The Creepy Case Files of Margo Maloo (Creepy Case Files Of Margo Maloo #1)

With a saturated color palette, noirish dialogue, and a thought-provoking message about gentrification, this first in a series (originally published as a webcomic) is packed with warm laughs and smart, spooky mystery.

Clever dialogue enhances this intriguing and multilayered story set in a fully realized world of monster and human coexistence.

Gr 3-6—When Charles and his parents move to Echo City, their new home is a mostly abandoned apartment building where the family can live for free while doing repairs. The boy is less than thrilled about his rundown surroundings but completely undone by the monster he sees in his room at night. A new friend puts him in touch with Margo Maloo, a young "monster mediator" who introduces him to the troll—Marcus—who lives in his basement, and Charles's opinion of life in Echo City skyrockets. Other stories in the volume involve a lonely, mischievous ghost and a kidnapped baby ogre whose mother thinks Charles is responsible for her child going missing. Throughout, tough, mysterious, motorbike-riding Margo tolerates Charles's bumbling, enthusiastic presence, eventually agreeing to take him on as her assistant, a move that promises future adventures for lucky readers. Weing's colorful drawings reward extended examination; Echo City is rife with monster life, and creepy crawlies turn up in the most unexpected places, but domestic scenes and the city streets also show the artist's keen eye for details. VERDICT This charming graphic novel is ideal for fans of Luke Pearson and Noelle Stevenson.—Stephanie Klose, School Library Journal

Copyright 2016 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

Charles, a heavyset kid in a baseball cap, fancies himself a hard-hitting journalist; he already has his own blog. After his parents move to Echo City to renovate a decrepit apartment building, it doesn't take long for a news item to emerge: a terrifying, snaggle-toothed monster looms over his bed on his first night. The next day, Charles's new friend Kevin passes him a business card for one Margo Maloo, Monster Mediator. "They say monsters are afraid of her," Kevin says. "Don't show it to any grown-ups!" In the adventures that follow, Charles plays a bumbling Watson to Margo's chilly Sherlock: "You don't know how stupid you sound right now," she snaps. The world of monsters Margo introduces Charles to produces endless surprises, as when he discovers that his building's resident monster has a better collection of Battlebeanz figurines than he does. Weing's (Set to Sea) artwork combines urban landscapes with an exhaustive interest in monster forms and the way they appear in the dim light of basements. It's a beautifully conceived and executed trio of stories, and readers will hope that more installments are on the way. Ages 8-12. (Sept.)

Copyright 2016 Publishers Weekly, LLC Used with permission.

You're going to lie awake at night thinking about how fun this book is. -Adam Rex, author of The True Meaning of Smekday

Margo Maloo is fantastic fun! -Tom Angleberger, author of the Origami Yoda series

Drew Weing's Creepy Casefiles, with its quirky kids, sympathetic beasties and hand-rendered coloring, reads like a classic children's title from decades past...if not for the astute, subtle observations on cultural dynamics within cities and the ripple effects of gentrification. —Paste Magazine

The banter is brisk and witty, and humans and monsters alike boast a refreshing ordinariness unusual in fantasy/horror/hero comics.—Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books