No Place for Monsters

Levi and his family have recently moved to a suburb called Cowslip Grove. Levi misses the city, and his new neighborhood seems too perfect. His little sister, Twila, has made friends and is adjusting to the move well. The only friend Levi has made is a girl at school who no other student in their right mind wants to work with, Kat Bombard.

One morning, Twila goes missing and no one in Cowslip Grove remembers her except Levi and Kat. The two set out to find Twila and some other kids they notice have gone missing, too. They meet some freakish and terrifying characters, and they learn that Cowslip Grove has a dark side after all. Everyone thinks suburbia is safe, but one monster has managed to survive in the suburbs.

No Place for Monsters, written and illustrated by Kory Merritt, is a creepy good time. It involves a funny and spooky monster hunt with two misfits trying to fit in and a weird suburb where nothing ever seems out of place. The fast pace of the adventure makes it hard to put down. Strong themes of friendship and family, along with some very scary illustrations, make this a perfect middle-grade read.