Satisfying thrills and chills.
Three friends must stop a monster who’s stalking their town.
Hazel is struggling to learn how to use the Magnus Crown, the artifact she chose in the first series entry. It’s especially frustrating because the crown is supposed to have alchemical powers, and Hazel and her single mother, a hardworking nurse, could really use some gold. Even though a mysterious philanthropist named Julius Worthmann has been donating large sums of money to her mom’s hospital, the impact seems to be mostly cosmetic. At the same time, Hazel and her friends Emrys and Serena realize that another monster is going after the residents of New Rotterdam—one that uses its victims’ own deepest wishes against them. Hazel suspects there’s a connection between Worthmann and the monster, but will she become the next target before she and her friends can take the creature out? Readers will read with bated breath as the trio explore the dark corners of the hospital one step ahead of the dark forces, and they’ll cheer Hazel on as she draws upon her scientific knowledge to work with her magical artifact. This installment furthers the overarching mystery of the sinister Yellow Court, who use their “collection of otherworldly relics” to harm the town, while also delivering an enjoyable monster-of-the-week plot. Readers will eagerly anticipate more adventures. The first volume established that Emrys and Hazel are white, and Serena is Black. Final art not seen.
Satisfying thrills and chills. (Horror. 8-12)Pub Date: Sept. 24, 2024
ISBN: 9781638930327
Page Count: 208
Publisher: Zando Young Readers
Review Posted Online: July 19, 2024
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Aug. 15, 2024
Funny delivery, but some jokes really miss the mark.
An animal ghost seeks closure after enduring aquatic atrocities.
In this sequel to The Incredibly Dead Pets of Rex Dexter (2020), sixth grader Rex is determined to once again use his ability to communicate with dead animals for the greater good. A ghost narwhal’s visit gives Rex his next opportunity in the form of the clue “bad water.” Rex enlists Darvish—his Pakistani American human best friend—and Drumstick—his “faithful (dead) chicken”—to help crack the case. But the mystery is only one of Rex’s many roadblocks. For starters, Sami Mulpepper hugged him at a dance, and now she’s his “accidental girlfriend.” Even worse, Darvish develops one of what Rex calls “Game Preoccupation Disorders” over role-playing game Monsters & Mayhem that may well threaten the pair’s friendship. Will Rex become “a Sherlock without a Watson,” or can the two make amends in time to solve the mystery? This second outing effectively carries the “ghost-mist” torch from its predecessor without feeling too much like a formulaic carbon copy. Spouting terms like plausible deniability and in flagrante delicto, Rex makes for a hilariously bombastic (if unlikable) first-person narrator. The over-the-top style is contagious, and black-and-white illustrations throughout add cartoony punchlines to various scenes. Unfortunately, scenes in which humor comes at the expense of those with less status are downright cringeworthy, as when Rex, who reads as White, riffs on the impossibility of his ever pronouncing Darvish’s surname or he plays dumb by staring into space and drooling.
Funny delivery, but some jokes really miss the mark. (Paranormal mystery. 8-12)Pub Date: May 4, 2021
ISBN: 978-0-7595-5523-5
Page Count: 224
Publisher: Little, Brown
Review Posted Online: March 15, 2021
Kirkus Reviews Issue: April 1, 2021
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
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