Monsterland

Gr 4–6—Charlie Cooper is a troubled daydreamer who misses his cousin, Billy, who disappeared six months ago. For Charlie, nothing feels quite right. Halloween isn't the same without his sidekick, and he believes Billy is still out there. When Charlie's teacher discusses some local lore about uncharted land on the town map, Charlie's curiosity is piqued. While escaping bullies, Charlie stumbles into a graveyard and seeks shelter in Monsterland, the unexplored piece of his town. In Monsterland, Charlie meets the Prime Minister, a vampire who explains how Monsterland serves as a haven from the outside world for all kinds of monsters. Charlie encounters giants, werewolves, trolls, ogres, goblins, hobgoblins, a Persian Manticore, witches, marauders, wendigos, warlocks, mummies, and strigoi (troubled spirits of the dead rising from graves). The boy realizes that the land must remain protected and that Billy might be in there somewhere. Charlie begins his quest accompanied by none other than Frankenstein's monster himself (aka Franklin). The two journey across various parts of Monsterland as they search for Billy. The ending is satisfying, though Crowley paves the way for a sequel. Themes about death and the grieving process elevate this title above the average ghoulish fantasy.