The Magnificent Monsters of Cedar Street by Laurn Oliver

My name is Cordelia, and I wish I could tell people that my father is a veterinarian for monsters. My mother was a famous author of a book on monsters before she disappeared several years ago. However, most people are either terrified of them or don't believe they exist. It makes life difficult, since I often find myself fighting with classmates. I regret that a monster cost me my best friend. Today, I woke up to discover all of the monsters and my father missing, and a threatening letter in his desk. I don't have any clue as to where they've gone, but a homeless boy named Gregory has offered to help. We make a strange team. I'm trying to hide a baby dragon and a filch, while Gregory has a zombie puppy, a zuppy. I don't know where this adventure will lead, but I have a feeling there's much more to this kidnapping than I know.

The plot didn't provide anything new or novel, but that only made the events easily relatable. The book was set it late 1800's in England. I most enjoyed the three monsters with Cordelia and Gregory, as they were quirky and unpredictable. The zuppy was impulsive, needed a little blood each day, but was Gregory's best friend. The dragon mostly remained hidden until his fire breath was needed. I had some trouble picturing the filch, but he reminded me of a bundled up little chimpanzee. A subplot developed, as Cordelia was forced to face some unresolved issues with her former best friend. This led to the emergence of some additional details about the relationship between monsters and humans. The kids met a gentleman later in the book with interesting views of monsters, the animal kingdom, and humans. Are humans the real monsters? When was the last time you read a middle grade book that discussed Darwin and his theory of evolution? The conflict boiled down to humans' intolerance for things that are different or unexplained. The story's antagonist, revealed late in the book, had a surprising backstory of his own regarding monsters and humans. The plot became an adventure mystery, as the kids tried to locate Cordelia's father and the missing monsters. Overall, I enjoyed the book and can easily recommend it to you. Give it a shot.