WELCOME TO STUBTOE ELEMENTARY

Vignettes about the spooky students of Stubtoe Elementary, located on the island of Creep’s Cove.

The first in Nichols’ new series The Terribles, this illustrated novel features an island full of creepy creatures—vampires, mummies, aliens, zombies, and cryptids—and a few humans. Nichols addresses readers directly, using a familiar tone much like that of an older kid sharing wisdom with the younger crowd. This book focuses on a class that includes Vlad the vampire, Frankie the mad scientist (a human with dark skin and black hair), Lobo the werewolf, and Bobby the gelatinous glob, among others. Each chapter features a different short story about an inhabitant of Creep’s Cove and their hijinks. The world is so well imagined that Bobby even has his own Glob Talk glossary included at the end. Many of the footnotes are funny asides, providing context but also adding to the conversational, storytelling tone of the book. The black-and-white illustrations peppered throughout read as cute more than creepy, which helps establish the book’s playful atmosphere. The characters are charming; the features that make them monsterlike also serve to make them endearing and true to their childlike characteristics. Who can resist a blob who can’t stop eating cruciferous veggies and swells to take over a town? Or Griff, an invisible kid who’s a master at hide-and-seek? The pacing, voice, and imaginative creatures will keep readers turning pages.

High-appeal characters presented with plenty of laughs.