Seventh-grader Jamie is hiding her werewolf nature from classmates at her new school, afraid that they’ll make fun of her for her hairy legs, intense emotions, and general difference, like the kids at her old school. She finds new friends among a group of three girls, although it becomes clear that she doesn’t have much in common with them. When they warn her about goth Vera, who is rumored to be a vampire and shunned by the other students, Jamie wonders if Vera, a “monster” like herself, would actually understand her better.
Jamie and Vera deepen their friendship both in person and via an online server, where they feel freer to express their true selves. They also start to write fan fiction around their shared favorite television show. Their circle expands to include two of Vera’s other online friends, Peyton and Danny, whom Vera says are “weird” like them.
Jamie tries to balance her friendship with Vera with the “fitting in” that the other girls represent. When one of the stories that Jamie and Vera wrote leaks to the other girls, however, they make fun of it in front of Jamie, not realizing her part in it. Jamie’s half-hearted defense drives a wedge between her and Vera, and Jamie must figure out whether fitting in is more important than being true to herself and her real friend. Spoiler: It’s not—but author Robin Easter perceptively explores Jamie’s path to this realization, mixing keen observations with a touch of humor, and always treating Jamie and Vera’s monstrous identities with respect.
Neither Jamie nor Vera is explicitly queer in the sense of LGBTQ, although they are in the sense of being odd or nonconformist. Queer youth should find much in the story that resonates with them, however (and there’s nothing to indicate that Jamie and Vera are not LGBTQ); given Easter’s own nonbinary identity, this feels intentional. (One secondary character, Peyton, is clearly nonbinary and uses all pronouns.) At the same time, the story should resonate with youth who feel like monsters for any number of reasons, LGBTQ identities or otherwise.
The monster metaphor gives this tale of friendship, growing up, and navigating middle school an original spark, while the real-life setting makes it highly relatable. Easter’s illustrations emphasize spooky reds, purples, and bold black lines, and work with the dialog to effectively show us the characters’ emotions, said and unsaid. All told, it’s a highly recommended title.
Jamie has pale skin and brown hair; Vera has pale skin and straight dark hair, and could be read as Asian. Peyton is Black; Danny has tan skin and brown hair.
