Janitors by Tyler Whitesides

This book is a little strange, and is the first in a series, but I gave it a rating of four out of five. Spencer starts seeing some strange creatures lurking around his school, but no one else can see them. Classmates think he's trying to get attention, and his teacher thinks he's being disruptive. Eventually, Spencer learns the creatures "... inhale brain waves of young people and exhale certain toxins that affect children's ability to learn." The janitors want to gather the creatures to get their magical properties. Or do they? Spencer later realizes that he may have made a huge mistake and that his actions may lead to dumbness of all future students in the world.

This plot is so unusual that it's interesting. Who could think up the idea that brooms, mops, vacuum cleaners, and lint could actually become weapons against magical creatures? I kind of expected the school bully to become Spencer's helper, but that didn't happen. Spencer ended up being assisted by his mousy, gullible classmate, Daisy. This book won't interest everyone, but it's a change from more serious novels.