An interesting series opener that gets lost on its own trail.
In this Canadian import, translated from the French, a young raccoon named Billy Stuart sets out on an adventure through time.
Kilt-wearing Billy lives in the town of Cavendish, where he begrudgingly walks his neighbors’ poodle, FrouFrou. Billy also leads the Zintrepids, a scout troop of five animals (well, six, if you include FrouFrou). One day, a letter from Billy’s grandfather arrives, inviting Billy to join him at a newly discovered passageway through time in Belcher’s Cavern. But there’s a snag: Billy’s grandfather’s journey is the same day Billy has a forest hike with his scout troop! Can he complete the hike and also see his grandfather? Told mostly in first person from Billy’s perspective, the narrative sets some words apart in bolded, brightly colored type to add emphasis. Numerous yellow sticky notes (from author Bergeron, who claims to have met Billy) corroborate the story’s events. Sampar’s full-color cartoon illustrations add a cinematic quality, especially in the text’s occasional comic-book panels. Simple vocabulary, ample leading, and supporting spot illustrations make this a good transitional chapter book. Still, the overall narrative structure juggles too much and sacrifices plot for the sake of its own cleverness. Some puzzle games are included between chapters—though they are not referenced in the plot. The ending suggests future adventures for the Zintrepids.
An interesting series opener that gets lost on its own trail. (puzzle solutions) (Graphic/fiction hybrid. 6-10)Pub Date: Sept. 4, 2018
ISBN: 978-1-4598-1837-8
Page Count: 160
Publisher: Orca
Review Posted Online: June 10, 2018
Kirkus Reviews Issue: July 1, 2018
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
Cute as a boo-ton—if a tad stereotypical.
Ghost siblings ghoul it up in a new graphic-novel series.
A “THUMP” from the attic sends siblings Fitz and Cleo up to investigate. The spooky vibes delight Cleo, so she improvises “The Spooky Attic Song.” Fitz tries to shush his sister so they can maintain “the element of surprise” as they approach the sound’s source. The mystery is solved: It’s a cat! Cleo promptly scoops the (seemingly mortal) cat up and names him Mister Boo. Fitz has reservations but relents when Mister Boo sits on his head. Ten subsequent chapters, varying between four and seven pages in length, chronicle the trio’s further shenanigans. Husband-and-wife team Stutzman and Fox create an entertaining early graphic novel in the vein of Ben Clanton’s Narwhal and Jelly series. Though there are occasional speech bubbles, dialogue is most often connected to the speaker by a solid black line. Sentences are short, and there are at most two speakers per panel. Additionally, with no more than six panels per page and simple backgrounds, the story provides adequate support to emerging readers. Fox’s expressive illustrations and clever use of panel layouts effectively build off the humor in Stutzman’s text. Cleo is depicted with a purple bow; Fitz with a baseball cap and glasses. Unfortunately, their personalities as well as their appearances play into gender stereotypes.
Cute as a boo-ton—if a tad stereotypical. (Graphic fantasy. 6-10)Pub Date: May 4, 2021
ISBN: 978-1-250-23944-0
Page Count: 64
Publisher: Henry Holt
Review Posted Online: March 16, 2021
Kirkus Reviews Issue: April 1, 2021
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
A simple but by no means simplistic tale emphasizing the universality of kindness.
A wide-eyed owl yearns to make friends.
Owly, a gentle bird of prey, just wants to help. The other forest creatures fear him even when he approaches with kindness and support. Owly tries leaving seed to feed the smaller birds, but they flee when they spot him. He rescues two insects trapped in a jar, but again, they fly off when they spy the raptor. Owly’s luck turns when he aids a worm named Wormy trapped in a puddle. Wormy and Owly forge an unlikely but genial friendship, and their forest adventures include reuniting Wormy with his missing parents and then befriending—and ultimately having to say goodbye to—two lovely hummingbirds who must migrate south as the seasons change. When adversity challenges Owly, he reacts calmly, communicates his feelings with Wormy, and acts with warmth and bravery. Originally published in 2004 as a wordless, black-and-white volume, this reissue adds both color, with a cheery earth-toned palette, and dialogue among most of the characters, with the exception of Owly, who communicates only through pictures. Runton’s evocative characters are nothing short of huggably adorable and affirm the importance of compassion and empathy against perceived stereotypes. Owly and Wormy both identify as male characters; hummingbird friends Tiny and Angel identify as male and female, respectively.
A simple but by no means simplistic tale emphasizing the universality of kindness. (Graphic fantasy. 6-10)Pub Date: Feb. 4, 2020
ISBN: 978-1-338-30066-6
Page Count: 160
Publisher: Graphix/Scholastic
Review Posted Online: Oct. 8, 2019
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Nov. 1, 2019
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
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