A Sea Monster Conundrum

The Misfits #3

by Lisa Yee, Dan Santat (Illustrator)

NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLING SERIES • When there are suspicious sightings around the bay (ghosts?! a sea monster?!)—who're you gonna call? An elite team of crime-fighting underdogs, that's who! The Misfits are on the case in the hilarious series from Newbery Honoree Lisa Yee and Caldecott Medalist Dan Santat!

“For any kid who’s felt like a misfit, this crackling adventure packs a wallop!” —Lincoln Peirce, creator of Big Nate

Oof! When reports of ghosts arise around an abandoned lighthouse, Olive and her elite team of underdogs are immediately thrust into a brand new case. After all, ghosts don’t exist . . . right?

Real or not, the ghosts draw quite a crowd at Olive’s beloved Reforming Arts School, or RASCH (not “rash”). Turns out everyone wants a glimpse of the ghosts, including . . . the nearby marine life?!

Between RASCH’s ghosts and newfound tourism, rumors soon spiral out of control about a sea monster in the bay—snagging unwanted attention from a corrupt mogul. What is going on at RASCH? Does the mythical creature really exist, and can the Misfits save it from being captured? The team will have to dive deep to get to the bottom of San Francisco’s most legendary mystery. . . .

For other Misfit adventures, don't miss The Misfits #1: A Royal Conundrum and The Misfits #2: A Copycat Conundrum!

Genres: Middle Grade, Audiobook, Mystery, Humor, Adventure, Fantasy

265 pages, Kindle Edition

First published January 6, 2026

About the author

Lisa Yee has written over 20 novels. Her most recent book, Maizy Chen's Last Chance, is about a fifth-generation Chinese American girl, and is a National Book Award Finalist, Newbery Honor, and the Asian Pacific American Children's Literature Award winner.

Lisa's debut novel, Millicent Min, Girl Genius, won the prestigious Sid Fleischman Humor Award. Other books include Stanford Wong Flunks Big-Time, Absolutely Maybe, and a series about a 4th grader, Bobby vs. Girls (Accidentally) and Bobby the Brave (Sometimes), illustrated by Dan Santat.

Lisa is also the author of several American Girl books and the DC Super Hero Girls series. A Thurber House Children’s Writer-in-Residence, Lisa's books have been named a NPR Best Summer Read, Sports Illustrated Kids Hot Summer Read, and USA Today Critics’ Top Pick.

Lisa lives In Western Massachusetts, but spends a lot of time in Los Angeles, especially when it's cold. Her next book, an awkward and hilarious mystery, is called The Misfits: A Royal Conundrum, and is illustrated by Dan Santat.

You can visit Lisa at www.lisayee.com.

Reviews

[Trigger Warning Database]

Trigger & Content Warnings :

Emesis (on-page)
Animal abuse (held in captivity, separating parents from their children)

[Dawn · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another fun Misfits adventure, this one involving a San Francisco Loch Ness monster. Audiobook solid as always.

[YSBR · Rating 4 out of 5]

At RASCH, a boarding school on an island in San Francisco Bay, twelve-year-old Olive Cobin Zang and her friends - Phil, Iggy, Theo, and James -  make up a small group of crime fighters called the Misfits.  They are affiliated with an illustrious undercover organization called NOCK (No One Can Know) and have recently been involved in stopping a jewel thief and breaking up a major art heist.  Now the Misfits turn their attention to the sea.  There have recently been a number of strange occurrences in the bay: ghost-like emanations rising from the water, strange formations of whale and dolphin pods, and multiple reports of a sea monster circling the city.  An eccentric and nefarious billionaire named Oscar Odion (nicknamed “Odious”) is offering a $999,999.99 reward for a legitimate sighting of the creature, planning to relocate it to his own private zoo.  Determined to find out whether ghosts and sea monsters are real, the Misfits investigate by going undercover at an aquarium called Marine World, which is owned by Odion.  They soon find that the sea monster, called Frannie, has been caught and is being held in less than humane conditions while awaiting transfer to Odion’s zoo.  Olive befriends a cryptozoologist who helps the Misfits orchestrate a daring rescue for Frannie.  Involving a synchronized swimming competition, a boat parade, and a lot of Phil’s inventions, the operation tests everyone’s physical and emotional strength as they race against time and technology.

