Sluggish pacing stilted, unrealistic dialogue cartoonishly stock characters and unattractive, flat illustrations make this one to miss. Alas, picture-book–creator Ford’s middle-grade debut is a muddled, melodramatic mystery with something of an everything-but-the-kitchen-sink feel: In addition to the premise, there’s a tragically dead father, a mysterious family tree, and the Beat poets. Fisher may be the key to the mysterious past Maria uncovers and a brighter future. Fisher, Madame Destine’s most recent mark, Maria must overcome her shyness and her fear of her mother-helping Mrs. All this interaction makes it hard for Maria to keep her secret: that she is visited by Edward, a spirit who tells her the actual secrets of Madame Destine’s clients via spirit writing. Meanwhile, Sebastian, Maria’s new upstairs neighbor, would like to be friends. Madigan takes an interest in Maria that may cause her trouble. Maria is allowed to go to the library, where new librarian Ms. Madame Destine home-schools Maria, and because Destine is afraid of unwanted attention, she forbids Maria from talking to others.

Maria’s mother, the psychic Madame Destine, cons widows out of their valuables with the assistance of their apartment building’s super, Mr.

Her rounded monster/animal characters are creatively varied and intriguing, and her storytelling simple but nuanced.Ī sweetly encouraging look at the way friendship can mend heart and soul.Įleven-year-old Maria Russo helps her charlatan mother hoodwink customers, but Maria has a spirited secret. Vandorn’s sunny, not-quite-pastel palette transforms the shadows that accompany Reggie’s arrival into a landscape of green fields, colorful gardens, and warm blue sea. Reggie, who looks like an unprepossessing one-eyed, small blob with pointed ears, can, as demonstrated in the opening pages, stretch like rubber to reach a high shelf-and has other, even more impressive, abilities that make appearances later. Reggie and Emily find support in each other during a slightly scary adventure in a sea serpent’s lair. Emily has her own misery at being dismissed by one sister who is scornful of her more whimsical sensibilities. Emily is affable and talkative, ready to help Reggie overcome loneliness. Reggie is befriended by purple-spotted Emily, one of five sisters in a family of multihued, rabbitlike creatures. There’s a pile of unanswered correspondence to deal with and an unsettling dream on the first night in the big house. Reggie’s slightly unhappy and fearful vibe hints that all has not been going well in the monster’s life. Reggie’s summer job as housesitter for a family away on travels turns out to be unexpectedly happy.Īt a time that would normally be filled with exciting pursuits, Reggie is instead spending a quiet, solitary summer near the ocean.

Monster Friends by Kaeti Vandorn