Copyright Date:
2016
Edition Date:
2016
Release Date:
09/20/16
Pages:
229 pages
ISBN:
1-510-71038-8
ISBN 13:
978-1-510-71038-2
Dewey:
Fic
Dimensions:
22 cm.
Language:
English
Reviews:
School Library Journal
(Sat Oct 01 00:00:00 CDT 2016)
Gr 4-6 The first installment in a new middle grade series about two English schoolboys who could not be more different. Sheepish Adolphus Pringle, known as Dolf, narrates as he follows the trail of the bold and brilliant Henry, a "twelve-year-old millionaire genius," to solve a Transylvanian mystery. A strength of the story is the bewildered voice of Dolf, who would have never gotten into any of this drama had it not been for his friendship with the quixotic Hunter. This is a fast-paced and humorous spin on Bram Stoker's Dracula . Matthews is a folklorist, so it is no surprise that the tale is filled with "revamped" myths of vampires, including a secret society, the Count's motorcycling daughter, and the mysterious slimy beast referred to in the title. It could be paired with the classic to learn more about the textual references or with a nonfiction book on folklore or Romanian castles. Some readers may find it funny that in this novel Dracula's daughter, Bella, shares the same name as Stephenie Meyer's protagonist in the "Twilight" series. That is about where the similarity ends. The vampire Bella frequently saves the two 12-year-olds from danger and despite her cool spiky hair never becomes a romantic interest. The stylized pen-and-ink vignettes by Tankard are atmospheric and playful. Like the author, he consistently portrays these characters with equal amounts of danger and humor. VERDICT An action-filled middle grade adventure series debut with a unique pair of protagonists; may also spark interest through its plays on literature and folklore. Jennifer Gibson, SUNY Cortland
Adolphus Pringle lived a relatively normal life before he met Henry Hunter, but being the best friend of a twelve-year-old millionaire genius certainly makes life interesting. He has accompanied Henry on adventures all over the world and encountered dozens of supernatural creatures. Henry has a penchant for paranormal mysteries, and he never fails to drag his trusty sidekick, Dolf, into adventures to track down the truth in these mystical legends.
Henry announces one morning that he and Dolf are going to go in search of a creature more terrifying than Dracula himself: the Beast of Snagov. The pair of supernatural investigators travel from where Bram Stoker stayed in Whitby to Transylvania. Along the way they come across some strange things such as Dracula’s daughter, Bella, and an organization called the Order of the Dragon that wants to sacrifice Henry Hunter to the Beast of Snagov. When Henry is taken, it’s up to Dolf and Bella to team up and rescue him!
Will Henry survive this supernatural adventure? Get ready to discover the world of the supernatural through the eyes of our spooked narrator as he tags along on the first adventure in the Henry Hunter series!
Sky Pony Press, with our Good Books, Racehorse and Arcade imprints, is proud to publish a broad range of books for young readerspicture books for small children, chapter books, books for middle grade readers, and novels for young adults. Our list includes bestsellers for children who love to play Minecraft; stories told with LEGO bricks; books that teach lessons about tolerance, patience, and the environment, and much more. While not every title we publish becomes a New York Times bestseller or a national bestseller, we are committed to books on subjects that are sometimes overlooked and to authors whose work might not otherwise find a home.