Scarlett Hart: Monster Hunter by Marcus Sedgwick and Thomas Taylor, 208 pp, RL 4

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Scarlett Hart: Monster Hunter is the debut graphic novel from Marcus Sedgwick, author of Printz winner Midwinter Blood. Along with Thomas Taylor, they have created a fast-paced, kinda creepy monster story with a quick thinking, fearless protagonist.
Scarlett Hart is an orphan carrying on the work of her parents, who were also monster hunters, with the help of Napoleon White, (butler, chauffeur, assistant monster hunter, surrogate father and owner of Dorothy, an amazing car) and Mrs. White, (head housekeeper, cook and repairer of Dorothy). Unfortunately, she is an underaged monster hunter and therefore working illegally, according to The Royal Academy for the Pursuit and Eradication of Zoological Eccentricities (T.R.A.P.E.Z.E.) To keep her family home, Ravenwood Hall, running, Scarlett and Napoleon hunt in secret, with Napoleon collecting the bounty on their catches. Unfortunately, there is someone who is out to get her. 
Count Stankovic, not really a count, just happens to be releasing monsters into the world while also making life difficult for Scarlett. How Scarlett and Napoleon get to the bottom of the Count's diabolical plans, and the monsters they have to battle to do it makes for a fantastic read. Taylor's illustrations have a steampunk edge to them and his monsters, from flying demons to wraiths on horseback are definitely ghoulish. Scarlett gets her hands on some pretty cool contraptions over the course of the graphic novel and the ending definitely leaves readers wanting more!



Source: Review Copy


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