The Creepy Case Files of Margo Maloo: The Monster Mall by Drew Weing
Published by First Second on September 11th 2018
ISBN: 162672492X
Pages: 128
Goodreads

This small graphic novel for your middle grade horror fans picks up at chapter four and while it is readable thanks to a recap in the introduction, be ready for readers to ask for book one (and book three when it publishes as this one ends on a cliffhanger). Charles and Margo are back, following up on the monster problems in Echo City. Charles is the reporter of the duo while Margo Maloo, she of a mysterious background, is the keeper of monster knowledge. It’s great to see a heroine of Indian descent at the heart of a dark, fast-paced GN. With displaced imps, moody teen vampires, and a hungry troll, this book offers a twist as we find that Margo is sympathetic with the disgruntled monsters who are facing issues as people knock down old buildings to make way for new developments and teens sneak around with smartphones in hand hoping to grab a vid of a monster in the wild. The price of progress for humankind is unsettled monsters ready to fight back. Margo knows that she and Charles need help, but they have to be careful. And where did the imp’s family go…
Great for fans of Coraline, the Hilda and the Troll series, and readers who appreciate a good monster hunt.

Review by Jill O’Connor, Merrill Memorial Library, Yarmouth