⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Really liked it, stuck with me & would recommend
This book is perfect for middle school kids. The young people in this story have agency and are respected for their opinions and gifts. They are heard as full fledged members of their family. The fact that this is a story about finding and befriending legendary monsters with a heroine at the center is even better. Deja, a 7th grade budding cryptozooligist, and her family are on a road trip when she finds a chupacabra who then introduces her to other cryptids along the trip. We also see that not everyone is out to do good. Deja Ross becomes a protector to these fabled animals that she finds are real and endangered.

I liked the artwork, especially the quirky depictions of the monsters. Along with the characters and the story, this book is adorable.

Thank you to IDW Publishing, NetGalley, and author Lisa Naffziger for providing me with a digital ARC copy of this graphic novel in exchange for an honest review. Deja Ross Speaks to Freaks is out July 2, 2023.

Received as an Arc from Netgalley:

I have loved Lisa Naffziger's art for years, so finally reading a full graphic novel by her was an absolute treat. This is the perfect way to entertain your monster loving kid. Funny, spooky, creative, and genuinely hearwarming.

As a kid this would have been my favourite book of all time, as an adult it still hits!

This is a really fantastic graphic novel about a girl who just wants to learn about cryptids. While traveling around with her family, she tries to meet them and learn about their lives.
The illustrations are great and I loved Deja and her family. Deja is smart, independent, and brave, and her family is loving and supportive. And the cryptids are hilarious!
Thanks to NetGalley for letting me read this

4.0. This is the kind of book that makes me a teeny bit sad that I'm not teaching middle school. Sixth graders, in particular, would love this title. There's a ton of possible jumping off points for research into cryptids, legends, and other unsovled mysteries. I would love to use this to help students get excited about building an argument. You could also use it in US social studies to have students build a virtual roadtrip or something along those lines. It's a quick read, and one that even struggling readers will enjoy. I love Deja's pluckiness and the easy dialogue between she and her brother. The art and format will appeal to readers of "Guts" and "Smile." It also puts me in mind of "New Kid." Great addition for the classroom library!

As strange as it sounds, this book about cryptid monsters is adorable. This is a comic I would have LOVED as a kid (and, frankly, enjoy now even as an adult lol).

Deja Ross is a middle schooler on a mission to actually learn about cryptids, starting with her favorite, the chupacabra. What ensues is some animated comedy of errors and heartfelt lesson learning, with the main focus being on 1) not judging others based on appearance alone, and 2) be careful what you share on the internet/oversharing with strangers. Not a bad couple of lessons for today's middle schoolers who grew up with social media.

Naffzinger keeps the dialogue zippy and fun and middle grade appropriate. Her art is very cute and friendly, reminiscent of, but a bit more grown-up than, the Dog Man and Captain Underpants comics my niblings currently devour. Deja Ross Speaks to Freaks is a next step up for young comic readers that works as a great in-between.

Again, super cute comic!

My love for cryptids knows no bounds. I enjoyed this graphic novel immensely. The art was well done and I loved the featured cryptids and the fact that they got to tell a little of their backstory. The message that humans can do more harm than good to things that they do not understand or that sometimes humans are motivated by greed resonated throughout. I hope we see more Deja Ross cryptid adventures in the future!

Deja Ross Speaks to Freaks is a fun graphic novel about a family road trip full of adventure and monsters. The illustrations were colorful, and I really enjoyed the first monster. I wish there were more than four!

I received an ARC from IDW Publishing | Top Shelf Productions via NetGalley in exchange for an hones review.