The Magnificent Monsters of Cedar Street by Ethan Aldridge, Lauren Oliver
Published by HarperCollins on February 11, 2020
ISBN: 0062345079
Pages: 348
Genres: Adventure, Fantasy
Format: Chapter Book Fiction
Goodreads

It’s the end of the 19th Century, and Cordelia Clay and her father secretly take care of, heal, and save magical creatures in their Boston home. One morning, Cordelia wakes up to find her father and nearly all the creatures gone. She only has a few clues and a ragtag crew of magical creatures to help her find her father and the missing creatures in a world that doesn’t support them or the work they do.

This book was, overall, an entertaining read, but there wasn’t anything overly captivating about it. It has good messages about friendship and feelings of isolation. It was well written and the plot was easy to follow. It did feel, however, that everything wrapped up very rapidly and too easily. An additional middle grade purchase for larger libraries.

Reviewed by Jessie Trafton, Skidompha Library, Damariscotta, ME