SCRAM: Society of Creatures Real and Magical

by Rory Lucey

Rockhurst is your average suburban town. It has everything you'd happy families, fun shops…and magical creatures!

In the hopes of learning more about the local cryptids, three friends, Jenny, Emiko, and Brian, start the Society of Creatures Real and Magical―S.C.R.A.M.! Their first order of business? To meet a troll!

As they venture into the unknown, our heroes learn valuable lessons about friendship, perseverance, and the importance of keeping a fish head in an old boot.

Genres: Graphic Novels, Middle Grade, Fantasy, Childrens, Humor, Graphic Novels Manga, Juvenile

224 pages, Paperback

Published July 16, 2024

About the author

Rory Lucey is the author-illustrator of the graphic novel “SCRAM: The Society of Creatures Real and Magical” with Macmillan’s First Second Books imprint. He illustrated "Bad Sister" from First Second, as well as wrote and illustrated "Jonesy: Nine Lives on the Nostromo" and contributed to "Alien: 40 Years 40 Artists" from Titan Books. His work has been featured by The New York Times, Nerdist, Gizmodo, Collider, Publishers Weekly, Martha Stewart Weddings, and more.

Born in London and raised throughout the Midwest, he holds a B.F.A. in Printmaking and Drawing from Washington University and an M.A. in Teaching Art and Design from the Rhode Island School of Design. He lives in New Jersey with his wife and two cats.

Visit rorylucey.com or find him on social media: @RoryLucey

Reviews

[Megan Mann · Rating 4 out of 5]

this was SO MUCH FUN. A GREAT middle grade story for readers who love adventure and magical creatures and stories about friendship. I love that it encourages the use of your local public library! I thought it was just so sweet and so precious and I’d definitely read another installment!

[Paige V · Rating 5 out of 5]

Review from my little sister (11yo):

Jenny, Emiko, and Brian comprise the Society of Creatures Real and Magical. But there shouldn't be a SCRAM if they never find a magical creature.
Their first quest was to seek out a troll, a creature of legend that few had ever seen. To find this elusive beast, SCRAM had to delve deep into the annals of ancient lore and uncover the secrets of these mystical creatures. They learned that trolls were nocturnal beings who loved nothing more than the sweet nectar of frog juice. With this knowledge, SCRAM set out to find their quarry, determined to succeed where others had failed.

The book was hilarious. The best part about it was how it was such a wild ride - there were all sorts of crazy things happening that you'd never expect to find in real life. I mean, have you ever heard of frog juice? I sure hadn't! But in this book, it's just another everyday drink. And don't even get me started on the fish heads in the boots - I could practically smell the stench wafting off the pages!

The characters were all fantastic, but my absolute favorite had to be Brian. He was hilarious, always finding the craziest things in the trash can. Who else would find a fish head inside a boot and think it was a typical Tuesday?

All in all, I can't recommend this book enough. This book is for you if you're into magical creatures and off-the-wall adventures. Trust me, you won't regret giving it a read!

Happy Reading, Laly ❤️ 📚

Pub Date 16 Jul 2024

Thank you, @netgalley , for the complimentary ARC, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[Susan · Rating 4 out of 5]

On the surface, you might expect this to be a straight-across-the-plate read like Animal Rescue Friends only with a bit of a fantasy twist, but it's delightfully weird... and I'm on board for it.

Jenny and her friends have started a club to learn about interesting creatures. Their first mission finds themselves hot on the heels of a troll, only their search doesn't exactly go the way they expect.

Amiably goofy in an InvestiGators kind of way only (in my opinion) better, because it's less punny and more just...absurd. One of my favorite bits is the local grocery store whose specialty aisle is... more unexpectedly *special* than usual.

I started reading it to my kid and ended up reading the whole thing in one go, partly because I just had to see where it was going. Needless to say she loved it. Recommended.

[Mary Hanna Wilson | Celebrate a Book · Rating 3 out of 5]

Rockhurst is your typical suburban town other than the magical creatures you can find there. In an effort to learn more about these creatures, three friends form SCRAM - the Society of Magical Creatures. Their first goal is to meet a troll and this determined trio will follow leads all over town to learn more!

This was a cute graphic novel. It felt fun and light-hearted in a similar way that one might enjoy Dogman or Investigators. As an adult, the ending felt predictable but I suspect kids will enjoy it even if they predict it.

The adventures are all over the place and did feel a little random, but I think that is part of the light hearted fun of the story. It's not my favorite type of story, but I know many young readers love this sort of adventure.

All in all a great read for the elementary crowd and middle school readers might get a kick out of it too.

[Stephanie Rivera · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was such a cute graphic novel about friendship and perseverance. These three friends want to learn more about their local cryptids so they form a group called the Society of Creatures Real and Magical SCRAM for short. First cryptid they want to meet is a troll so off they go investigating throughout the whole town in search of a troll when unbeknownst to them their best friend is who they are looking for. The illustrations are super cute, the story was easy to follow and this is a great read middle grade story for readers who like adventure and magical creatures.

Thanks to First Second Books and Netgalley for the complimentary copy of this book. All opinions in this review are my own.

[Pam · Rating 3 out of 5]

Graphic Novel
I received an electronic ARC from First Second Books through NetGalley.
Three friends - Jenny, Emiko, Brian - have formed a club to locate magical creatures. Right away, readers will notice that one of them is not quite like the other two but they are oblivious. They set out on a day of adventures to find a troll. The humor shines through as readers travel around town with them to seek clues. The artwork brings the story to life. The surprising reveal of knowing a troll all along is funny as readers have known since the start. I like how Lucey has developed three unique characters who support each other but don't always make the best choices. Don't miss the interviews and other information shared at the end.

