Review by Frank Plowright

Eowulf operates in a world where mythical creatures and monsters are real, but just hiding away most of the time. Their presence isn’t known to many, but the film industry has cottoned on to it being cheaper to hire goblins, orcs and trolls than it is to create them via CGI. Eowulf has a job at Vulcan’s Celestial Supply Shop, and they’ve decided to hire out Balor’s Helm as a prop. Without modification it’s extremely destructive, but is now fitted with a safety device. Eowulf is to take it to a film set and ensure it’s never out of her sight. The sample art shows the film’s villain trying it on for the first time.

Writer and artist Mike Cavallaro is of course setting up a disaster, but before it happens he introduces assorted people on the film set and has it mentioned to Eowulf that many mythical creatures have come to Hollywood never to be seen again. An even bigger problem, though, might be tidying up her room. Eowulf spun out of Cavallaro’s Nico Bravo series, and Nico and his supporting cast have a bigger part here than in Of Monsters & Middle School, and the spotlight moves away from Eowulf when other matters need explained.

Because this is a book for younger readers, although definitely an adventure everyone can enjoy, Cavallaro ensures one character is marked as suspicious and a possible wrong’un from the start, and that proves to be the case. Cavallaro leads Eowulf from one problem to the next very proficiently, and also impressive is how he again makes Eowulf consider her own circumstances in relation to others. It’s sending a message, but in a nuanced way. That’s not the priority, though, which is a fun adventure with a likeable cast and plenty of twists, and The Creature Connection hits all targets.