Nico Bravo and the Hound of Hades

At Vulcan’s Celestial Supply Shop, anyone from the mightiest of gods to a celestial monster can find the magical item they need. The staff—Nico Bravo, a mortal kid; Lula, a sphinx; Buck, a veteran of the Unicorn War—is there to assist. But when Eowulf, an aspiring monster slayer descended from Beowulf, needs supplies for a quest, Nico is reluctant to help her, especially when a powerful, newly made sword chooses Eowulf as its master. When Eowulf declares that she’s planning to slay Cerberus, Hades’s dog and guard of the Underworld, Nico decides that she must be stopped before dead souls overrun the dimensions. Cavallaro’s (Decelerate Blue) bright, psychedelic illustrations extend the dimension-hopping plots about Nico and Eowulf, while a subplot tracks the rest of the supply shop staff as they try to prevent a future in which the Unicorn War never ended. Introductions to various mythical beings—including Greek mythology’s Zeus, Egyptian mythology’s Iškur, and Norse mythology’s Thor—add interesting informational layers without slowing down the interwoven plots. A final discovery sets the stage for the next volume in this graphic novel series. Ages 8–11. [em](Apr.) [/em]