I really enjoyed this and am looking forward to picking up the second volume. I believe this was originally published as a four part serial in paperback, and those four serials are collected here in hardcover.

I like the combination of regular everyday world and creepy magical world, particularly the creatures referenced in the title. For children and teens, the real world is as full of monsters as fairy tales and fantasy stories, and this is especially true for those who don't find a good place to fit in at school. Courtney's tales explore that a little bit while she gets introduced to magic and mythical beasts. Her parents are disgustingly shallow and her uncle hints at a mysterious and fascinating past.

The color illustrations are nice, adding depth to the story and setting, though I wonder if my 5 and 7 year old will find some of them a tad too creepy.