Fast-paced, fun, and full of cool gadgets, The Sea Monster Conundrum is an exciting and entertaining addition to this series.  Readers will enjoy the action and adventure, the emphasis on saving a sea creature, and the environmental theme.  Those who have read the previous two books will love getting reacquainted with the characters and how they interact, but Lisa Yee deftly provides enough background for series newcomers to jump right in.  Each of the five Misfits has their own specific skill set, and they are all on full display here, as are the interpersonal bonds within the group and with the adults who supervise them.  They all have to step out of their comfort zone a bit: Olive finally overcomes her fear of the water and learns to swim while the stoic Phil must come to terms with some disappointment when she loses one of her favorite devices.  In particular, the usually prickly Iggy takes center stage as her ability to connect with the sea monster is key to fulfilling their mission, and her constant bickering with the intellectual James becomes a source of amusement for the other Misfits.  High-tech devices and humorous disguises are important to the Misfits’ work, but their ability to work together is what ultimately drives their success.  Clever dialog, well-described settings, a despicable villain, and an entertaining cast of diverse secondary characters are a winning combination for fans of mystery and action stories.  Black and white illustrations from Dan Santat enhance the fun in every chapter.  Profiles of the agents and some of their favorite gadgets are appended, and an epilogue drops a major hint about their next conundrum. Link to complete review: https://ysbookreviews.wordpress.com/2...

[Becky B · Rating 4 out of 5]

When rumors of ghost sights and sea monster sightings start spreading all over San Francisco, particularly in the area around RASCH, the Misfits curiosity gets piqued. Their radar goes on high alert when a local bazillionaire Oscar Odion offers a reward for the sea monster dubbed Frannie and then withdraws it soon after. Odion doesn’t have a good track record with respecting endangered species or taking care of animals well (just look at the people and animals at his marine park). Could Odion have obtained a real sea monster, and if so, can the Misfits save it from Odion’s clutches?

This book would pair really well with the fairly recent YA nonfiction release, Catching Cryptids by Long. I actually first heard about eDNA from Catching Cryptids and the Misfits’ team actually uses that for their investigation in this book. The nonfiction book also talks about how many cryptids can be myths that arise from real creatures that are just a bit elusive. It lends a touch of plausibility to this adventure. I like how the Misfits are feeling more comfortable with each other in this 3rd volume, but continuing to grow. This is a good pick for spy story fans and animal conservation fans.

Notes on content:
Language: None
Sexual content: None
Violence: There are some perilous moments for people and animals but no one is permanently hurt. (Some animals are suffering in captivity in conditions not best suited for them.)
Ethnic diversity: Olive is Chinese American, James is Black American, Imani is Middle Eastern American, Theo is white American, Iggy is Japanese American?, Modest is Russian, other side characters are of various backgrounds.
LGBTQ+ content: None specified.
Other: Odion’s marine park has less than ideal conditions for workers and animals. He also has a private zoo that includes endangered animals that are illegal to own.

[Ms. Yingling · Rating 3 out of 5]

Public library copy

After Olive Zang's adventures at RASCH in The Royal Conundrum and The Copycat Conundrum, she and her friends are back at Foggy Manor in San Francisco. When the city is gripped with excitement over sightings of ghosts and sea monsters that bring a Foodie Festival on the Golden Gate Bridge to an abrupt end, Olive, along with James, Iggy, Theo, and Phil, are off to investigate. In between lessons on how to flibbertigibbit, they visit Professor Fable Howser at Marine World to try to get some insight. Marine World is owned by the evil Oscar "Odious" Odion, but they hope that Dr. Howser will have some information. NOCK, the secret spy No One Can Know organization to which Olive's parents and grandmother belong, starts a New Creatures Division to help investigate. When the kids find the sea monster, Frannie, is one of the tanks, they know they need to free her. They are even more determined when a Frannie's very young daughter is found out in the water. Using a Silly Boat Parade as cover, will the Misfits be able to save the endangered animal?