[Heidi · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of the funniest books I've read in quite a while, S.C.R.A.M. finds Jenny, Emiko, and Brian on the hunt to find a real life troll. Using the information found in an old book in the library, the three friends start following clues that they hope will lead them to a troll. But from the beginning it is evident that not only is the information in the book incorrect, but there is a troll right under their nose. The perils of misinformation shine through bright and clear as does the value of friendship and persistence. I found myself laughing out loud on numerous occasions due to the sometimes silly misunderstandings and awkward situations the kids find themselves facing. A thoroughly engaging and entertaining adventure with some great themes and delightful characters.

[Benjamin]

How? A random grab at the library -- I'll grab anything about cats, monsters, ghosts, friends.

What? Emiko, Jenny, and Brian are three kids in Rockhurst who decide to form a society to find magical creatures, like trolls. Hilarity ensues.

Yeah, so? The kiddo read a chunk of this book by himself and I started to read it before he woke up, and when he woke up, he came to read with me. It's pretty cosy and low-stakes, which maybe makes it easier (tonally) to fit in all these little dumb jokes that I love, lik: running through a museum to catch a troll, the kids go through a hall of mirrors -- that they break; going back out, the exhibit is now labeled as the hall of broken glass. It ends with a slight cliffhanger -- what magical creature will they search out next -- and I'm interested.

[Eliott · Rating 3 out of 5]

Society of Creatures Real and Magical
Overall Rating: ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ .5 (3.5/5)

This book was pretty good. It was sweet and relatively short as well. Definitely fast paced and quite silly. Unfortunately, the "twist" was rather obvious. It was done in a silly manner and it made enough sense with the knowledge that the characters had, however it still felt a bit unsatisfying to have the characters go through this whole journey when they could have deduced the conclusion much earlier. I did like that we got to see some of the author's process at the end though. It made me appreciate the conceit of the story a little more, even if it did feel a tad simple. :)

[Dan Chavas · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great fun graphic novel for early readers and any kid who loves a fun adventure with fantastic art along the way. I read it with my 6 year old who loved the pictures and characters and was eager to find out where their adventure would take them. Includes a great section at the very end about how the author came up with his creations in the first place so the child and parent can learn more about how creativity like this comes to life. Highly recommended, makes a great gift for your kids and your family and friends!

[Wyatt · Rating 3 out of 5]

I find it hard to read because I very quickly realized that I am way outside the target demographic. I'm glad that it's at least very clearly for a very young demographic.

That said there's some odd stuff here. It feels a little too long for a children's book. The mystery at the beginning isn't actually resolved whatsoever. There's way too many bits where characters make jokes and the other characters laugh at it. There are funny bits that feel weird by this constant addition.

The art is pretty and I can see a kid reading this and liking it a lot. Harmless stuff.

[Grace Anne · Rating 4 out of 5]

catching up on all the books i forgot to review over the past few months!

SCRAM cracked me up to no end (well, the end of the book, I guess).
And no, it's not just because my future father-in-law's name is Brian (but that helps).

this clever graphic novel is all about learning that maybe the troll we were searching for was actually friends we made along the way

[Matt Glaviano · Rating 3 out of 5]

Story just coming - it's hard to find a place to rest throughout. Would have benefited from chapter breaks; have to imagine they would be useful for intended audience, too.

That said - decent book. The finding of the troll ending is too obvious throughout.

[Glenna Coleman · Rating 2 out of 5]

A trio of kids go on a hunt in their hometown of Rockhurst for trolls. Along the way, they have many random adventures and discover that not everything is always as it seems. I found the adventures quite random and not very funny although they seemed to be geared to comedy.

[Nell Ewens · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book! A friendship adventure story that twists and turns and reminds me of that 90s movie, was it Go? Or Rush or something? It had all the teen actors of it's time in it. Anyway, silly and lovely. Excellent.

[Ellon · Rating 2 out of 5]

2 stars (it was okay)

This was a bit too chaotic and weird for me. There were times were I went back and forth between pages thinking I missed something. I can see some of my students liking this book but it just wasn't for me. Bummer, I had high hopes for it.

[Jami Ellis · Rating 2 out of 5]

Too young for my team, but it's a good graphic novel for younger kids interested in cryptids.

[Julia Pika · Rating 2 out of 5]

The art style was really good, almost like a real cartoon, but I really didn't like the characters nor the plot. It was chaos, for lack of a better term.

[Jenna · Rating 2 out of 5]

Very high energy and zany, but I suppose kids might enjoy it.

[Kimberly Wright Oelkers · Rating 4 out of 5]

A bit too easy for me to figure out. My kids are going to love it!

[Melissa Koszer · Rating 3 out of 5]

Funny and fast paced, quick read. A little too fast paced for me but some children may enjoy the humor. Appreciated the highlight of community spaces like the library and the museum.

[Anisa · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is so cute!! I love the art and the friendship and (as a local librarian) the library representation!

[Raven Black · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not really my cup of tea (several moments that I was not thrilled about) but overall funny and kids will love it. Modern look, characters and antics.

[Andréa · Rating 2 out of 5]

Note: I received a digital review copy of this book from the publisher through NetGalley.