Monster Club

July 1, 2019

Gr 3-7-Best friends Tommy, Spike, and Karim are itching for an adventure, and they're about to find one: their town has been overrun by gremlins, basilisks, and other dangerous and pesky monsters. They sign up as monster hunters on an app called AppVenture and quickly begin receiving requests from around town, but their work leads them to uncover a nefarious plot bigger than they could have imagined. The chapters are interspersed with entertaining "Monsterpedia" entries that describe the creatures the trio face. Though the book includes decidedly kid-friendly elements such as famous online streamers, silly and scary creatures, and lots of monster-hunting action, this strikes an odd tone against a plot that requires at least some understanding of freelancing, profit motives, and corporate responsibility. This book succeeds most when it focuses on the very human experiences and emotions of its likable and well-rounded protagonists, and the concept of a monster-hunting app service is a strong one. However, the plot demands an understanding of economics and capitalism that may be beyond its intended audience. VERDICT The humor, while plentiful, may fly over the heads of many young readers. Fans of mythology-inspired books like Rick Riordan's "Percy Jackson" novels or irreverent action series like Gordon Korman's "Spy School" will most enjoy.-Madison Bishop, Plymouth Public Library, MA

Copyright 2019 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

April 15, 2019
Busy monster-chasing adventures in an alternate-universe Hollywood, California. Brown introduces 11-year-old buddies Tommy Wainwright, Collen "Spike" Hernandez, and Karim Khalil, who's the son of legendary fantastic-beast hunter and former TV star Yousef "The Fang" Khalil. What starts as the threesome trapping--and Tommy taking a selfie with--a basilisk at their school moves to their successfully catching a mischievous gremlin before failing to nab a two-toed snipe. Along the way, they ensnare the attention of AppVenture, an online monster-elimination service with some questionable branding and job practices, including hiring the underage trio. Characterization is uneven. The author develops Tommy from a white male "beefcake" to a loving big brother who uses his AppVenture earnings to send his 8-year-old sister to Adventure Camp and Karim (who presents black) from a son scared of his own--and his father's--shadow to a young person claiming his legacy. Unfortunately, Spike comes across as a person with anti-social personality disorder in the guise of a plucky Latina heroine who deeply resents her father, Luis, who divorced her mother, moved across the country, and resurfaces as an employee at AppVenture. This mixes with some unnecessary punching-down jokes about suing for fat discrimination and a tiresome running gag about Tommy's love for the protein product Brotein. Still, how the friends proceed makes for an amiable tale and a subtly scathing critique on today's exploitative media culture and gig economy. (Science fantasy. 8-12)

COPYRIGHT(2019) Kirkus Reviews, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.