Creature Clinic: A Graphic Novel

by Gavin Aung Than

Nurse, we've got a unicorn with a broken horn! Bring that healing potion—STAT!

Welcome to Creature Clinic, the world’s finest—and only—hospital for mythical beings. Here, everyone from trolls and unicorns to tooth fairies and giants can expect the very best treatment. Well, with one exception. Humans are absolutely, 100 percent not welcome.

Doctor-in-training Kara Orc has worked hard and followed the rules her entire life to get where she is now. But when a human in need shows up at the hospital, her obedience is put to the test. Sure, most humans are dangerous, destructive beasts, but Kara took an oath to help all creatures. Even humans deserve care and compassion. How long can she keep such a big secret from her boss . . . who also happens to be her mother? And will her decision to do what’s right cause a rift between Kara and her mom that no medicine can cure?

Genres: Graphic Novels, Fantasy, Middle Grade, Childrens, Juvenile, Halloween, Monsters

224 pages, Paperback

First published May 13, 2025

About the author

Gavin Aung Than is a freelance cartoonist based in Melbourne, Australia. After working in the corporate graphic design industry for 8 years he quit his unfulfilling job at the end of 2011 to focus on his true passion, drawing cartoons. Gavin launched Zen Pencils at the start of 2012, a cartoon blog which adapts inspirational quotes into comic stories, and hasn’t looked back since.

Reviews

[Emily | emilyisoverbooked · Rating 4 out of 5]

My 7-year-old gives it a ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
My 9-year-old gives it a ⭐️⭐️⭐️
I give it a ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

[Sera]

I got halfway through and decided to dnf. It’s a cool concept but I couldn’t get into it because the main plot point felt too drawn out.

[Natassia Hyduk · Rating 5 out of 5]

I adored this! It was heartwarming and funny and I really loved the messaging as well. Kara seemed a bit Meredith Grey coded to me and I was here for it!!

[Cherlynn | cherreading · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was so much fun! I loved all the characters and world-building. Such a heartwarming read with plenty of good takeaways. I hope there's a sequel!

[Red · Rating 4 out of 5]

My son blew through this lighthearted but touching story about a Creature Clinic that unexpectedly discovers an injured human wedged into to the bottom of a patient's boot. The human goes on to have lots of adventures, and become a crucial member of the Creature Clinic -- helping treat not only physical maladies (like Cerberus' fleas!) but also the hurts that can only be found when you spend time listening and empathizing.

[Jennifer · Rating 3 out of 5]

A quick, fun read with great illustrations and a good message, I recommend this book to readers 8+.

[Becky B · Rating 5 out of 5]

Kara Orc is a busy doctor-in-training at the Creature Clinic. She works to the point of exhaustion, but nothing seems to be good enough for her mother who oversees the clinic and is head doctor. A giant stumbles into the clinic with a mystery ailment, and he has a human stuck in his boot who isn’t in great condition either. Dr. Orc tells Kara to dispose of the human as they are evil, nasty creatures, but Kara meant her oath to do no harm and with the help of the janitor, Oblong, she hides him away and nurses him back to health. The human wakes up and is utterly fascinated with the clinic. His name is Mitch, and he pleads to stay at the clinic and offers to work as an emotional support human under cover as an emotional support elf in a hazmat suit. He convinces Kara and Oblong to let him have 1 day on trial to see if he has anything to add to the clinic by providing a listening ear to the patients. Kara is really worried about this. Dr. Orc is stressed over the giant’s mystery ailment, and she doesn’t like humans at the best of times. If Dr. Orc finds out, they’re all toast.

This was utterly delightful. I liked the concept of a hospital for fantasy creatures and the types of maladies they may be suffering from were very imaginative. Kara works with a fellow doctor-in-training werewolf who is quite the character (his self-image is perhaps too healthy). I really like the way the others who have known Kara and Dr. Orc for a long time help them both remember they love each other and realize where they’ve gone wrong in their relationship. There’s some healthy, feel-good healing of their relationship by the end of the book, and it may give hope or good reminders to kids who feel their parents are too demanding (or remind parents to tell their kids how proud they are of them). I really like Oblong, his passion for eradicating dust, his jovial attitude, and just likability. I like the way Mitch cares for others and reminds the hospital staff that a listening ear is just as important a tool as medicine or bandages. It’s a good reminder to readers to slow down and listen to those around us. And I love how his care for others helps break down the barriers of prejudice that have been building between the humans and the fantasy creatures. It’s just an all-around feel good story with a slight twist on Jack in the Beanstalk (which comes out in the giant and Mitch’s back stories), an imagination-sparking clinic, and a cast of colorful characters.