This was another quirky adventure that showcases San Francisco rather nicely, as the kids travel around the city. There's a good balance between scenes set in school and those set out and about, and we even get to meet some of the characters from previous books, like Rance Reed. There are lots of great illustrations by Santat, and the chapters are very short and move quickly. Readers who fancy themselves spies and who wrote themselves into stories like Landis' Capitol Chase, Ponti's City Spies, or Walsh's The Bug Bandits will enjoy this adventure and be curious about the MixFits that show up at the end up the book to "replace" the Misfits!

[Kelly {SpaceOnTheBookcase] · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Misfits, working for the NOCK agency, is a group of students at the Reforming Arts School (RASCH), thought to be the underdogs, when they're together they can solve any mystery big or small. Lead by Olive, the misfits also include Phil, Iggy, James, and Theo. When they hear about ghost sightings around the old abandoned lighthouse, they can't help but investigate because ghosts don't actually exist right? What seems like a small rumor blows up drawing crowds and marine life to the area. Unfortunately for one particular sea creature, the once small rumor now has blown up into a rumor about a massive sea creature in the bay. Can the misfits save Big Frannie and her baby from an evil mogul who wants to hurt them?

One of the things I love about this series is the friendship and teamwork needed to accomplish so much. From detailed plans to laugh out loud moments, there isn't a single second of the book that isn't grasping my attention or propelling the story forward. I loved the first two books in the series, and I enjoys this one too. Can't wait to see what The Misfits are up to next!

Thank you Random House Kids for the gifted copy.

[Alicia · Rating 4 out of 5]

Who doesn't love the Misfits and all of their gadgetry, goofiness, grit, and curiosity!

The combination of Yee's adventurous writing and Santat's lively illustrations is a winning combination for the third installment, this one taking them out to see. What starts off as possible ghosts near a lighthouse takes them into the dark waters and cryptozoology. And what an ending to lead into the next book... I will certainly keep reading and I got my niece hooked on them as well.

It's as lively and upbeat as it can come with a dash of hopefulness and ingenuity (plus some baked goods along the way).

[Diana of Shelved by Strand · Rating 4 out of 5]

The zany Misfits crew is back with more rollicking adventures in Book 3, this time tipping into the fantasy genre with their “sea monster conundrum”. Still great fun, though it’s a toss-up as to whether I enjoy Dan Santat’s illustrations more or the audiobook narration by Cindy Kay. You can’t go wrong with either one. Readers who love genius kids in impossible jams will wait for Book 4 eagerly after the cliffhanger in the epilogue.

[Sharon the Librarian · Rating 4 out of 5]

This 3rd book in the series was as exciting as the others. Full of adventure, friendship, ingenuity, and silliness- it will delight young readers.

Everyone can relate to not feeling like you fit in at some point in your life, this book is a nod to the fact that everyone fits in somewhere. You just need to find the right place and the right people.

[Tweller83]

I received a free copy from libro.fm as part of the educator audiobook listening copies. All opinions are my own. #librofm #randomhouseaudio

[Debby · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.33⭐ [rating tweak and review possibly to come]

[AnneLibrarian · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another fun installment of the Misfits - these stoires are action packed!

[Sarah · Rating 5 out of 5]

Girls give it a 5 star

[Christie · Rating 3 out of 5]

The third installment of the Misfit series.

[James Schneider · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really love this series and this is a nice addition to it. Happy that it sets up the next adventure at the end.

[Amy Rhodes · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank you for writing this series. I hope there are more stories about The Misfits to come. I love these books.