Guardians of the Gryphon's Claw

June 5, 2017
After 12-year-old Sam London runs into a gryphon in Death Valley, he’s drawn into an exciting world where fantastic creatures dwell among humans and in remote places. Mentored by the dynamic Dr. Vance Vantana, an agent of the Department of Mythical Wildlife, Sam sets out to discover why this particular gryphon, Phylassos, chose to appear to him. He soon learns that a cursed artifact keeps the magical world hidden from everyday humans, someone is attempting to destroy it in order to reveal the monsters that lurk in the shadows, and Sam and his allies must stop them. It’s a death-defying, globe-spanning adventure, packed with creatures out of folklore and myth—dog-headed cynocephali, murderous redcaps, the elusive bigfoot, and many more. It’s a solid series opener and debut for Gallicano, who stocks his story with engaging characters, human and otherwise. The only downsides are a tendency to deliver backstory in info dumps and an underwhelming villain who doesn’t bring much oomph to the story’s climax. Ages 10–up. Agent: Lacy Lynch and Dabney Rice, Dupree Miller & Associates.

May 1, 2017
A recurring dream sends white 12-year-old Sam London deep into the Mohave Desert in search of the Phylassos, the legendary father of all gryphons and protector of magical creatures.But Sam's encounter thrusts him into a dangerous world where both his greatest dreams and worst nightmares await. Hidden from humans for centuries, the many species of mythical creatures are beginning to rebel. When the source of their concealment, the titular gryphon's claw, is threatened, it is up to Sam and the members of the Department of Mythical Wildlife to keep the worlds from colliding into war. Thankfully, what Sam lacks in experience he more than makes up for with luck, imparted to him during his encounter with the gryphon. Interspersed with case notes, this is intended to be a narrative retelling of the first of evidently multiple Sam London cases. Unfortunately, the mashup of Greek, Irish, English, and Scottish mythological traditions is both familiar and uneven. Sam is oddly (and bizarrely) adept in his navigation of the mythical world, while the DMW, presumably constituted exclusively to administer it, is both disorganized and unprepared. Diversity exists predominantly in the mythical realm. Readers interested in a modern twist on ancient mythology would do well to look elsewhere for their magic and adventure. A lackluster start to a new fantasy series. (Fantasy. 8-12)

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May 1, 2017

Gr 5-7-Sam London is an ordinary 12-year-old boy looking for his "something special." He has recently been plagued by dreams of meeting with a gryphon named Phylassos, the guardian of all mythical creatures. Since Sam has always been intrigued by all things mythical, he decides to go where the dream takes place and see what he can find. This sets him on a whirlwind adventure where he quickly realizes that mythical creatures are real and live among humankind. He teams up with Dr. Vance Vantana of the Department of Mythical Wildlife to make sure that the Gryphon's Claw, the power that keeps mythical creatures hidden from humans, remains safe. This is a fun-filled start to a series that is sure to keep lovers of Rick Riordan running to the shelves. Gallicano's novel is longer than most books of this genre and can drag at times, but the plot is unique enough to keep dedicated readers motivated. Interspersed are elements from both Western and Eastern folklore, including mythical creatures not typically found in middle grade literature (the Aswang of Filipino folklore, for example). All of the characters are fully fleshed out, though there are a bit too many adult characters for a middle grade title. VERDICT A lengthy but entertaining story that is sure to intrigue middle graders fond of mythology.-Kristyn Dorfman, The Packer Collegiate Institute, Brooklyn

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