Notes on content:
Language: None
Sexual content: None
Violence: There’s an attempted poisoning and a big fall that injures two. Some creatures have broken appendages or magical illnesses. A griffin lost a wing in an undisclosed event and gets a transplant (no surgeries or anything gory shown).
Ethnic diversity: Mitch has olive-toned skin, his ethnicity is unclear.
LGBTQ+ content: None specified.
Other: Jack of the beanstalk tale is not a nice guy and enslaves Mitch as his servant and tries to murder the giant. There’s a tooth fairy with a magical ailment that has her farting glitter all over the place (it’s more humorous than gross). They have to set a unicorn’s horn and the unicorn is totally freaking out. Mitch helps several patients work through different anxieties. Kara and her mom are at odds for a while. Kara is caught between her mom’s orders and saving someone’s life for a bit.

[Matt Glaviano · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5

My main complaint about this book is that it's too text heavy. The speech bubbles are too long; it'd be nice if there was more time for the art to carry the story. That said, the colors were bright, the humor was decent, and this was a pretty easy book to fall into. It'd be easy to recommend, too.

[Renee · Rating 5 out of 5]

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Five stars!

Creature Clinic is a children's graphic novel by Gavin Aung Than about a human boy, Mitch, who secretly receives medical treatment at a hospital for mythical creatures, and forms friendships with the doctors and patients, challenging the clinic's xenophobia against humans. Trainee doctor Kara Orc risks her career to treat Mitch when he's brought to the clinic after being accidentally injured by a giant, and discovers he helps patients with their emotional and physical well-being. The story explores themes of kindness, judging others by appearance, mother-daughter conflict, and overcoming prejudice through positive interactions and acceptance.

I read this as an adult and my 7 year old daughter also read it (she is an advanced reader). So we have two different perspectives for reviewing this book. My daughter has labelled this book her favourite book ever, and has asked that we gift it to her friend who also loves reading. My daughter isn’t a kid who loves everything she reads either, she is a discerning reader. She says “the book makes me feel happy to read and if you want to feel happy too and get the greatness, read it now!” From my daughter’s mouth to this Goodreads review.

As an adult reading this book, I found myself smiling regularly and even having a little chuckle every now and then. The story is humorous and engaging. I have recommended it to my sister and her older children (they are almost 14 and almost 12) because I know that they will like this too. This book has a magic that makes it appealing to all ages. It really is about kindness and acceptance and not judging a book by its cover. The illustrations are gorgeous, so bright and colourful and the illustration style is a feast for the eyes. It’s so aesthetically pleasing. I liked this novel so much that I have purchased the Super Sidekicks series also written by the same author. I am always happy to be supporting a local author (well Australian anyway!).

I really couldn’t find anything to fault in this book. The characters are quirky and infinitely likeable, the patients in the clinic are entertaining in themselves and all have interesting and funny backstories. The imagery of the winged unicorn flying along thinking it’s the best thing ever and not paying attention and running right into a wall was absolutely hilarious. Overall this book is fabulous, and I would recommend this to anyone, adult or child. I think anyone reading this would love it as much as my family does.

[Jessica · Rating 4 out of 5]

Kara Orc has spent her whole life training to be a doctor at Creature Clinic. She’s a pro at setting broken unicorn horns, treating tooth fairies with a build up of fairy dust, even patching up trolls who were knocked off their bridge, but she is not, absolutely not, allowed to treat humans. When a human in need mysteriously shows up at the clinic, she’ll have to decide if she will follow the rules or give the human the same care that she’d give any other creatures.
This graphic novel was so much fun! I enjoyed the imaginative ways that traditional mythological creatures were portrayed and the flip on the typical human/monster fear dynamic. In addition to the creativity and silly jokes, there is a sweet heart-felt story running throughout. This book has broad appeal. I’ll be recommending it to a wide range of kids, fans of silly stories, fantasy tales, and even good ‘ol coming of age stories.

[Gabby · Rating 4 out of 5]

Doctor-in-training Kara Orc works at Creature Clinic, the best (and only!) hospital for mythical beings. There’s no patient they can’t treat! There’s just one rule; no humans allowed! But when a sick giant arrives with an injured human under his shoe, a mystery begins. Will the team be able to figure out what’s wrong with the giant before it’s too late? Will Kara go against her mother’s will and the hospitals rule and treat the human anyway?

Creature Clinic is a fun magical story filled with heaps of adventure and a spin on different fairytales. The artwork is detailed and colourful and each character is unique. I loved following the every day life of Kara in the hospital and seeing the creators inspiration for the story at the end.
Definitely a must-read for middle grade readers who love fantasy and fun adventures!

Thank you to the publisher Hardie Grant Publishing for providing me a copy of this graphic novel to review.

