Beware what lurks beneath your bed. . . It could lead to a monstrous adventure.
Thirteen-year-old Lissa Black is miserable when her parents force her to move from New York City (the perfect home for an aspiring writer/director/actress) to Freeburg, Pennsylvania, nowhere capital of the world. There's nothing to do there, except play her little sister Haylie's favorite new game, Monsterville, and hang out with her new neighbor Adam.
But when a walk in the woods lands her face-to-face with a swamp monster hungry for brains and then a Sasquatch that moos, even Lissa can't call her new home totally boring. With Adam's help, she catches the culprit behind the drama: a shape-shifting goblin who's fled from the monster world of Down Below.
And what do you do with a creature that can be literally anything? Make monster movies, of course! Lissa is convinced that Blue will be the secret to her big break.
But when Haylie goes missing on Halloween, Lissa, Adam, and the monster must venture Down Below to stage a rescue-and face the real Monsterville, which is anything but a game.
Monsterville is a fusion of The Boxtrolls, Jumanji, and Candyland, weaving together friendship, family, and monsters into a funny fantasy-horror brimming with heart from a great new middle grade voice.
"What a fun read! The perfect book for the boy scout who wants to be prepared in Monsterville, for the monster who can't decide what to become, and (of course) for the director who might have to take on a starring role."
Kelly Jones, author of Unusual Chickens for the Exceptional Poultry Farmer
"[A] suspenseful monster story; it's funny, too. . . Middle grade readers will appreciate that Lissa's obstacles are not just of the creepy variety."
School Library Journal
"An absolute delight. Full of humor with a fresh voice, and just plain fun to read."
Penny Warner, two-time award-winning author of The Code Busters Club series
