Taylor assembles the sort of supporting cast that makes anything seem possible…Odd encounters and narrow escapes set in motion by the arrival of Violet Parma, searching for parents who had disappeared on the beach 12 years before, lead her and half reluctant young Herbert Lemon, who had himself washed up as a baby in a crate of lemons, to a desperate climactic struggle. A lack of firm resolution hints at future visits to this winningly strange town.
—Booklist (starred review)
Herbie makes an excellent narrator, well versed in Eerie-on-Sea’s strangeness but, ironically, clueless when it comes to Violet, and he manages both wit and vulnerability. Booth’s black and white art gives full life to the characters, and fans of Lemony Snicket or Pseudonymous Bosch will find their next adventure here.
—Bulletin of the Center for Children’s Books (starred review)
This creepy, quirky debut trilogy opener—think H.P. Lovecraft crossed with John Bellairs—is dank, misty fun.
—Kirkus Reviews
In Malamander, Thomas Taylor casts a spell over his readers as he welcomes us into the mysterious mist-covered town of Eerie-on-Sea, where magic infuses the air, monster legends haunt the shore, and secrets lurk in the shadows. Filled with humor, adventure, and wonderful strangeness, this book is a treat.
—Anne Ursu, author of The Lost Girl
Malamander is the kind of book I dreamed about as a kid: a magical blend of oddball folklore and humor about two peculiar and plucky kids who puzzle out some local secrets in a town that is a character in its own right. And everything is wrapped in the off-season mystery of the seaside when the tourists have gone. This book is so much fun, I’m already dreaming of my next visit to Eerie-on-Sea.
—Kate Milford, best-selling author of the Greenglass House series
In this endearingly strange middle grade adventure set against the backdrop of a seaside resort town during the off-season, two orphans are caught up in a local legend…Taylor (Haunters) combines atmospheric descriptions with tongue-in-cheek humor, off-kilter concepts (a mechanical mermonkey that “prescribes” books), and quirky characters to create an unusual series opener. Meanwhile, exaggerated, stylized illustrations from Booth (This Is Christmas) bring both cast and setting to life, capturing the feel of this fantastical, energetic mystery.
—Publishers Weekly
The fast-paced narrative includes subtle humor, clever plays on words, and rich cinematic details augmented by black-and-white illustrations and a map. Colorful characters, palpable atmosphere, close calls and some deliberately unanswered questions (how did little Herbie get washed up onshore in a lemon crate, and just what did happen to Violet’s parents when they took a rowboat out to sea to find her?) will hook readers on this new British series and leave them eager for more. A crowd-pleasing fantasy.
—School Library Journal
A wonderfully imaginative and atmospheric adventure, rich in myth and legend, and with a delicious gothic edge. . . . Malamander confirms [Taylor] as a ferociously talented writer. . . . This really is one that deserves all the buzz.
—The Bookseller
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