[Devin Redmond · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 stars rounding up

𝘊𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘵𝘶𝘳𝘦 𝘊𝘭𝘪𝘯𝘪𝘤 by Gavin Aung Than is a very cute graphic novel for 3rd grade +. The book’s about an orc, Kara, who is a resident doctor and very good at her job. Her overbearing and short-tempered boss is her mom. No one can believe it when a giant is found collapsed outside the town’s walls. Everyone is also bewildered when they find a real-life human in the soul of the giant’s shoe, a human who is also in need of medical care. Dr. Kara is ready to help the human, but her mom refuses to allow her to give care saying humans bring nothing but trouble and danger and destruction to the creatures of Myth Valley. Dr. Kara helps the human boy anyway.

While the premise may sound serious, the story isn’t. 𝘊𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘵𝘶𝘳𝘦 𝘊𝘭𝘪𝘯𝘪𝘤 is filled with characters of all types, and I laughed out loud quite a few times. If you have a kid interested in the medical field, they will love this book, but I think all kids will enjoy it. There are lots of good messages throughout the story.

[Lori · Rating 4 out of 5]

In CREATURE CLINIC, Kara is a doctor in training at a hospital for mythical creatures and monsters in Myth Valley. Dr. Orc, Kara’s mother, runs the hospital and Kara works hard to live up to her mother’s high expectations. When a human in need of medical attention arrives at the clinic, Kara’s mother orders that he be sent away since humans are a dangerous species. Defying her mother’s orders, Kara keeps the human on the clinic grounds and nurses him back to health. Chaos ensues as Kara tries to keep the human hidden from the staff, patients, and most of all, her mother.

An engaging cast of characters brought to life with bright, colorful art drives the story to a satisfying conclusion. Full of fantastical creatures, this graphic novel tackles issues around prejudice and discrimination with humor and heart.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for sharing an eARC with me.

[Lisa · Rating 5 out of 5]

When a human arrives at Creature Clinic lodged in the shoe if a very sick giant, Dr. Orc refuses to treat the human and wants him removed from Mythland immediately. But Kara, the senior resident at the clinic (and Dr. Orc's daughter) knows the human needs help and takes matters into her own hands, hiding him and giving some lifesaving treatment. But, once he's feeling better, he won't leave!

Kids will love this graphic novel. Upper elementary will appreciate the silly puns and and the darling illustrations. I hope they get all the fairytale connections including the Three Billy Goats Gruff, Jack and the Beanstalk and the Three Pigs and many others, some just featured in the illustrations. And, with so many characters in the illustrations, it will lend itself to re-reading so well, as there is much to see and discover each time.

[Jeni Enjaian · Rating 5 out of 5]

(Actual rating: 4.5 stars)
The Comix subscription picked yet another fantastic entry. This book stars a young aspiring orc doctor working at the Creature Clinic treating all sorts of fantastical fairytale creatures while also struggling under the pressure of having her mother not only run the clinic but supervise her with exacting standards. When a human shows up - caught in the shoe of a sick giant, the main character must decide whether she will follow her mother's orders to dispose of (and not treat) him or live by the code that her mother has always taught her; the Creature Clinic treats all creatures. I loved this story, all the side characters, and the way that the author developed the plot and the main character. So much fun!

[Nancy · Rating 3 out of 5]

I really liked this concept and I think it could make a fun series. But unfortunately, this was too long and too text heavy, and I was often bored. The mom storyline was frustrating as she was so mean to Kara and everyone who witnessed it, including close family friends and confidants of the mother, didn't address it until the end. And even then, they never confront how degrading and unprofessional the treatment is towards Kara. I was so mad when Kara gets punished and the lazy male resident gets power over her, the accomplished female doctor. What a terrible message.

I liked the mental health focus. The author missed the opportunity to have the human use their skills to help reconcile Kara and her mother.

[Rebecca Shelton · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you Netgalley for this ARC

Creature Clinic is an adorable and heartwarming tale that pulls readers into a world where mythical creatures get top-notch care. Kara Orc, the determined doctor-in-training, shines as a compassionate protagonist navigating a dilemma that challenges her loyalty and ethics. The storyline is lighthearted but touches on important themes like empathy and inclusion, making it both fun and meaningful. The illustrations add so much charm and vibrancy, bringing the magical creatures to life in a way that enhances the storytelling. Overall, a very cute and enjoyable read with lovely artwork!

[Alison · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC

In the book Creature Clinic a hospital for magical and fairy tale creatures ends up finding a human boy on the bottom of a giant's shoe. Humans are not allowed, but Kara can't stomach not helping a creature in need and saves him anyways.

I had a lot of fun reading this graphic novel. The artwork was so incredibly colorful and the variety of creatures was great. You had quite a bit of humor and creativity built into the story. Beyond that the story had so many thought provoking and character building themes. This will be an absolutely amazing addition to our school library!

