Dr. Critchlore's School for Minions

Gr 4–6—Runt Higgins is a werewolf. Well, sort of. He swears he turned once when he was seven, but his canines just won't come in. Luckily, Runt attends Dr. Critchlore's School for Minions, where "Slow and steady wins the race, if you have minions to sabotage your opponent." In her debut, Grau introduces a contemporary fantasy world that is a perfect blend of Hogwarts and Monsters University. Readers learn quickly, however, that all is not well in minion-land. Something is amiss at the School, and Runt is sniffing out the trouble. Backed by a humorous band of friends—Syke the half-nymph, Eloni the troll, and Frank 25, who can't keep his head on straight (literally)—Runt is on a mission to expose the evildoers sabotaging his school. Dr. Critcholore's is well paced, despite an overly pat resolution, complete with twists, red herrings, and zombies. The narrative is sometimes distracted by an overuse of canine-inspired expletives ("Dog Whistles!"), and readers are likely to be skeptical of the just-add-water friendship that blossoms in the last few chapters, but the humor alone keeps this one going. If readers still need convincing, just turn to one of the fantastic illustrations of zombies. Recommended for advanced elementary school readers and reluctant middle graders, this will appeal to a wide audience.—Taylor Worley, Springfield Public Library, OR