Another Kind

Six kids search for a new place to call home in this middle grade graphic novel debut by comic creators Cait May and Trevor Bream, for fans of Marvel’s Runaways and The Witch Boy by Molly Knox Ostertag. Another Kind is not your average monster story.
Tucked away in a government facility nicknamed the Playroom, six not-quite-human kids learn to control their strange and unpredictable abilities. Life is good—or safe, at least—hidden from the prying eyes of a judgmental world.
That is, until a security breach forces them out of their home and into the path of the Collector, a mysterious being with leech-like powers.
Can the group band together to thwart the Collector’s devious plan, or will they wind up the newest addition to his collection?\nAn ALSC Graphic Novel Reading List Title\nFrom School Library Journal\nGr 5 Up-At a remote government facility in the desert, six unusual kids growing up in an unorthodox pseudo-boarding school find their peaceful lives upended. The kids are cryptids, humanoid creatures with phenomenal powers-"irregularities," as they're called. Though their lives are somewhat typical, that changes when a creepy individual who has discovered their existence and is interested in "collecting" them tries to kidnap them. Thwarting his attempt, they embark on a harrowing cross-country journey to find a safe haven, all while the Collector's emissaries hunt them down at every turn. The six main characters include a reptilian alien (who comes out as nonbinary), a Nepali yeti, a Black werebear, and a young Cthulu with mixed heritage. Tertiary characters are diverse, with identified cultural backgrounds and gender expressions. There's much to adore here, from a richly developed, easily hateable villain to (spoiler alert) the ultimately happy ending. Lush, saturated colors fill the pages, and dynamic use of light and dark add charm to the characters, whose expressive faces convey endless emotion, including snark-invaluable in a book about teenage monsters. VERDICT Thrilling and packed with heart; an X-Men tale for the younger set.-Abby Bussen, Muskego P.L., WIα(c) Copyright 2011. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.