Gremlins!

Gr 3–5—This graphic novel set is less than successful, especially compared with "Jr. Graphic Myths: Greek Heroes," in part because the subject material is much broader and there is no inherent story structure to the topic. Each book opens with a tale about modern kids learning about topics such as vampires or wizards. The Undead! has the most problematic framework, featuring two children whose parents attempt to discourage their love of horror movies by sending them to their grandfather's farm where he can scare the pants off them with terrifying stories of the undead, which makes the book feel more like a lesson than a supernatural guide. Sorcerers, Spells, and Magic has a particularly bad retelling of the Merlin story but does a nice job with the tale of John Dee, with whom readers are less likely to be familiar. UFOs! takes a sensationalist stance on unidentified objects, never admitting the possibility that they might not be real. The strongest of the collection is Gremlins!, which tells the most limited and least familiar story (a World War II British pilot learning about elflike creatures that can damage or repair airplanes). Overall, libraries should give this one a pass, unless they have a strong need for graphic novels.