• Age: 9 to 12
• Grade: 3 to 7
• Reading age: 9 to 12

Modo, who first made his appearance in The Hunchback Assignments, is a young, disfigured spy trained to be the ultimate secret agent.

Not only is Modo brilliant and strong, but he also has a special ability: he can temporarily take on the appearance of other people. While on holiday, Modo and fellow spy Octavia Milkweed find themselves in Ember's End. Created by the slightly mad scientific genius Dr. Ebenezer Ember, this is no ordinary wild-west town. It is surrounded by an energy field that prevents gunpowder from firing, and messages are sent via pneumatic tubes. There are also rumors that before Dr. Ember died, he built a weapon so powerful it could end all wars. With the local sheriff recently deceased, the two travelers are suddenly put in charge of Ember's End law enforcement.

The first volume in ARTHUR SLADE’s Hunchback Assignments series won the prestigious TD Canadian Children’s Literature Award, and the second volume, The Dark Deeps, was a finalist for the Canadian Library Association Book of the Year for Children Award and the CLA Young Adult Book Award. Slade is also the author of Dust, a national bestseller and the winner of the 2001 Governor General’s Award for Children’s Literature, the Mr. Christie’s Book Award and the Saskatchewan Book Award for Children’s Literature. His other books include Tribes, Megiddo’s Shadow, Jolted, Monsterology, Villainology and the Canadian Chills series. He lives in Saskatoon. Visit him online at arthurslade.com.

Arthur Slade's profile page

Christopher Steininger's profile page

• Commended, CCBC Best Books for Kids & Teens

"Technology figures prominently in the yarn, and even though readers will probably be familiar with some of the common elements of steampunk technology (clockwork creatures and other ingenious machines), the devices here are still original, intriguing and fun, and are shown to great effect by Steininger's art…The jokes and word play make this a very fun, clever read…Highly Recommended."

CM Magazine

"Slade and Steininger's fun and fizzy story pops with humor and dynamic illustrations…The plot is well paced, the humor charming, and the setting enticing. This high-spirited, witty adventure…will ultimately delight thrill-seeking readers."

School Library Journal

"Award winning Arthur Slade delivers another amazing Modo adventure within a playful western motif that provides satisfying plot twists, relatable characters and visually stunning artwork. Christopher Steininger brings the desert to life with his bold lines, vivid colours and attention to detail. The use of shadow and light add to the mysterious tale that unfolds in each action driven panel. Can't wait to see the next graphic novel featuring Modo."

Resource Links

"Steininger's stylized, angular illustrations bring a cinematic energy to this Wild West fantasy. Octavia's wisecracks and hard-edged attitude steal the show, and Slade and Steininger balance exposition with fun, sometimes slapstick action sequences when the deputies clash with Ogden and his henchmen."

Publishers Weekly

"Definitely fun…Steininger's illustrations make the comic something special. His lanky character designs, which recall 1940s cartoons, elevate the humor and tone, while his inventive steampunk drawings make for fantastic scene-setting. Fans of the genre will surely have something to gush about after digging into this engrossing adventure."

Booklist

&quotThe art is amazing and Modo and Octavia have great banter. I enjoyed the story.&quot

Kiss the Book blog