Goners Volume 1: We All Fall Down

Gr 8 Up—The Latimer family is famous for protecting humanity by fighting against paranormal creatures. When Raleigh and Evelyn Latimer are murdered by monsters, their children Josiah and Zoe are faced with the choice of trying to hide or fighting back. As the story unfolds, Josiah and Zoe are pursued by monsters over and over again, and they find allies and enemies in unexpected places while trying to stay alive. This is a bloody, scary, and gruesome book, and teens who enjoy plenty of monsters and action will be attracted this imaginative story. Unfortunately, jumping back and forth between so many different locales and time periods will be taxing and even bewildering for readers. The story features a large variety of paranormal creatures, and there is an extremely helpful overview of creature types included at the end of the book, which may clarify some confusion. The colorful illustrations will appeal to teens, striking a great balance between the cute and cartoonlike figures of the young protagonists and the terrifying monsters who want to destroy them. VERDICT This title will appeal to fans of monsters and action, but even they might need a flowchart to help them follow and fully understand the plot.—Andrea Lipinski, New York Public Library