Ghoulfriends Forever

February 1, 2013

Gr 4-6-Part of Mattel's toy, website, and television franchise, this series title features three teens new to Monster High. Rochelle (a gargoyle), Robecca (a robot), and Venus (a Venus flytrap) become friends as they learn their way around the campus. They constantly encounter obstacles, from troll hall monitors who may or may not eat them, to teachers with severe emotional problems, to cute boys who aren't their boyfriends. Every class, every location in the school, and every character's name is a pun. The girls check out books in the Libury, shop at the Maul, and go to Physical Deaducation. They are adjusting well until a new teacher begins casting a spell over the whole school, and they set out to find a way to stop her. Few readers over the age of 11 will be amused by the overly cheesy attempts at humor and the cookie-cutter plot. Black-and-white illustrations throughout add to the cutesy feel and help readers picture all of the strange creatures in the story. This book will have a small audience.-Mandy Laferriere, Staley Middle School, Frisco, TX

Copyright 2013 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

January 1, 2013
This spinoff of Lisi Harrison's Monster High series follows three new monsters: Rochelle, a gargoyle; Venus, a Venus flytrap; and Robecca, a robot prone to steaming. The "ghoulfriends" investigate some strange happenings at the school that appear to revolve around a popular teacher. The thin story primarily consists of bad monster-related puns; unfinished-looking manga-style illustrations accompany the forced, awkward writing.

(Copyright 2013 by The Horn Book, Incorporated, Boston. All rights reserved.)