The Curse of the Were-Hyena, by Bruce Hale

If you are looking for a book to offer a third to fifth grader who likes supernatural mayhem mixed with the real world, The Curse of the Were-Hyena, by Bruce Hale is a good one!

What do you do when your favorite teacher starts acting very strangely indeed, chasing chickens around the classroom and suddenly sprouting hair on his very bald head?  Best friends Carlos and Benny decide to figure out what's going on, with the help of the owner of their favorite comic book store (a former wrestling star, now using a wheelchair).  She's a font of information on the supernatural, as well as running a great store!  But then what do you do when you realize that he's turning into a were-hyena, a curse that will be permanent by the time the next full moon arrives (in just a few days) and that (as is the normal way of were-creatures) there must be at least one other were-hyena in town who bit him?

Carlos and Benny are determined to find a cure for Mr. Chu, even if it involves breaking into the town museum, being trapped in a tree by an angry were-hyena, and hanging out in a cemetery at night with hyena bait on hand.  They get almost more than they bargained for, but happily all goes well...though the story ends with the promise of more monster hunting to come.

It's a fast read, with lots to chuckle at, and the descriptions are very vivid. Young readers who like monster stories will eat it up.  The supernatural escapades are leavened by real life threads of friend and family issues, and those looking for diversity in their reading will appreciate Mexican-American Carlos (and the wheelchair-using comic store owner).

disclaimer: review copy received from the publisher.