Lowell’s life is pretty normal to begin with. He lives with his parents and six sisters and he loves stargazing. Then, his family moves to a strange and spooky village and everything changes. Lowell changes. He gets hairier and his ears grow pointier and his teeth turn to fangs. When Lowell’s twin sister Lys annoys him he turns into a werewolf and the pair decide to investigate – is there a way to reverse the changes. A hunt for some magical ingredients begins … but Lowell is warned by the local Monster Support Group that being true to oneself is always better than being normal.
There’s a great cast of supporting characters here, most particularly Marie, the local girl who spies on Lowell from the moment he arrives in the village, and also the monsters from the support group. The series looks set to tell the tales of these different monsters and how they arrived at self-acceptance with The Mummy’s Curse already lined up and announced as the next title.
There’s a lovely balance of monster to relatable here. Lowell’s school has its little gang of bullies, Lowell’s Dad says strange things about acne and body hair when asked about ‘changes’ (which Lowell reckons is gross,) and Lowell has a passion for learning about space as much as he likes howling at the moon. This balance makes the story accessible and enjoyable for readers who haven’t yet discovered their secret monster alter-ego. The story’s themes of friendship and self-acceptance make it a positive and uplifting read for younger readers. It is produced in a format aimed at five to eight year olds but would be relevant to older primary school readers too.
The illustration style is fabulous – it mixes the vibes of currently popular horror/mystery such a Wednesday with younger child friendly purples, oranges and slime greens commonly associated with Halloween enjoyment. There’s attitude but the round, wide-eyed faces and the details within the buildings (a starry duvet, cakes in the background of the support meeting) have the same effect. This is a taste of the current trend in older age groups for younger readers.
I am delighted to see a new series in this format. The Werewolf’s Tale starts the series off on a strong note and I imagine this will become very popular. Witty, warm and just a tad spooky, this will engross and delight its readers.
- Monster Support Group: The Werewolf’s Tale by Laura Suárez is out now from Flying Eye Books. RRP. £8.99 (Received in exchange for review)
