Lockjaw

Gr 9 Up–There’s a monster in Bridlington, and 11-year-old Paz Espino is determined to kill it. As she sets off on her journey, she veers further apart from her popular sister, Marcela. As Marcela tries her best to better understand Paz, she eventually meets town outsiders Asher and Beetle. Asher, new to town, tries his best to blend in but harbors a secret: he is unhoused. Ex-local Beetle Hoang returns to Bridlington, but quickly starts plotting his grand escape. Asher and Beetle are trans, but whereas Asher spends most of his time trying to blend in and not make waves, Beetle stands out with his blue hair and acerbic personality. Marcela, Beetle, and Asher all start to feel the ephemeral monster everywhere. When the connections between Paz, Beetle, Marcela, and Asher are finally exposed, the kids quickly learn that the supernatural is at work and vengeful spirits are out for blood. Is there a way to talk down the ghosts and save the town? Cerilli’s debut is both unsettling and engaging. There’s a fair amount of jumping around from the perspectives of all the different characters, including Asher’s dog, Bird, and of play with the time line of events—the book is not told in a completely linear format, but readers don’t discover this until they are about two-thirds of the way through. Despite some of the more confusing elements, this novel does tell a fairly original story that manages to keep pace with the climactic end.