★ 02/21/2022
Ladybird Scouts may portray themselves as community-minded young women with a fondness for tea parties and pastel colors, but in truth, they’re also warriors who covertly protect the world from interdimensional monsters that most folks can’t see. Critter-class mulligrubs are drawn to the mortal realm by intense emotions, which they gorge upon before transforming into Carnivore-stage people-eaters. Prudence Perry—a half–Puerto Rican, half-white 16-year-old from Northern California—was a third-generation Ladybird until three years ago, when she quit after her best friend died during a hunt. Physically scarred and living with an anxiety disorder and PTSD, Prue now spends her free time with a group of lovable “civilian” misfits—or at least, she did, until she broke curfew. As punishment, Prue must either transfer to an all-girls private school, or dust off her daggers and devote her summer to training new Scouts. Anderson (The Throwback List) deftly balances snarky humor and heart-thumping action with affecting discussions about friendship, inclusivity, and mental health. The surprise-studded plot seamlessly integrates both Anderson’s clever, unique mythology and excerpts from the Ladybird Handbook, and the realistically rendered, intersectionally diverse cast is kind, charismatic, and full of moxie. Ages 14–up. Agent: Laura Zats, Headwater Literary. (Apr.)
★ PRINTZ HONOR BOOK
A Buzzfeed 40 Highly Anticipated Young Adult Novels Releasing In 2022 Selection
A Book Riot Most Anticipated Book of 2022 Selection
A Tor.com New Young Adult SFF for March & April 2022 Selection
★ "Anderson deftly balances snarky humor and heart-thumping action with affecting discussions about friendship, inclusivity, and mental health. The surprise-studded plot seamlessly integrates both Anderson’s clever, unique mythology and excerpts from the Ladybird Handbook, and the realistically rendered, intersectionally diverse cast is kind, charismatic, and full of moxie." —Publishers Weekly, Starred Review
★ "Anderson. . .has written a ridiculously fun and campy horror romp, which also incorporates thoughtful commentary about mental and emotional health, inclusion, and facing your fears." —Booklist, Starred Review
★ "Buffy fans. . .will be. . reveling in the whirl of teen angst and ichor-spattered fun." —Kirkus Reviews, Starred Review
★ "With a sly sense of humor and nostalgia . . . author Lily Anderson offers a clever subversion of “chosen one” narratives as the novel explores tantalizing “what ifs” like “What if Buffy had just gone to a psychiatrist?” and “What if Girl Scouts were masters of cookies—and karate?” It’s an absurd premise, but Anderson makes it work through unself-conscious world building and a skillful blend of fantastical and real-world threats. . . It’s hilarious and heart-wrenching in equal measure. " —BookPage, Starred Review
"This campy novel is original and funny with adventurous and likeable characters who play off each other with ease despite their personality differences. The connection that the main character makes with the new recruits is heartwarming and real. The creatures are descriptive and readers will enjoy the teen angst and Prudence’s keen decision-making." —School Library Journal
"Sharp, fun characters on both sides of Prue’s life bring wit and humor, while the baddies are conceptually cool . . . The true focus here, however, is Prue, who’s struggling with . . . the complex mix of pride, protectiveness, and guilt that she brings to her Ladybird role. . . Many readers will likely relate to the weight of family obligations and how they may conflict with the development of an independent adolescent identity." —The Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books
04/01/2022
Gr 8 Up—Prudence Perry, 16, is a third generation Ladybird Scout. She has spent plenty of time doing her share of community service and earning badges through crafts and baking; however, she has also spent a fair amount of time slaying mulligrub monsters before her best friend was killed by one. Prudence is recruited to train a new group of Ladybirds in the art of taking down these dangerous creatures that feed on anger and sadness and are running rampant around the northern area of California. This campy novel is original and funny with adventurous and likeable characters who play off each other with ease despite their personality differences. The connection that the main character makes with the new recruits is heartwarming and real. The creatures are descriptive and readers will enjoy the teen angst and Prudence's keen decision-making. Not only does this novel deliver adventure and good deeds but also a good dose of pop culture with many references throughout. Characters are of various ethnicities and race and the main character, Prudence, is white and Puerto Rican. VERDICT Fans of Stranger Things will dig into this comedic horror novel.—Karen Alexander
Frankie Corzo pulls out all the stops as she narrates this clever story of the tea-drinking, pink-clad Ladybird Scouts and the inter-dimensional monsters they must destroy. High school junior Prudence Perry temporarily left the Scouts after a carnivorous grub killed her best friend. Now, she has an opportunity to permanently sever her ties with them, but first she must shepherd a new group through basic training. With impressive emotional range, Corzo brings out Prue's cautious excitement as she connects with the newbies and embraces the thrill of the hunt. Corzo captures her exhilaration, as well as her yearning for normalcy and her tender feelings for her boyfriend, Kyle. This refreshingly nuanced tale of monsters, mayhem, and coming into one's own makes an impact. S.A.H. © AudioFile 2023, Portland, Maine
Frankie Corzo pulls out all the stops as she narrates this clever story of the tea-drinking, pink-clad Ladybird Scouts and the inter-dimensional monsters they must destroy. High school junior Prudence Perry temporarily left the Scouts after a carnivorous grub killed her best friend. Now, she has an opportunity to permanently sever her ties with them, but first she must shepherd a new group through basic training. With impressive emotional range, Corzo brings out Prue's cautious excitement as she connects with the newbies and embraces the thrill of the hunt. Corzo captures her exhilaration, as well as her yearning for normalcy and her tender feelings for her boyfriend, Kyle. This refreshingly nuanced tale of monsters, mayhem, and coming into one's own makes an impact. S.A.H. © AudioFile 2023, Portland, Maine
★ 2022-01-11
Typical Ladybird Scout activities: knitting, baking, white-gloved tea parties—and slaying invisible monsters.
Anderson pits a squad of preteen Northern California trainees and their 16-year-old instructor, Prudence, against mulligrubs—gross, sometimes-dangerous creatures only Ladybirds or, sometimes, their descendants can see that are drawn to this dimension to intensify and feed on anger, sadness, fear, and other feelings. Pru, who has PTSD and quit the Scouts three years ago after her closest circle mate was eaten, has been railroaded by her Ladybird Dame mom into filling in the latest batch of bright-eyed recruits on the basics of martial arts and proper deportment. As she leads them through projects ranging from rooting a toxic Nock Jaw out of a working fun house to setting up a free car wash, she reluctantly finds herself bonding with them. A climactic nighttime graveyard battle with a huge mulligrub eager to feast on her terror and anxieties brings her to the cusp of a decision. The metaphorical level is there for readers inclined to dig for it, but they, particularly the Buffy fans among them, will be better off reveling in the whirl of teen angst and ichor-spattered fun. Led by Pru, who is White and Puerto Rican, and her BFF Sasha “the Beast” Nezhad, cued as Persian, the cast displays an effervescent mix of racial and ethnic identities and character types from meek to (truly) mean girl.
Anyone with a yen for community service, particularly the martial sort, will be hot to sign up. (Fantasy. 13-17)
