Most kids have dreamed of discovering something rare or new: Bigfoot, dinosaurs, treasure, or ghosts. That's the idea at the heart of this book. A trio of friends set out in search of magical beings. They do their research and armed with a collection of facts they search for clues. Therein lies one of the benefits of this book. THey learn how to research and fact-check. There's an underpinning of media literacy throughout the story. Overall, though, it's a fun story focused more on humor than anything else. It's somewhat reminiscent of the Bad Machinery series, though aimed at a slightly younger audience.

Fun romp into the world of mythological creatures. Readers will enjoy being a little smarter than the main character.

The artwork is fun and engaging. There are a lot of silly, fun parts and I think kids will enjoy reading it. I just found the storytelling to be a bit choppy and convoluted. However, I think readers with like the humor, I did like that the main characters went a library to find answers about magical creatures and the librarian steered them away for books that are old with outdated information. I loved that the characters began making their own book about magical creatures. I hope readers get inspired to write their own stories.

Boring and slow-paced. Most readers will know where it's going long before the characters do. The art is functional but nothing special.

I received an electronic ARC from First Second Books through NetGalley.
Three friends - Jenny, Emiko, Brian - have formed a club to locate magical creatures. Right away, readers will notice that one of them is not quite like the other two but they are oblivious. They set out on a day of adventures to find a troll. The humor shines through as readers travel around town with them to seek clues. The artwork brings the story to life. The surprising reveal of knowing a troll all along is funny as readers have known since the start. I like how Lucey has developed three unique characters who support each other but don't always make the best choices. Don't miss the interviews and other information shared at the end.

After a run-in with a potential troll at the library, Jenny enlists her fellow SCRAM members to find more about trolls. While the library has some information, their first book is outdated, and while their next source is much better, it still presents some challenges. Namely: isn't it better to hear from a primary source? A city-wide journey ensues as SCRAM chases potential troll clues around the city.

This graphic novel is a candy-colored about friendship, perseverance, and being aware of your sources. The friendship between Jenny, Emiko, and Brian is endearing, but it was a little unbelievable that such cryptid-obsessed kids would take so long to connect the dots on who their troll might actually be. The artwork is fun and bouncy, and the city really comes to life as the main trio races through the different locations, and the coloring complements the style well. Middle-grade readers will enjoy this cryptid-flavored romp through the city.

This was such a cute graphic novel about friendship and perseverance. These three friends want to learn more about their local cryptids so they form a group called the Society of Creatures Real and Magical SCRAM for short. First cryptid they want to meet is a troll so off they go investigating throughout the whole town in search of a troll when unbeknownst to them their best friend is who they are looking for. The illustrations are super cute, the story was easy to follow and this is a great read middle grade story for readers who like adventure and magical creatures.

Thanks to First Second Books and Netgalley for the complimentary copy of this book. All opinions in this review are my own.

Jenny, Emiko and Brian are hanging out at the library when they decide to form SCRAM - the Society of Creatures Real and Magical! They know there are magical creatures in town, and they decide their first adventure will be to find a troll. Follow them as they run all over town trying to find clues about where the trolls might be hiding.

THIS WAS SO MUCH FUN. A GREAT middle grade story for readers who love adventure and magical creatures and stories about friendship. I love that it encourages the use of your local public library. I thought it was just so sweet and so precious and I'd definitely read another installment!

Super fun middle grade story filled with magical creatures, adventure and friendship. I liked the inclusion of the library as well!

Jenny, Emiko, and Brian comprise the Society of Creatures Real and Magical. But there shouldn't be a SCRAM if they never find a magical creature.
Their first quest was to seek out a troll, a creature of legend that few had ever seen. To find this elusive beast, SCRAM had to delve deep into the annals of ancient lore and uncover the secrets of these mystical creatures. They learned that trolls were nocturnal beings who loved nothing more than the sweet nectar of frog juice. With this knowledge, SCRAM set out to find their quarry, determined to succeed where others had failed.

The book was hilarious. The best part about it was how it was such a wild ride - there were all sorts of crazy things happening that you'd never expect to find in real life. I mean, have you ever heard of frog juice? I sure hadn't! But in this book, it's just another everyday drink. And don't even get me started on the fish heads in the boots - I could practically smell the stench wafting off the pages!

The characters were all fantastic, but my absolute favorite had to be Brian. He was hilarious, always finding the craziest things in the trash can. Who else would find a fish head inside a boot and think it was a typical Tuesday?

All in all, I can't recommend this book enough. This book is for you if you're into magical creatures and off-the-wall adventures. Trust me, you won't regret giving it a read!

Happy Reading, Laly ❤️ 📚

This is definitely one of my favorite reads this year. Everything—from the hilarious characters to the whimsical setting to the illustrative style—is unbelievably fun. This will absolutely be on our shelves on release!

This is a fun graphic novel for elementary ages who love magical creatures and adventures.
A great addition to any library collection.

Thanks NetGalley for this ARC.

Enjoyable graphic novel for young fans, especially those who enjoy humor or magical creatures in their stories. Readers will be wondering about Brian long before Jenny and Emiko do.

This is the cutest graphic novel! Three friends try and find magical creatures! You will fall in love with each of them!!!! This would be a great classroom library book or one to have at home!