Skulduggery Pleasant

In his debut novel Landy introduces us to a witty 12 year-old who is courageous but not someone who is free of fear or doubts.  Stephanie inherits her Uncle Gordon’s house after he is murdered and what seemed to be a boring summer turns into a hazard filled one when she partners up with Skulduggery Pleasant.   

Readers will easily be able to connect with Stephanie because she is not a sudden superheroine, and she does not just blindly accept the fantastical spectacle that is Skulduggery.  ““How can you talk?  …you’ve got no vocal cords,” she asks him.  

Landy’s writing aptly captures the attitude and language of a regular pre-teen which helps with the relatability the reader has with his characters. It also encourages the reader, as Vardell wrote, into willful suspension of disbelief. The droll banter between Stephanie and the boney detective that Landy has penned is sure to spark the interest of even the most of reluctant readers. 

Holm, J., Holm, M., & Krosoczka, J. (Eds.). (2014). Comics Squad: Recess! New York: Random House.