Courtney Crumrin and the Night Things
Published by Oni Press
120pg, softcover, black & white
Category: Children's Fantasy
Dewey: 741.5 NAI or FIC NAI
Subjects: Comics and comic books, etc.; Action and adventure; Drama-Fiction; Ghost stories
Cover Price: $11.95 (order with code STAR17485)
Misfit Courtney thinks her life has taken a turn for the worse when her social-climbing-but-broke parents take her and move in with her father's aging Uncle Aloysius Crumrin in his creepy old home. Courtney cares little for society in general and doesn't fit in with her oblivious parents, and now she's in a school where all her classmates are wealthy and nasty. Uncle Aloysius has a reputation as a mysterious, probably crazy scientist, which doesn't help Courtney. Her classmates are bullies and hijack her, even though she doesn't have any money (it seems their parents have told them they must earn their way in the world, and so they prey on younger, weaker, poorer kids). Only one boy seems to like her, but he's totally nerdy and too scared to fight off the bullies; and the day Courtney dashes into the scary-looking woods and he follows her, he gets - well, eaten. Yes, there are monsters in the woods, and creepy goblin-things in the house, and Courtney can see them, even though her parents remain totally ignorant. Courtney explores the old library and finds a book of spells; when she tries one, it works too well and one of the bullies falls in love with her. Crusty old Uncle Aloysius actually helps her - he even seems to like her! Life could be improving. Then there's the night she gets stuck babysitting for some people her parents are trying to impress, and she discovers the baby is really a changeling; she has to go to the Goblin Market to rescue the child and runs into way more trouble than she ever imagined.
Courtney is feisty, grumpy, sarcastic, lonely, vulnerable - in other words, she's like many young teens who don't fit in with the "in" crowd. She faces her troubles with an attitude that she won't be beaten down and finds that she actually enjoys Uncle Aloysius' old home and fascinating library. The creepy things aren't too scary, even the people-eating monsters - they're really more attractive than the so-called "normal" people Courtney encounters. Many teens will be able to identify with the misfit, and can imagine making friends with the things that go bump in the night. This book isn't as dark as Naifeh's other creation, Gloomcookie, which appeals to older teens, especially those fascinated by all things Goth. It will appeal to Gloomcookie fans, but younger teens who like a little frisson of scariness with also like Courtney Crumrin, as will people who like Jill Thompson's Scary Godmother. This is suitable for young adult sections and is fine for most middle school age readers.
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120pg, softcover, black & white
Category: Children's Fantasy
Dewey: 741.5 NAI or FIC NAI
Subjects: Comics and comic books, etc.; Action and adventure; Drama-Fiction; Ghost stories
Cover Price: $11.95 (order with code STAR17485)
Misfit Courtney thinks her life has taken a turn for the worse when her social-climbing-but-broke parents take her and move in with her father's aging Uncle Aloysius Crumrin in his creepy old home. Courtney cares little for society in general and doesn't fit in with her oblivious parents, and now she's in a school where all her classmates are wealthy and nasty. Uncle Aloysius has a reputation as a mysterious, probably crazy scientist, which doesn't help Courtney. Her classmates are bullies and hijack her, even though she doesn't have any money (it seems their parents have told them they must earn their way in the world, and so they prey on younger, weaker, poorer kids). Only one boy seems to like her, but he's totally nerdy and too scared to fight off the bullies; and the day Courtney dashes into the scary-looking woods and he follows her, he gets - well, eaten. Yes, there are monsters in the woods, and creepy goblin-things in the house, and Courtney can see them, even though her parents remain totally ignorant. Courtney explores the old library and finds a book of spells; when she tries one, it works too well and one of the bullies falls in love with her. Crusty old Uncle Aloysius actually helps her - he even seems to like her! Life could be improving. Then there's the night she gets stuck babysitting for some people her parents are trying to impress, and she discovers the baby is really a changeling; she has to go to the Goblin Market to rescue the child and runs into way more trouble than she ever imagined.
Courtney is feisty, grumpy, sarcastic, lonely, vulnerable - in other words, she's like many young teens who don't fit in with the "in" crowd. She faces her troubles with an attitude that she won't be beaten down and finds that she actually enjoys Uncle Aloysius' old home and fascinating library. The creepy things aren't too scary, even the people-eating monsters - they're really more attractive than the so-called "normal" people Courtney encounters. Many teens will be able to identify with the misfit, and can imagine making friends with the things that go bump in the night. This book isn't as dark as Naifeh's other creation, Gloomcookie, which appeals to older teens, especially those fascinated by all things Goth. It will appeal to Gloomcookie fans, but younger teens who like a little frisson of scariness with also like Courtney Crumrin, as will people who like Jill Thompson's Scary Godmother. This is suitable for young adult sections and is fine for most middle school age readers.
