(3) YA Stone Man Mysteries series. Illustrated by Orion Zangara. When young Scottish lad Craig contemplates suicide, he's talked out of it by Silex, a gargoyle who runs a detective agency. Silex convinces Craig to join him in solving a series of baffling murders. Craig and his plight provide stark realism to an otherwise fantastical story. The graphic novel's black-and-white illustrations are dark and moody, which matches the gloomy setting.

Reviewer: Antonio Trujillo

(3) 4-6 Seelie Wars series. In this trilogy-ender, unlikely friends Aspen--the new Seelie king--and human healer Snail face war with Old Jack Daw and the Unseelie Court. The two split up to muster their forces before rejoining at the climactic battle. Action abounds in this fantasy adventure, but it's well balanced by humor, friendship, and the protagonists' satisfying emotional growth.

Reviewer: Antonio Trujillo

(3) 4-6 Seelie Wars series. Prince Aspen and midwife's apprentice Snail must survive to somehow prevent the impending war between two armies. They join up with a company of traveling performers, finding enemies on all sides; the odd couple must learn how to overcome their mutual antipathy and work together. Humorous wordplay and jokes lighten the tension without slowing the action and adventure.

Reviewer: Antonio Trujillo

(3) 4-6 Seelie Wars series. Prince Aspen and apprentice midwife Snail become unlikely companions during their escape from the Unseelie kingdom. The duo, a royal and a commoner, must overcome their antipathy toward each other and work together toward a common goal: survival. The threat of war adds still more tension. Richly complex characters carry this exciting coming-of-age journey through royal courts and mystical woods.

Reviewer: Antonio Trujillo

(2) 4-6 Twelve-year-old Sammy Greenburg is a victim. School bullies make Sammy's days miserable, but things begin to look up when he befriends a new student named Skink. When Skink is beaten by the same bullies who make Sammy's life a nightmare, Sammy creates a golem to protect them. Though utterly far-fetched, this is a likable tale with a clear and laudable message about friendship. Glos.

Reviewer: Dean Schneider | Horn Book Magazine Issue: March, 2013