Book Review: Ava the Monster Slayer: Cousin Power

Ava the Monster Slayer: Cousin Power. Lisa Maggiore. Sky Pony Press, November 5, 2019. Hardcover and E-book, 35 pages.

Reviewed by Susan Gaspar.

Ava the Monster Slayer: Cousin Power is the second book of a series—the first being Ava the Monster Slayer: A Warrior Who Wears Glasses. I chuckled at that title and immediately wanted to read it. As a child who was forced to wear glasses in grade school, it’s nice to feel recognized. And I was taken with the concept of a young female heroine in prescription eyewear, so the engaging cover art the author’s new book drew me right in. 

Since the colorful artwork grabbed my attention first, I’ll start there.

This isn’t the typical illustrated children’s book most of us grew up with and often see. There is nothing static or traditional here. This book includes kinetic graphic art, and its heavily saturated colors are filled with action and speed. 

The images jump off the page, grab you, and pull you into the story. Sometimes the story is continued solely within the art itself, as when a character exclaims as a reaction to the unfolding plot. The book is formatted like a graphic novel, running from one panel to the next, leading you along quickly through the tale as it springs to life.  

To say I was charmed with the way the book is laid out and designed would be an understatement. The book is entertaining for both kids and adults. There is tongue-in-cheek humor just under the surface that made me laugh as I followed along. It's hard not to feel connected to Ava, a self-proclaimed “warrior” with a lot of energy, chutzpah, and imagination, along with just a smidgen of childhood trepidation. 

The story is told from Ava’s point of view, and I was drawn into her universe from the start, even without having read the first book. Within the first three pages, I was off and running into an exciting adventure. And what better childhood adventure than sleep-away camp? 

The camp holds the perfect amount of excitement and anxiety for children, especially for first-timers like Ava and her cousin Sophia. Their nervousness to go camping is quickly outweighed by the fun of actually being there, and for children reading or hearing the story who are preparing to go camping for the first time, this could be a pivotal moment. And then, suddenly, there is a plot twist: the girls’ beloved stuffed animals are lost in the woods after a day of hiking, and they must be found.  

Ava rises to the occasion to be the warrior she is, and she and Sophia put their heads together to hatch a plan. Step by step, we see them strategize ways to outwit the challenges that the nighttime woods hold. How they prepare to defeat any monsters they encounter is wild fun, complete with overly-dramatic reactions from the characters, graphic art-rendered sound effects, and larger-than-life images you can almost hear.

I especially loved how darkness and nighttime were depicted. The pictures have richness and coziness, along with a hint of mystery that makes them feel just a little bit dangerous—but not entirely unsafe. And if you have a goal to overcome a challenge like Ava and her cousin, it’s wise to understand the difference between risk and danger—the first of which is often the way to overcome the second. 

You should be a fast page-turner to enjoy the pace in which this story was intended to be told, but the artwork is so endearing that you might want to linger. I read the book several times to take it all in, and every time, I smiled. Of course, there is a happy ending, complete with giant red letters exclaiming, "WE DID IT."

Ava is a role model for children in that she knows her worth, and allows her experience, best instincts, and available resources to guide her through challenges, and follows through on her actions. Ava the Monster Slayer; Cousin Power succeeds on many levels and would be an engaging addition to any child’s book collection.