s not one to hold a grudge, Tom also frees the zombie who infected him from an abusive carnival barker and delivers him to a secret free-range zombie refuge. Banks tucks in plenty of byplay, from bits of outhouse tipping and bully deflection to encounters with a skunk and with the menacing shape-shifter who bit Tom back in the first episode, as he sets the stage for a bravura on-stage performance and follows up with the customary startling development to lead into the next outing. In the monochrome scenes Fearing supplies for nearly every spread, Tom, his family, and the various monsters present White, but his classmates show a range of skin tones.
Mostly about the laffs, but not entirely, what with some weighty issues rising up. (Fantasy. 8-12)Pub Date: Aug. 30, 2022
ISBN: 978-0-8234-5217-0
Page Count: 304
Publisher: Holiday House
Review Posted Online: May 9, 2022
Kirkus Reviews Issue: June 1, 2022
Classic action-packed, monster-fighting fun
It’s been 42 days since the Monster Apocalypse began, and 13-year-old Jack Sullivan, a self-proclaimed “zombie-fighting, monster-slaying tornado of cool” is on a quest to find and rescue his not-so-secret crush, June Del Toro, whether she needs it, wants it, or not.
Jack cobbles together an unlikely but endearing crew, including his scientist best friend, Quint Baker; Dirk Savage, Parker Middle School’s biggest bully; and a pet monster named Rover, to help him save the damsel in distress and complete the “ULTIMATE Feat of Apocalyptic Success.” Middle-grade readers, particularly boys, will find Jack’s pitch-perfect mix of humor, bravado, and self-professed geekiness impossible to resist. His sidekicks are equally entertaining, and it doesn’t hurt that there are also plenty of oozing, drooling, sharp-toothed monsters and zombies and a host of gizmos and gadgets to hook readers and keep them cheering with every turn of the page. Holgate’s illustrations play an integral role in the novel’s success. They not only bring Brallier’s characters to life, but also add depth and detail to the story, making plain just exactly how big Rover is and giving the lie to Jack’s “killer driving.” The marriage of text and illustration serves as a perfect example of what an illustrated novel can and should be.
Classic action-packed, monster-fighting fun (. (Graphic/horror hybrid. 8-12)Pub Date: Oct. 13, 2015
ISBN: 978-0-670-01661-7
Page Count: 240
Publisher: Viking
Review Posted Online: July 21, 2015
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Aug. 15, 2015
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
Supernatural mystery meets generational drama with hopeful endings for all.
Eleven-year-old Frank must solve a supernatural mystery to save his new home.
As fifth grade comes to an end, Frank Fernández is looking forward to finally staying put in Alabama for a second year, as promised, after a childhood spent following his parents’ home renovation work all across the country. Frequent relocation has made Frank wary of forming friendships or making plans, but his hopes for more stability are temporarily dashed when his parents announce plans to renovate a lighthouse in the Florida Keys, near where his mother grew up and his father’s home country of Cuba. Papi promises this will be their last move, though: The lighthouse will be theirs. But from their first day on Spectacle Key, things seem to go wrong: Tensions rise between his parents, and Frank’s hopes of a forever home are under threat from seemingly supernatural forces. In order to put down roots, Frank and new ghostly friend Connie, a White girl with freckles, must discover what secrets the island is hiding, uncovering Frank’s own family roots along the way. Frank is a fan of horror—he names his new Great Dane puppy Mary Shelley. But though there is some mild peril to be found, rather than a ghostly thriller, this is an appealing, lightly spooky family drama with valuable lessons for those who would hide from a difficult past instead of confronting and healing generational trauma.
Supernatural mystery meets generational drama with hopeful endings for all. (Supernatural. 8-12)Pub Date: Sept. 6, 2022
ISBN: 978-0-06-313481-2
Page Count: 256
Publisher: Balzer + Bray/HarperCollins
Review Posted Online: July 12, 2022
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Aug. 1, 2022
BOOK REVIEW
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