October 1, 2024
Meet Nancy Spector, a feisty, accomplished detective. Big-eyed, violet-haired, tan-skinned Nancy and her opinionated talking dog, Jinx, have a new client: an invisible professor who has lost his invisible pooch, Spot. The pair search the Professor's house and lab, as well as Spot's amazingly well-equipped invisible doghouse. This graphic novel moves briskly, with surprising twists and turns, including an underground encounter with "adorable creatures of death," in one of many original settings. Pham's manga-esque illustrations artfully bring to life Nancy's supernatural-infused world: a two-headed pterosaurlike creature, a young vampire's spooky mansion, a diner where monsters nosh on eyeballs and fish heads, and a cemetery where Nancy visits her late parents. When Nancy becomes discouraged after a trap baited with a hot dog catches her monster friend Fred instead of Spot, her parents find a subtle way to show their support as flowers spontaneously blossom on their graves. Nancy is a complex character, direct and sure of herself but humanized by moments of doubt. Ultimately, her self-confidence returns, resulting in a happy conclusion, not to mention a brand-new evil nemesis. Readers of this clever take on the mystery genre will be eager for repeat readings and anticipate a sequel. There's no mystery here--this is one inspired, poignant, and imaginative tale.(Graphic fantasy. 7-11)
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November 1, 2024
Grades 2-5 Seeking professional help to find his invisible dog, the invisible man turns to an experienced detective--a spunky eight-year-old. More hampered than helped by her sidekick, Jinx, an irascible dog with an insatiable appetite, the intrepid investigator pursues clues in an offbeat world populated by monsters, ghosts, and other fantastical creatures. Rendered as a stubby Sherlock with sausage curls and sporting a plaid jacket over a frilly Victorian frock, Nancy cheerfully navigates perilous yet wacky situations, hailing every new absurdly menacing entity as one of her old pals. Though several promising leads fizzle, the dauntless detective prevails, using her noggin--and her sneezing doggo--to pursue a final ingenious line of inquiry. Flexing her exceptional visual development skills, debut illustrator Pham uses a saturated palette of rich purples and greens to conjure a delightfully bizarre world populated by quirky characters, where every dynamic panel brims with inventive detail. Wielding zany humor in ever-spiraling plot twists, this wild and whimsical fantasy by prolific author Martin delivers a riotous adventure with a promise of even more wicked fun to come.
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