Eowulf

Gr 3--8--Eowulf Wegmund is a middle schooler who enjoys gaming with her friends. She also just happens to be a descendant of Beowulf--yes, that Beowulf. When she's not in school, she trains with her best friend, a magic sword named Roger, to fight monsters that threaten the world. She used to have a much looser definition of fighting monsters until she realized that "if you spend your life hunting creatures because they're different from you…you're the monster." Having spent a summer rescuing unicorns from a pocket dimension and fighting alongside her friend Nico Bravo, she's back in New Jersey playing D&D and trying to make amends with schoolmate Amadeus Hornburg, the student body's punching bag. Right as Eowulf starts getting through to Amadeus, a mysterious monster attacks the town, and the two have to investigate who's really behind the attacks, uncovering family secrets in the process. A fun spin-off of the "Nico Bravo" series, Eowulf stands on its own as an action-packed adventure with witty dialogue and entertaining characters. Cavallaro seamlessly moves the action between fantasy RPG and reality--past and present--giving readers a little bit of everything in this wild tale. VERDICT Graphic novel fans are going to devour Eowulf's first solo adventure, and likely ask for seconds. --Rosemary Kiladitis

The lines between friends and enemies blur for a young descendant of Beowulf when monsters threaten her New Jersey town. In this graphic novel spinoff from Cavallaro's Nico Bravo series, red-haired monster hunter Eowulf Wegmund loves battling mystical foes in real life as well as participating in role-playing games with her friends. After seeing aloof Amadeus Hornburg being bullied at school, she befriends him. Her parents warn her against hanging out with a Hornburg, and her gaming squad, who dislike him, are equally displeased. Eowulf feels like everyone is keeping secrets from her, but her anxiety must go on a back burner when rampaging monsters descend upon her quiet, suburban town. With her trusty sentient sword, Roger, she plunges into battle--only to find the battle lines blurry: Whom can she really trust? This new series hits a masterful note in its complex symphony of tween angst; Eowulf knows that something is amiss, and watching her forge ahead with candor and impulsivity makes her a compulsively relatable and endearing hero. Vivid, kinetic illustrations propel the adept plotting, and the coloring by Yeom makes the exciting battles positively blaze on the page. Nico Bravo aficionados will be pleased with winking nods to the trilogy throughout, and the clever, cliffhanging epilogue will certainly hook all readers. Eowulf reads white; there is racial diversity throughout the supporting cast. A pitch-perfect tale of friendship and fantastical foes. (Graphic fantasy. 8-12) Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.