Henry Hunter and the Beast of Snagov - Softcover

John Matthews is a historian, screenwriter and children's author who has produced more than 90 books on myth, the Arthurian Legends and Grail Studies, as well as short stories, a volume of poetry. In 2003 he was the historical advisor to the Jerry Bruckheimer movie King Arthur, and has made appearances on both History Channel and Discovery Channel specials on Arthur and the Holy Grail. He shared a BAFTA award for his work on the educational DVD made to accompany the King Arthur movie. His previous titles include Arthur of Albion, The Barefoot Book of Knights, Pirates, and Pirates: Most Wanted,

Gr 4–6—The first installment in a new middle grade series about two English schoolboys who could not be more different. Sheepish Adolphus Pringle, known as Dolf, narrates as he follows the trail of the bold and brilliant Henry, a "twelve-year-old millionaire genius," to solve a Transylvanian mystery. A strength of the story is the bewildered voice of Dolf, who would have never gotten into any of this drama had it not been for his friendship with the quixotic Hunter. This is a fast-paced and humorous spin on Bram Stoker's Dracula. Matthews is a folklorist, so it is no surprise that the tale is filled with "revamped" myths of vampires, including a secret society, the Count's motorcycling daughter, and the mysterious slimy beast referred to in the title. It could be paired with the classic to learn more about the textual references or with a nonfiction book on folklore or Romanian castles. Some readers may find it funny that in this novel Dracula's daughter, Bella, shares the same name as Stephenie Meyer's protagonist in the "Twilight" series. That is about where the similarity ends. The vampire Bella frequently saves the two 12-year-olds from danger and despite her cool spiky hair never becomes a romantic interest. The stylized pen-and-ink vignettes by Tankard are atmospheric and playful. Like the author, he consistently portrays these characters with equal amounts of danger and humor. VERDICT An action-filled middle grade adventure series debut with a unique pair of protagonists; may also spark interest through its plays on literature and folklore.—Jennifer Gibson, SUNY Cortland