(2) 4-6 When their adventurer parents are out of town, Mira and Rosie Wolf-Drake have their hands full babysitting their little sister, Peanut, who, like many small children, has nightmares, draws on the walls, and acts up at daycare. Except Peanut happens to be a werebeast, liable to flood the house with her tears, bring her drawings to life, and shapeshift in front of her classmates. In a world that has long since turned its back on the corrupt, destructive magic of the past and now prioritizes technology and monster-hunting, Mira and Rosie frantically try to keep Peanut's abilities under control and a secret from the rest of Whisper Cove, all while contending with their parents' extended absence, their school rivals, and a sinister lurking creature. Tysoe's graphic-novel characters sport elastic, exaggerated facial expressions and distinct appearances (such as Peanut's shock of electric-blue hair and Mira's oversized glasses), and her world-building will be perfect for fans of the modern-fantasy worlds found in Nimona and the Lumberjanes series -- the sisters study sword-fighting at school but own cell phones -- especially as Whisper Cove reveals itself to harbor more magic than expected. The story concludes with an appreciation for unconventional, diverse communities -- in this case, among magicfolk -- and enough cliffhangers to offer hope that the Wolf-Drake sisters have a bright, magical future ahead of them.

Reviewer: Ed Spicer | Horn Book Magazine Issue: November, 2025

(3) K-3 With her colander helmet, gloves, flashlight, and snacks, intrepid Emi is ready to fight the monsters that "come out at night to be SPOOKY!" Emi sets a trap and crawls under the covers to wait. All's quiet until pup Cookie chases a ball out of the bedroom, and now Emi must venture into the dark to rescue her friend. The speech-bubble text helps convey just the right amount of scary; Tysoe's cartoon illustrations are drawn with a light hand, giving Emi's adventures a playful rather than tense vibe. Emi's flashlight beam doesn't reveal any monsters, but the illustrations show what's hiding in the inky blue shadows. The monsters emerge once Emi falls asleep..."Little girls are so scary!"

Reviewer: Kitty Flynn