The trouble is, Violet is being pursued at that moment by a strange hook-handed man. It seems that Violet Parma, a fearless girl around his age, lost her parents at the hotel when she was a baby, and she’s sure that the nervous Herbert is the only person who can help her find them. Inside, young Herbert Lemon, Lost and Founder for the hotel, has an unexpected visitor. It’s winter in the town of Eerie-on-Sea, where the mist is thick and the salt spray is rattling the windows of the Grand Nautilus Hotel. Kids who can handle a scare or two will enjoy the action, adventure, magic, and mystery along the way.A quirky, creepy fantasy set in Eerie-on-Sea finds a colorful cast of characters in hot pursuit of a sea monster thought to convey a surprising gift. The story wraps up nicely while leaving plenty of room for more to come. Other themes include friendship, trust, and the joys and dangers of discovery. Neither Herbie nor Violet has parents, and themes of loss are explored with sensitivity but not too deeply. Sprinkled throughout are vivid illustrations that bring the story to life. Author Thomas Taylor's entertaining use of language, especially when it comes to people and place names his sly sense of humor and chapters with cliffhanger endings make it a great choice to read aloud. The plot moves along at a brisk pace with plenty of twists and turns along the way. Malamander is populated with colorful, quirky characters led by the clever and intrepid duo of 12-year-olds, Herbie and Violet. This delightfully spooky fantasy series opener for big kids and tweens drips with charm and chills, thanks to sprinklings of magic, humor, and mystery along with a dash of steampunk. Strong language includes one instance each of 'damned' and 'hell,' and some potty talk involving fossilized dinosaur 'turd' and 'poo.' Both heroes are good role models, and dark-skinned girls with curly hair will especially enjoy seeing a strong heroine who looks like them. Herbie is a foundling so has never had a family, and Violet's parents are missing and presumed dead. The story explores themes of loss, of both people and things. A few illustrations show scary fantasy creatures, and one shows a man being held by giant tentacles. Blood is mentioned a few times but not described in detail, the villain punches a child in the face, shoots harpoons at a child and a fantasy creature, and throws a cat into a shelf and knocks it out. There's lots of suspense and scariness from heroes in danger from both real-world and fantasy creatures.

Parents need to know that Thomas Taylor's Malamander: Legends of Eerie-on-Sea, Book 1 is the first book in a planned fantasy series aimed at middle-grade readers.

Malamander book 2