Creature Keepers and the Hijacked Hydro-Hide

September 29, 2014
Nelson and Rao follow their Herbert's Wormhole series with this whimsical adventure, first in a planned series, in which 12-year-old Jordan Grimsley follows in his deceased grandfather's footsteps as a protector of cryptids, magical creatures of myth and legend. After Jordan's family moves into Grampa Grimsley's huge, deserted house in the Everglades, Jordan meets and befriends Eldon Peconeâan industrious "Badger Ranger" (with merit badges in everything from species classification to spooring) and member of the Creature Keepers, a secret organization that helps to hide such beings as the Florida Skunk Ape, Giant Desert Jackalope, and Jersey Devil. Soon, Jordan and Eldon are swept up in a caper involving the missing Loch Ness Monster and a ruthless foe who wants to exploit the cryptids. Nelson's fast-paced writing and off-kilter premise are matched by Rao's wiry b&w illustrations, which portray the cryptids as endearing and cute, if occasionally deranged. Nelson maintains an enjoyable balance of humor and action, but never loses his grip on the more serious core of the story. Ages 8â12. Author's agent: Tina Wexler, ICM. Illustrator's agent: Brenda Bowen, Sanford J. Greenburger Associates.

June 15, 2014
Can the Creature Keepers keep the cryptids safe?Twelve-year-old Jordan Grimsley is not pleased to be leaving Wi-Fi behind so that his parents can rehab his missing grandfather's isolated home in the Okeeyuckachokee Swamp, especially since their nearest neighbors are all strangely energetic retirees. One exception is Eldon, a Badger Ranger and, it turns out, part of a secret society of kids founded by Grampa Grimsley who help to keep the cryptids of the world (like the Loch Ness monster, sasquatch and the skunk ape) safe. When Nessie vanishes, Jordan and Eldon take off to find out what is going on; their hunt is made even more urgent by the fact that the lost monster controls the waters of the world. Can the boys, with Grampa Grimsley's notes and some assistance from the cryptids themselves, find Nessie, stop a madman, duck the attacks of a vindictive rogue cryptid and save the world? Well, they'll give it the old Badger Ranger try. Despite the promising premise, the kickoff for Nelson's new series is an invitation to a nap. There's not much to laugh at, and the mystery/adventure unspools so slowly that the pages won't keep turning for long. Neither Jordan nor Eldon has much personality, and their supporting cast is pretty bland, too.Steer legendary-monster fans to the Imaginary Veterinary or Cryptid Hunters series for cryptozoological fixes. (Fantasy. 8-12)

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June 1, 2014

Gr 3-6-Jordan's grandfather has been gone for years. He's devastated when he suddenly has to move into Grampa Grimsley's abandoned, ramshackle house in the Florida swampland so his parents can "fix it up." But the old house quickly gets more interesting for Jordan when he finds some news clippings of his grandfather. They show him being arrested in a furry suit for perpetuating the hoax of the "Skunk Ape," a stinky animal that no one believes actually exists. Jordan soon learns that the Skunk Ape is indeed real and that a group of kids called Creature Keepers, an organization founded by Grampa Grimsley, are assigned to protect all of the cryptozoological creatures on the planet. The three biggies-the Loch Ness Monster, the Yeti, and Bigfoot, are especially important, as they actually affect the earth's environment. When Nessie goes missing, it's up to Jordan and the Creature Keepers to find her, but of course, the evil kidnapper won't be easy to defeat. Due to an overuse of onomatopoetic devices, and so many twists and turns you might get whiplash, upper elementary and middle school readers will likely eat this up. Black-and-white illustrations appear every few pages and add to the goofy, campy feel, especially the renditions of the "creatures." Hand to fans of silly, plot-driven adventures.-Mandy Laferriere, Fowler Middle School, Frisco, TX

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