Trollhunters by Guillermo del Toro & Daniel Kraus

Ill. by Sean Murray. Hot Key Books, 2015. ISBN 9781471405273
(Age: 13-15) Guillermo del Toro and Daniel Kraus have created a dark underworld inhabited with hungry trolls whose favourite food is children! In the late 1960's in San Bernadino, California, nearly two hundred children disappear, never to be seen again. On Jack Sturges's birthday, he's out for a ride on his new bike with his younger brother and forgets his parents' warning to be home before dark. As they ride near the Holland Transit Bridge, a terrifying creature catches Jack and young Jim has to race for home narrowly escaping from the monster with black fur, horns, claws and massive teeth.
In the present day Jim has grown up to be a paranoid father, living in a house with steel shutters, ten locks on the front door, flood lights and security cameras, protecting himself and his fifteen year old son, James Sturges Jr. - Jim. His middle school life is filled with issues, first crush, bullying, problems with Math and friendships. One night, he's dragged through a hole beneath his bed and into the troll underworld. He meets his lost uncle who is still as young as the day he disappeared and is drawn into a mighty battle against multiple species of the grossest, dirtiest, most frightening trolls lead by the fearsome Gunmar.
Trollhunters is suited to the fans of fantasy adventure stories where the underdog saves the world, aided by the nerdy sidekick and of course save the damsel in distress. The dark complex illustrations by Sean Murray add to the rich descriptions of the troll's kingdom. The novel is takes time to set up and needs commitment to finish, middle school life is stereotypical whilst the fantasy underworld is much more rounded and exciting.
Rhyllis Bignell