Cody Seltzer and the Creeping Shadows

Kirkus Review

A young boy must save his quirky neighborhood from insidious forces of soul-sucking negativity in this lively middle-grade adventure from Williams.

Eleven-year-old Cody lives in West Adelfi, a neighborhood where weirdness is considered normal, and the various oddballs accept one another’s individuality. Cody’s dad is a bearded man-child skateboarder, his mum a heavily tattooed save-the-planet campaigner. Cody’s best friend, Zeke, has an obsessive-compulsive need to keep everyday items methodically arranged. Cody himself is a talented artist who draws comics with his older brother, Wyatt.

Recently, however, Wyatt has grown distant. Cody, in turn, has become embarrassed to hang out with Zeke. He is eager instead to impress his new soccer friends from across the river. A shadowy darkness seeps into Cody’s drawings, reflecting both his inner turmoil and a menacing change that is spreading through the town. Masked shadow figures commit acts of vandalism. Shop owners are targeted. Most mysteriously, the latest reality TV phenomenon and its associated augmented-reality app have come to West Adelfi, afflicting residents with a hypnotic ennui. Can Cody embrace his sense of identity and keep the neighborhood from tearing itself apart? Williams, whose last book was The Rage (2019), writes from Cody’s perspective, crafting a free-flowing narrative very much in tune with West Adelfi’s peculiarities. The prose, simple but effective, focuses on storytelling and allows the cast room to breathe. Cody himself is a well-realized protagonist—relatively “normal” but with doubts, insecurities, and an incisive self-awareness. As per characters in some of the best middle-grade books, he and his friends at times show more maturity than the adults. Their personalities emerge through dialogue as well as action, their talk enlivened by inventive swear substitutes, like “bullhonky” and “boogersnarfs.” The self-acceptance moral is overt but not too heavy-handed. The sinister conditioning by the reality show evokes a chill similar to that of Gillian Cross’ Demon

Headmaster novels. All told, young readers will embrace Cody’s world.

A fast, fun friendship tale filled with joie de vivre.

Publishers Weekly Bookline Review

Eleven-year-old Cody Seltzer longs to be a normal kid, but that’s a challenge living in the eclectic town of West Adelfi where residents proudly flaunt their eccentricities. Even his heavily tattooed mom and skateboarding dad seem content to let their inner quirkiness run wild, but Cody is tired of standing out. He just wants to draw comics and spend time with his older brother Wyatt, but Wyatt is growing up and pulling away from Cody. To complicate matters, when West Adelfi becomes the target of masked vandals, Cody and his friends are tasked with saving the town and unraveling the mystery behind the sudden attacks. He must set aside his quest to be “normal” and dive deeper into what makes West Adelfi weirdly special. 

Young readers will delight in the whimsical elements of this unusual town and its memorable characters. The children of West Adelfi are encouraged to learn sword swallowing and tightrope walking, and there are over one hundred colorful murals decorating the town, spinning a fun setting and imaginative cast of characters that quickly engages readers.

Cody is a relatable young protagonist who fears not fitting in with his new non-West Adelfi friends. As a group of masked individuals begin to upheave the tranquility of the quaint peculiar town, Cody’s inner struggle to shed West Adelfi’s quirky reputation is pitted against his deep-rooted love for his home and those who make it special. His journey of self-discovery offers a potent message of self-love for readers of all ages. In addition to self-acceptance, Williams weaves into the story warnings about video game addiction and corporate greed, which at times have the feeling of lessons. Some readers may find the action takes a little too long to build up momentum, but the short chapters and crisp writing are perfect for a young audience. Fans of middle-grade tales revolving around self-love will delight in Cody’s quest to save his town.

Takeaway: Readers who enjoy quirky settings and eccentric characters will savor this middle-grade adventure.

Great for fans of: Margaret Peterson Haddix’s Greystone Secrets series, Kate Milford’s Greenglass House.

Author’s Comments: “Charming, heartfelt, and spooky! With newfound friends by his side, Cody’s wild adventures with eerie mansions, shadow creeps, and evil sorcerers are sure to enthrall young readers everywhere!” – Cassie Gustafson, Author, After the Ink Dries and The Secrets We Keep”

“With gamers as heroes, an influencer for a villain, and a town full of brainwashed adults, young readers will find tons to embrace in this thoroughly modern fantastical tale.”

—Jen Malone, author, The Sleepover

I have a lot of good things to say about this book. I sympathized a lot with Cody and what he was struggling with internally, the need to feel liked by his new “normal” friends, and that longing for normalcy in such a strange family. He felt embarrassed by many things that were normal to him but not to others, e.g. not having a phone, having parents covered with tattoos, and a few other things. I had a great time reading this book!

—Rosely Ayala

I am so glad I went into this book completely blind. I love that the themes of community, togetherness and uniqueness are rampant in this book, and I think anyone of any age can use a lesson in being kind and respectful of those around you.

—Gretchen Vega

The characters in this spooky middle grade book were very likeable. It was fast paced and fun reading.

—Kathy Gorman