Dr. Critchlores School for Minions is a middle grade novel written by Sheila Grau and illustrated by Joe Sutphin. It is the first book in a new series. The main character is Runt, a werewolf stuck in the human minion dorm and with a habit of being a little too nice. In his efforts to be the best Junior henchman ever he uncovers a plot to sabotage his boarding school. Oh, did I forget to mention that he attends the world's finest training program for aspiring minions to Evil Overlords? There are troublesome zombies, a friend that keeps losing his head, explosions, and a headmaster that is not at all himself, to keep Runt on his toes.
I love a story with unexpected heroes. Runt is one of those heroes. In Dr. Critchlores School for Minions Runt is not exactly a stand out, except for the fact that he has lived there since he was seven and left behind by his family. He is a quick thinker and knows his way around the school better than anyone. The school is his home, and when a shocking video appears showing some of the schools toughest graduates running for little girls everything is on the line. Soon the sabotage escalates and Runt is trying to figure out who is behind it while trying desperately to excel. Friendship, thinking fast, and unexpected discoveries will keep readers engaged in this fast paced read. I think this is just the thing to get some reluctant readers eager to read the next book in the series.
I highly recommend Dr. Critchlores School for Minions for readers that want something a little different. In a school where being a minion is a career goal, there are surprisingly few evil deeds and plenty of detention for bad behavior. Runt is a great character that many will be able to relate to or at least sympathize with, while the cast of other characters will certainly keep the interest and keep those pages turning.
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