Publisher's Weekly Review
In this horror-tinged adventure set in 1983 Oklahoma, three classmates in a gifted program band together when their town is invaded by fanciful creatures that adults cannot see. Indian-American artist Neha Presad, 12, has been creating a sketchbook town, Forest Creeks, that is populated by the refugee seeds of unfinished stories. When it is menaced by monsters, Neha's classmate Court Castle, who is white and an "argues-on-the-bus" kind of kid, realizes that the monsters have come from African-American aspiring horror writer Eli Goodman's tales, one of which Goodman recently read to the class. A desperate attempt to save the beings in Neha's drawings, including purple weasel-otter Sleekit and dapper stick bug Swiz, instead brings them into the real world, and Eli's own terrors soon follow. Now, the trio and their new allies must defeat Eli's scariest creations. Cannon (Oddity) weaves a sense of 1980s Spielbergian wonder and danger into the cinematic narrative: while handling an array of bizarre creatures produced from the imagination, the kids forge an easy friendship based on creativity over logic. A playful, wry humor tempers the more frightening moments, while Cannon maintains a feeling of urgency and high stakes well suited to middle grade readers. Ages 9--13. Agent: Brooks Sherman, Janklow & Nesbit Assoc. (Feb.)
Booklist Review
Oklahoma, 1983. Gifted-program students Eli, Neha, and Court share a dislike for their overly practical classmate, Scott, who likes to point out they'd be better off learning to code than telling horror stories or drawing unicorns. If only he knew the imaginary creatures ("creeps," including butterfly-winged snakes and a purple otter-weasel hybrid) in Neha's drawings come to life when no one's watching. Or that the monsters from Eli's stories have somehow shown up in Neha's notebook. Or that in an attempt to protect the creeps, Eli, Neha, and Court just accidentally released all the creatures into the real world. Now the creative trio must protect themselves, their town, and their friends--human and creep--from a slew of razor-toothed slugs and horned shadow beasts. And survive a group project with naysayer Scott. Wacky and creative, packed with light horror and humor, Cannon's (Oddity, 2017) sophomore novel is a great fit for readers not yet ready for Stranger Things, complete with a Dungeons & Dragons--playing older sister and a monster showdown set in an arcade.
