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¿ 2023 Independent Book Publisher Book Award Winner: Best Holiday BookIt's almost Christmas, but the nights in Tinseltown are anything but silent.
In this hardboiled parody of
The Maltese Falcon, Ruprecht, a twelve-year-old krampus and wannabe detective, gets more than he bargained for when he takes the case of a terrified elf. Finding himself at the top of the Tinseltown Police Department's naughty list, Ruprecht is joined by his best friend, a ghost named Marley, to explore the underbelly of this festive but gritty metropolis, solve the mystery, and clear his name for good.
About the author
Kyle Sullivan is a writer based in Portland, Oregon. His titles for children include Hobgoblin and the Seven Stinkers of Rancidia, Zombie, Or Not to Be, The Cyclops Witch and the Heebie-Jeebies, Monster ABC, Hush Now, Banshee! and Goodnight Krampus.Derek Sullivan is a Seattle-based illustrator. He has illustrated many books for children including Party Croc!: A Folktale from Zimbabwe for Albert Whitman & Company; and Hobgoblin and the Seven Stinkers of Rancidia, Zombie, Or Not to Be, The Cyclops Witch and the Heebie-Jeebies, Monster ABC, Goodnight Krampus, and Get Dressed, Sasquatch! for Hazy Dell Press.
Summary
★ 2023 Independent Book Publisher Book Award Winner: Best Holiday Book
It’s almost Christmas, but the nights in Tinseltown are anything but silent.
Ruprecht, a twelve-year-old krampus and wannabe detective, gets more than he bargained for when he takes the case of a terrified elf. Finding himself at the top of the Tinseltown Police Department’s naughty list, Ruprecht is joined by his best friend, a ghost named Marley, to explore the underbelly of this festive but gritty metropolis, solve the mystery, and clear his name for good.
Book 3 of the Hazy Fables middle-grade series, this quick-witted parody of Dashiell Hammett’s The Maltese Falcon follows up its acclaimed predecessors, Zombie, Or Not to Be (a brainy adaptation of Hamlet) and Hobgoblin and the Seven Stinkers of Rancidia (a Kirkus Best Book of 2019). Featuring powerful witches, a greedy goblin, a colossal cat, a "psychic" reindeer, and a platoon of shadowy phantoms, this whip-smart thriller celebrates the delightfully dark side of Christmas with mystery, intrigue, and a sleighful of characters from European folklore.
"A witty parody of a film noir classic, this thriller will keep you turning the pages until well past midnight.” —Illustoria Magazine
Foreword
- Print Run: 7,500 (KC) / 7,500 (WWTW)
- Co-op available
- Galleys available
- National advertising plan likely to include Shelf Awareness and School Library Journal
- [Pandemic willing] Booth presence and author/illustrator signings at major events including: San Diego Comic Con, WonderCon, ALA Midwinter, Seattle Children’s Book Festival, Portland Book Festival (formerly known as Wordstock), Emerald City Comic Con (Seattle), Rose City Comic Con (Portland)
- Online social media campaign: Instagram paid ads, Facebook paid ads, Amazon AdWords
- Continual social media interaction with publisher’s more than 20K social media followers
- Comprehensive Common Core State Standards (CCSS) education guides available for free at teachingbooks.net and on publisher website
- Ebooks will be available at same time as print publication Books will be aligned to Common Core Standards and Lexile Measured
Additional text
"[T]inseltown is packed with the usual (and unusual) suspects of Christmas lore, and the culprit could be anyone. Ruprecht narrates the mystery in a noir style that is both world-weary and tongue-in-cheek…This charming work draws to a satisfactory close with justice restored. Good fun for youngsters who prefer their holiday cheer with a dark twist.” —Kirkus Reviews
"This mystery [is] a page-turner." —School Library Journal
“Krampus Confidential is a lighthearted winter romp through a magical world inhabited by some of Europe’s most infamous Yuletide folk creatures. A great way to introduce children to the bizarre and fascinating worlds of monsters and mystery.” —Dr. Emily Zarka, host of PBS’ Monstrum
