I'm shouting this birthday out a day early, but let's get the party started anyway! (I do love a celebration) With October slowly rolling in...could it roll in faster? (Sorry, I'm a cool weather girl)...today's read seems to slide in with the promise of monsterly fun. I'm not sure it will be spooky, but rather, it probably heads toward adventure. But let's find out!
THE DISAPPEARANCE OF WHITE PINE BEACH
Otto Normal's Monsterton
by Danielle McKechnie
Illustrated by Simon Estrada
Andrews McMeel Publishing
Middle Grade Paranormal / Graphic Novel
432 pages
ages 8 to 12
Otto Normal and his mom have moved to Monsterton, but there’s one problem —t hey’re not monsters. In this first book of the hauntingly beautiful and highly illustrated Monsterton series, Otto and his friends embark on a journey to find the legendary White Pine Beach. But the friends find much more than they bargained for when one of their own goes missing . . . possibly forever.
In this hauntingly delightful and highly illustrated tale, eleven-year-old Otto and his mom move to Monsterton, a gorgeous island on the border of the Belcarra forest and a mysterious place called The Dark. Monsterton is picturesque and beautiful; it's an idyllic place for monsters to be themselves. There's Hamish and his brother Ben, who have been created and sewn together by their pirate father; the royal vampires, Red and Rose, who are followed around by their dutiful guards; Remi, a ghost girl who can appear and disappear at will; Darby, a quiet girl made entirely of slime; and Luck, a zombie who always she thinks she's right. In Monsterton, each monster can be themselves. They are free to be as scaly, slimy, or scary as nature intended.
There's only one teeny, tiny problem. Otto and his mom aren't monsters.
As a human, Otto feels that he has to prove himself. After all, as Remi the ghost girl reminds him, he's so fragile . Along with Otto's new friends Hamish, Darby, and Luck, the group sets out to find the legendary White Pine Beach—a beach so mysterious, it's rumored to jump locations, never staying in the same place for too long. But what the ragtag team of monsters (and one human) discovers is far more mysterious than a location-jumping beach. And when one of their number doesn't return home with them . . . rumors swirl.
Can Otto find his new friend, fit in with the monsters, and stay true to himself? And what does a lost strix, a bird-girl living as an outcast in Belcarra, know?
This spooky, delightful, and charming full-color, highly illustrated novel is perfect for fans of Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children and Five Nights at Freddy's. Debut author Danielle McKechnie weaves compelling lore and storytelling with delightful characters brought to life by illustrator Simón Estrada.
In this hauntingly delightful and highly illustrated tale, eleven-year-old Otto and his mom move to Monsterton, a gorgeous island on the border of the Belcarra forest and a mysterious place called The Dark. Monsterton is picturesque and beautiful; it's an idyllic place for monsters to be themselves. There's Hamish and his brother Ben, who have been created and sewn together by their pirate father; the royal vampires, Red and Rose, who are followed around by their dutiful guards; Remi, a ghost girl who can appear and disappear at will; Darby, a quiet girl made entirely of slime; and Luck, a zombie who always she thinks she's right. In Monsterton, each monster can be themselves. They are free to be as scaly, slimy, or scary as nature intended.
There's only one teeny, tiny problem. Otto and his mom aren't monsters.
As a human, Otto feels that he has to prove himself. After all, as Remi the ghost girl reminds him, he's so fragile . Along with Otto's new friends Hamish, Darby, and Luck, the group sets out to find the legendary White Pine Beach—a beach so mysterious, it's rumored to jump locations, never staying in the same place for too long. But what the ragtag team of monsters (and one human) discovers is far more mysterious than a location-jumping beach. And when one of their number doesn't return home with them . . . rumors swirl.
Can Otto find his new friend, fit in with the monsters, and stay true to himself? And what does a lost strix, a bird-girl living as an outcast in Belcarra, know?
This spooky, delightful, and charming full-color, highly illustrated novel is perfect for fans of Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children and Five Nights at Freddy's. Debut author Danielle McKechnie weaves compelling lore and storytelling with delightful characters brought to life by illustrator Simón Estrada.
MY TIDBITS
This read is a recipe for adventure and fun, and it steers the mix nicely.
Otto's life is a bit rough since is father died, but when his mother spends more time than usual speaking to a stranger only to announce they're moving and heading off to an adventure...well, he's a bit overwhelmed. Especially when this move includes boarding a ship, falling off the edge of the water, and landing at a place where only monsters live. Yeah, not what any kid would expect. But these monsters are friendlier than expect (some, anyway), although life has grown more than a little strange. There are secrets everywhere, surprises at every turn, and more danger than ever existed in the normal world. When one of them goes missing...well, it's time to dive into the darker side, and that won't be as fun.
This is such a lovely read! It takes the popular gothic-ish, monsterly direction of middle-grade life, adds the usual dab of quirky humor, odd friendships, and mysteries, and then, ups the entire thing to a new level with a grabbing format. When I picked this one up, I was expecting a graphic novel. While I wasn't completely wrong, this isn't that. Rather, it's a melding of a middle grade novel with graphic novel like pages when things getting really tense and tons of illustrations, carefully added color schemes, and attention to fonts. Add the message of friendship, going beyond comfort zones, and a touch of family ties, and it's an enjoyable read.
While there are messages, this read is more about adventure and friendship. It switches POV between the various group members, allowing each one to gain some connection to the reader. Plus, the mysteries don't only surround the adventure, but also go into the characters and their own backgrounds. It doesn't go overly deep, though, into emotions and thought in a way which would scare away more impatient readers. Rather, the pacing stays high and keeps the mix with the monsterly side at the forefront...and adds humor, too.
The graphics are well thought out and pay close attention to the atmosphere of the read. The color schemes alter not only in the illustrated scenes, but also add background to the book-style text to enhance the feel when necessary to really let the reader sink in. It creates a grabbing, reader experience from beginning to end.
And here she is...
Danielle McKechnie is a debut children's book author from Vancouver, BC. After studying at Circle in the Square Theatre School, Danielle moved to Los Angeles, CA and transitioned to behind-the-scenes where she worked throughout the entertainment industry in film, television, traditional radio, and live entertainment. Danielle now lives in her hometown of Vancouver with her husband and two daughters.
1 comment:
This has a cool storyline, and you don't see too many books that are so long and illustrated so much. I agree with you that it sounds like a great October read.
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