My vampire vs. your werewolf

Tobin (the Plants vs. Zombies series) crafts a creature feature delight in this uproarious series launch. When monsters are banned from contemporary society, the Crafters Guild is born. Led by a witch, the Guild aims to maintain monster culture--and creature morale--by seeking out cryptids and arranging sanctioned fights between them. Finally allowed to seek out their first monster, budding Guild Trainers and nine-year-old best friends Gabe and Hayden break into the legendary vampire Count Durstan's Welsh castle and invite him to fight a werewolf. Meanwhile, in Detroit, Trainers Joon and Tradd track werewolf Redd to his warehouse lair and offer him an opportunity to battle a vampire. Meeting at Camp Falsehood in Washington State, the Trainers are preparing their monsters for battle when a storm leaves the children alone with the creatures and no Guild Wardens or Crafters to safeguard them from the assumed-bloodthirsty fiends. Tobin delivers a richly imagined world brimming with self-sufficient characters and monsters that break the mold. It's an amusing take on how one's differences can be their strength--even the ones that can kill. The book's cover depicts the human cast with varying skin tones. Ages 8--12. (Sept.)

Four young Trainers prepare for a Versus battle of epic proportions. Nine-year-olds Gabe Basuldua and Hayden Fracasso and 10-year-olds Joon Baker and Tradd Risso are on opposing Trainer teams within the Crafters Guild. The guild, a secret society that specializes in monster battles, exists not only to protect civilians from roving monsters but to integrate monsters into a world where they can safely express their true natures; being pushed into hiding has been bad for monsters' mental health. Using medallions made by the Crafters Guild witches, Trainers can protect themselves from specific monsters, allowing them to locate and train those creatures for battle. After intense studying, Gabe and Hayden find Count Drustan, the perfect vampire to enter battle with. Similarly, Joon and Tradd locate a werewolf named Redd Sampayo and convince him to fight for them. With their monsters registered and their medallions in hand, all that's left for these Trainers is to set their monsters up for battle. So, who will win, vampire or werewolf? Set in Tacoma, Washington, this comedic, action-filled tale meshes interesting characters and worldbuilding with a classic vampire versus werewolf narrative. Alternating points of view and quick pacing make this an enjoyable and entertaining read that's perfect for Pokémon fans. Hayden and Tradd are white, Joon is Korean American, and Gabe has dark skin and "wiry black hair." A fun twist on a classic monster feud.(Paranormal. 8-12) Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.