Description
What does a 10-year-old boy desperate for new friends do when he sees an ad for mail-order monsters in the back of a comic book? He orders them, naturally.
Ten-year-old Marco Torres needs a new bestie. Or a few. He’s on the outs with his EX-best friend and needs someone to talk to, confide in. So he takes a chance on an ad in the back of an old comic book promising something big: MAIL-ORDER MONSTERS. Marco hopes they’ll make amazing new besties and scare off his bully, who in a mean twist of fate happens to be the twin of his crush. When the monsters arrive, Marco unleashes their magic and draws the reaction he’d hoped for from his classmates—until the monsters’ hilarious, uncontrolled escape through the school’s ceilings makes it nearly impossible to hide them from adults. And when Marco’s ex-bestie challenges him to a grudge match to finally settle their score, it’s Marco’s monsters against an enemy robot in a race on remote control trucks through the neighborhood junk yard. But through it all, Marco begins to wonder who should really be fighting his battles? And what exactly is he fighting for?
A tale of friendship breakups and makeups, of monsters and robots, and of racing and chasing. Features a diverse cast and bilingual Latino protagonist. Readers will love the Spanish lightly sprinkled and explained within.
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Twice honored by the Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators
REVIEWS:
“Spiky characters and vigorous storytelling. OUR VERDICT: GET IT” ~ Kirkus Reviews (Recommended review)
“Snappy and fresh, entertaining until the very last page.” ~ The BookLife Prize
“An exciting and immersive adventure.” ~ Midwest Book Review (Recommended)
“Kept me utterly hooked.” ~ Readers’ Favorite (5-star review)
“Unique and entertaining story for kids as well as adults who are young at heart.” ~ Reader Views (5-star review)
“An instant favorite!” ~ Christy Wopat, teacher and author of Always Ours
“A middle-grade must-read!” ~ Michelle Houts, author of Winterfrost and Lucy’s Lab
“Buy this book, spend time with the mail-order monsters and you’ll want to send away for a few of your own.” ~ Laurie Scheer, writing mentor and vice president of the Wisconsin Writers Association
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Publication Date: August 26, 2025
Format: eBook
Pages: 285
Size: 5″x8″
Language: English
Age Range: 7 – 12
ISBN-13 (ePub): 9781950150021
