by Guillermo del Toro, Daniel Kraus
Disney Book Group
July 2015
Knowing who had written this book gave me two thoughts: I figured it would be good, coming from creative mind that know how to tell great stories and full-range horror; and I wondered how well the book, coming from those authors, could mesh with its intended audience of middle-grade readers. The was in fact a great read, and every bit of it was beautifully crafted for the intended audience.
What's different about this book
I wonder how many of us remember the complete escape into horror we experienced when reading R. L. Stine's Goosebumps or Fear Street series. That same delicious atmosphere immediately pulls in the reader in Trollhunters. From the first paragraph, it's obvious that family, friends, school: Every part of Jim's Sturges' life will get pulled into the unsuspected world that Jim discovers. Strikingly different, however, is the plot complexity (and sophistication) and the depth of character development that del Toro and Kraus bring. This is well-written and polished adventure, with just enough horror added to make this a middle grade jewel. The authors were obviously once tween readers themselves -- the humor, the ethos, and the adventure are perfectly matched to this audience.
What I'll do now that I've read it
This selection will be an easy sell to reluctant readers. The opening paragraph, once read aloud to a group of potential readers, will mean that my libraries need multiple copies available for check-out. And I'm delighted to have this piece of literature to share with family and friends with reluctant summer readers. This is the perfect book for the summer lag in reading -- go get it!
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