No Place for Monsters (No Place for Monsters #1)

Gr 4-6--After several nights of dreams about a Really Tall Man, Cindy vanishes from her home and her family's memory. All of her things are gone, and her family doesn't remember her when they wake up. The story cuts to new kid Levi, whose parents recently divorced. Levi meets Kat, a mischievous classmate who becomes his partner on a project. Kat talks Levi into using an abandoned vehicle as their office on the edge of town. One evening when Levi comes home too late, he is chased by the dark shadow of a Really Tall Man. Levi's younger sister, Twila, falls victim to the same fate as Cindy. No one but Levi remembers Twila. As Levi and Kat work together to try to catch the monster, they camp out on a hill beside a farm and instead discover a chupacabra who may be able to help them find out who's taking children. By putting some clues together, Levi and Kat make their way to the local ice cream factory where they uncover an operation to cast sleeping spells on children and bring them underground. Levi's quick thinking and Kat's bravery rescue the children trapped in a dreamland underneath the factory. The copious illustrations and unusual page formats offer a varied reading experience, but at times the pacing is slow. VERDICT A story for persistent readers who are interested in fantastical mysteries with many twists, turns, and lively illustrations.--Lindsay Persohn, Univ. of South Florida Sarasota-Manatee

Copyright 2020 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

Twelve-year-old new kid Levi doesn't want to be Kat Bombard's class work buddy: she's as loud, disruptive, and energetic as he is quiet, studious, and reserved--and she tells unbelievable stories about having been abducted by aliens. They become tentative friends, however, and when several local children vanish, including Levi's beloved younger sister Twila, only Kat and Levi remember they even existed. Monsters are preying upon suburban Cowslip Grove, and the duo must discover what lurks in the shadows and below their home's surface before they become the next victims. With this darkly humorous, fully illustrated romp, Merritt (The Dreadful Fate of Jonathan York) creates a world threatened by all manner of horrors, from banal (petty neighbors) to the unspeakable (being completely forgotten by loved ones). Merritt's scratchy black-and-white line illustrations expertly embody Levi's calm practicality, Kat's hyperactive exuberance, and the twisting otherworldliness of their cryptid foes. Solid use of light and shadow manipulate the atmosphere and tension levels as the story goes from mundane to frightening, while tongue-in-cheek visual jokes make every scene worth studying. Weird, wild, and warmhearted, this is a real page-turner for the spooky season. Ages 8-12. Agent: Daniel Lazar, Writers House. (Sept.)

Copyright 2020 Publishers Weekly, LLC Used with permission.

"Merritt's imagination is a haunted garden, overgrown with fantastic ideas....[his] art seizes your attention and does not let go....Like a fine pumpkin stew, 'No Place for Monsters' is spicy and comforting and perfectly autumnal....Trick-or-treating might have been declared a severe health hazard this season, but Merritt's unsettling world is open for some safe spookery."—The New York Times Book Review

"Wildly imaginative and totally terrifying—No Place for Monsters will scare you silly!"—Jeff Kinney, New York Times bestselling author of the Diary of a Wimpy Kid series

"No Place For Monsters is like a haunted-house version of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. Kory Merritt's wonderfully scary drawings will keep you turning the pages through this truly spooky adventure."—Brian Selznick, New York Times bestselling author of The Invention of Hugo Cabret and Wonderstruck

"No Place for Monsters is so striking, it leaves an after image. You'll be seeing the art long after you've shut your eyes for the night. Kory Merritt's vision of monsters in our world is terrifying and unforgettable."—Max Brallier, New York Times bestselling author of the Last Kids on Earth series

★ "This is one hell of a middle-grade read, the kind that will spark imaginations as it is read late at night under the covers with a flashlight. . . . A wonderfully spooky tale."—Kirkus, STARRED review

★"With this darkly humorous, fully illustrated romp, Merritt (The Dreadful Fate of Jonathan York) creates a world threatened by all manner of horrors, from banal (petty neighbors) to the unspeakable (being completely forgotten by loved ones). Merritt's scratchy black-and-white line illustrations expertly embody Levi's calm practicality, Kat's hyperactive exuberance, and the twisting otherworldliness of their cryptid foes. Solid use of light and shadow manipulate the atmosphere and tension levels as the story goes from mundane to frightening, while tongue-in-cheek visual jokes make every scene worth studying. Weird, wild, and warmhearted, this is a real page-turner for the spooky season."—Publishers Weekly, STARRED review

"A story for persistent readers who are interested in fantastical mysteries with many twists, turns, and lively illustrations." —School Library Journal

"Merritt's black-and-white line drawings of legendary creatures—which are truly the spooky stuff of nightmares—and the interspersed shaky hand-lettered text add extra creepiness." —Horn Book Magazine

"Detailed, vivid illustrations are essential, moving the story forward between the text...It's a grim world all around, but at least there are moments of brightness, as when Levi and his sister, reunited, rekindle their deep connection that was lost in the move. Sometimes monsters and darkness abound, but it is enough to have one person that you know has your back."—The Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books