Jerry and his dad have just moved to the gated community of Fort Phylum, Ohio, after years spent traveling to far-flung locations around the world for his father’s research—which was ostensibly about rare creatures, but Dad “always kept an eye out for possible were-people.” At first miserable to be stuck in such a boring place, Jerry soon realizes that there’s more to Fort Phylum—and its residents—than meets the eye. Under the light of the full moon, the humans transform into a variety of animals: goats, rhinos, koalas, elephants, and more. But something goes wrong, and though the were-creatures normally coexist peacefully, this time the predators attack. And when it’s time to transform back, some only change partially or not at all. Jerry suspects the problems have something to do with a news crew that’s been sniffing around for a story, and with new friends Pearl (a were-squirrel) and Avery (a were-magpie), he sets out to make things right. With plenty of humor and dynamic black-and-white illustrations, this fast-paced tale is a good choice for reluctant readers as well as fans of lighthearted supernatural stories. Jerry and Pearl read white; Avery is cued Black, and there’s some racial diversity in the supporting cast.