[Cathlina Bergman · Rating 5 out of 5]

Adorable and hilarious!

At the Creature Clinic, doctors routinely care for unicorns with broken horns, trolls with concussions, fairies with gas, and more. Kara is a resident doctor, learning the profession under the strict supervision of her mother Dr. Orc, the chief of medicine. When an injured human named Mitch finds his way to the clinic (stuck in the boot of the giant who stepped on him), Kara risks her mother’s wrath and the end of her own medical career to care for him. But things only get worse when Mitch decides he wants to work in the hospital, too. Will Mitch revolutionize care at the clinic, or will he ruin everything Kara has worked so hard to accomplish?

[Kelly · Rating 4 out of 5]

Requested this book on NetGalley for my 9-year-old who loves graphic novels. Here are his thoughts:

This book is about a hospital that is run by mythical creatures and monsters and helps other mythical creatures and monsters. Humans are NOT allowed in this clinic. I think this is a very good book, and I will recommend it to others who like myths and stories about mythical creatures. It's pretty funny. I wouldn't buy a copy of this book to add to my shelves, but I'm happy I got to read it.

Note: I received a review copy of this book via NetGalley.

[Brooke · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank you to Macmillan Children's Publishing Group for an eARC of this novel. Creature Clinic is an absolute riot of strange fantasy characters in a unique setting - a hospital for mythical creatures. Resident Kara Orc was an excellent main character to follow - she was sharp, witty, and empathetic. She foiled well against her entitled fellow resident. Most poignant, though, was the story of Kara's relationship with her mother, the director of Creature Clinic. Kara's mother has always pushed her incredibly hard, without showing much other emotion. As Kara navigates the arrival of a human in their midst, she must also face her feelings towards her mother. This was a delight and I cannot wait to read it with my own children.

[Dolores · Rating 4 out of 5]

Kara is a doctor in training at the Creature Clinic, but she knows she will never be good enough for her mother-who runs the clinic. When they find an injured human, her mother instructs her to dispose of it, but Kara is a doctor, first and foremost. Despite her mother's instructions, she heals the human, who turns out to be a great listener, and an asset to the clinic. But humans are strictly forbidden from Creature Clinic. How will Kara convince her mother that the human should stay? Really cute.

[Corina · Rating 4 out of 5]

Silly and heartwarming middle grade graphic novel featuring a young orc doctor-in-training as she goes about her rounds at the very busy creature clinic. Things are hectic enough with the plethora of mythical maladies and hospital squabbles, but when a injured human turns up Kara will have to decide whether to do the right thing vs. following the rules.

Great story with eye-catching illustrations about making your own way within a magical world.

[Heidi · Rating 4 out of 5]

Super cute! I’m really glad I got to read an ARC. Humorous story about a hospital for magical beings and a junior doctor having to help a human who has stumbled into their world. It’s a fairly wholesome story about family and friends too. Very grade school appropriate and a good enough story to be fun to read as an adult too.

[Amanda Murphy · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received and ARC of this book through netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

This book is a delight. An engaging story and quality illustrations combine to draw you in. Kids are going to love it. They'll also learn a lot about compassion and the dangers of discrimination. Highly recommend this read.

[Emmy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Cute young middle grade graphic novel with lots of fairytale creatures in a hospital setting. Some good themes on friendship, mother/daughter relationships, accepting others who are different from you, and handling parental pressure/perfectionism. I liked the Easter eggs from all the various myths and fairytales.

[Haram]

Creature Clinic is the world’s only hospital for mythical beings, and when a human shows up in need, doctor-in-training Kara Orc’s obedience is tested as she must keep a big secret from her boss, who’s also her mother.

Appeal: authentic characters, funny, thoughtful, bold & cartoony illustrations
Subjects: mother and daughter, humans and monsters, veterinarians

[Mik Johnson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Loved reading this book with my boys. A neat exploration of what medical care might look like for mythical creatures. Loved how this book shows the mental health challenges that accompany physical health treatment, and the importance of having someone there who can not only fix the problem, but listen to the feelings and emotions that are involved in the healing process. Beautifully rendered.

[Judy Rath · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a really interesting concept for a graphic novel! A fun way to combine fantasy and life in a hospital. Also, the artwork was amazing, there were so many little jokes hidden all over the place that it was truly a book you can read more than once. Would love to see this become a series, will recommend to lots of kiddos ages third through fifth!

[Middle Grade Mama · Rating 5 out of 5]

Such a great graphic novel! I didn't think I would really be into a middle grade book featuring orcs, trolls, and other mythical creatures, but I was very wrong. A fabulous story that will have you laughing and rooting for Kara Orc and her friends.