CryptiD Kids
Something lurks in the water off the coast of New Marseyland. Something dark. Something unnatural. Something evil. Something 
that… quacks. The dreaded Moby Duck, a man made monster, ominously waddles to the center of the center volume in the Cryptid Kids series from Sara Goetter and Natalie Riess.
Cryptid lover K is back for a new mystery and a new mysterious creature and she’s bringing her semi-willing friends with her. Fueled by a passionate curiosity and love for weird and unlikely creatures inspired by her great aunt TK, nothing will stop our intrepid scientist from discovering new species… except maybe all a noisy arcade. It is really loud.
The cryptid hunters are going on vacation to the shore where K intends to find the elusive Moby Duck, a creature unlike any other she has studied. Luc, K’s “kinda boyfriend”, is more focused on making a good impression on K’s family while Penny is only allowed to spend time with K with the expressed promise to her mother of “No looking for cryptids, no ‘operations,’ nothing cryptid related at all.” Unfortunately, K and friends are not the only ones looking for the dreaded waterfowl: pirate and cryptozoologist Arrvida Scales is on the hunt with less than savory intentions. But even more devastating than that threat is Penny’s new friend Jo joining them, who seems to be drawing more of Luc and Penny’s attention than K, and K’s dad suggesting that it may be time she gave up the cryptids and generally not getting her.
There’s a lot going on in this graphic—kidnappings, pirates, one eyed seagulls, secret cousins, aliens. The aliens, who resemble jackalopes, really caught me off guard if we’re being honest. But beneath the shenanigans, this is a story about relationships and the way they evolve. K needs to find new ways to connect with her dad. Her dad needs to come to terms with years of anger at his aunt while figuring out how to give K room to grow up into herself.
This is a goofy read and I mean that as the highest compliment. The humor feels very Dav Pilkey adjacent with a dryness that’s at odds with the extreme circumstances of the book. Seasoned partners Goetter and Riess add a sweetness to the story and the characters that make them relatable and real, even with the plot’s absurdity. This is something these married creators are very good at and have displayed throughout their collaborations.
The graphic starts with a peek at Creature Monthly, the K’s zine/scientific publication, that provides an introduction to the central characters and a quick recap of the events from the previous book making this accessible to new readers without reading the first volume. The panels alternate between moving smoothly and steadily through the story to moments of almost frenetic bouncing during big action scenes. Like I said, there’s a lot going on. And I quite liked it.
Cryptid Kids: Moby Duck seems specially built for reluctant readers. It’s visually exciting, supremely silly, and centers around a very real heart that makes this middle grade reader sing. This is the kind of series that kids who say they hate reading can easily lose themselves in.
Cryptid Kids: Moby Duck, Vol. 2
By Sara Goetter and Natalie Riess
Macmillan First Second, 2025
ISBN: 9781250899408
Company Age Rating: 8-12
NFNT Age Recommendation: Middle Grade (7-11), Tween (10-13)
Creator Representation: Queer,
Character Representation: African-American,
