My new recommendation for the middle grade reader (and slightly younger) is Monster Mayhem by Christopher Eliopoulos.
At first, I figured it was just going to be some “bathroom humor” and not the fun kind (oh come on, you know you have laughed at one poop or fart joke in your life….). But what it turned out to be is a cute, funny, sweet and heavy with movie monsters and science graphic novel for the ages 8 to 10.
Zoe is a super-smart young girl who is well beyond her classmates. One day her parents decide to send her to a special school. The same day Zoe makes a new friend. But one overheard conversation leads to Zoe realizing that she does not need friends. After all, they will only let you down. Hurt you. And robots are cooler anyways. But when a ring Zoe finds laying around probably granted her wish, we get neck deep into the world of movie monsters (or Kaiju) that Zoe loves! But this one monster that Zoe finds is more than meets the eye. He might want to eat every building in sight, but he also wants to be Zoe’s friend. With a sentient robot she made and her new friend Chomp, Zoe is no Damsel in Distress (D.I.D) but does realizes that sometimes you have to do the hard stuff: like ask for help.
Amazingly silly, fun, overly bright (but not overly overpowering) and even cute illustrations make this story about friendship fresh. The feel is overall a movie monster-meets girl coming of age story. Even adults can find something to love, cheer for and enjoy. Part of the Cosmic Commandos books (due to the ring tying the two together).
Plus, if you @ the author on Twitter and tell him this is your new recommendation, he just might respond with he really likes this recommendation, too!