Grumpfort
Publisher: Usborne
Bogfoss is surrounded by a dark wood filled with monsters of all shapes and sizes. It is up to the Wardens to protect the village from attack; a team of monster catchers and expert fighters… except for one. Meet Mo, the newest (puniest) Warden and the hero of our story.
To prove his doubters wrong, Mo sets out hoping to catch himself a fierce beast but ends up trapped inside Grumpfort, the home of monsters. He isforced to join a ragtag team of creatures on a mission to catch the terrifying Grumpsnatcher. As the adventure unfurls, he realises that the monster’s terrible reputations might not be true after all. Perhaps with his help there can be peace in Bogfoss at last.
This is an awesome debut from author-illustrator Jamie Hammond. The story is humorous and pacey and is complemented by a generous number of fabulous illustrations throughout. Mo is a classic underdog character who readers will empathise with, and his ragtag band of monster friends bring a lot of energy and colour to the adventure.
The book touches on themes of accepting differences and being true to yourself, but primarily this is a humorous, action-driven book, with plenty of remarkable monsters, fight scenes and slapstick.