by Alain M. Bergeron ; illustrated by Sampar ; translated by Sophie B. Watson ‧ RELEASE DATE: March 12, 2019
A satisfying second helping for readers unfazed by gimmicks.
Raccoon Billy Stuart and his multispecies scout pack continue their hide-and-seek through time, venturing back into ancient Greece.
Picking up right where series opener Billy Stuart and the Zintrepids (2018) left off, the crew emerges from the passageway in Belcher’s Cavern and tries to get their bearings. A note from Billy’s grandfather suggests they get to “the heart of the city’s maze” to find a clue that will offer some direction. After a crawfish snack and a crocodile attack, Billy and friends find themselves in the company of armed human soldiers who take them to the island of Crete, where King Minos sends the animal quintet into the labyrinth to be the Minotaur’s next meal. Will they survive long enough to find the clue that will lead them to Billy’s grandfather? And, better yet, home? True to the format established in the first book in this French-Canadian series, this sequel has no shortage of comedic moments (often exaggerated via comic-book panels) or brain-busting puzzle interludes. Unlike the first book, which supplied an overabundance of exposition, this text strikes the right balance. Billy’s histrionic first-person narration is further exaggerated by words set apart from the text in various brightly colored display types. Though amusing, the author’s sticky-note interjections border on distracting. Another abrupt ending implies a third text will soon be translated. A tendentious conversation with one of the soldiers about the date reifies Christian cultural primacy; human characters appear white.
A satisfying second helping for readers unfazed by gimmicks. (puzzle solutions) (Graphic/fiction hybrid. 6-10)Pub Date: March 12, 2019
ISBN: 978-1-4598-1840-8
Page Count: 16
Publisher: Orca
Review Posted Online: Nov. 20, 2018
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Dec. 15, 2018
Share your opinion of this book
More by Alain M. Bergeron
BOOK REVIEW
by Alain M. Bergeron ; illustrated by Sampar ; translated by Sophie B. Watson
BOOK REVIEW
by Alain M. Bergeron ; Michel Quintin ; Sampar ; illustrated by Sampar ; translated by Solange Messier
BOOK REVIEW
by Alain M. Bergeron ; Michel Quintin ; Sampar ; illustrated by Sampar
by Dav Pilkey ; illustrated by Dav Pilkey ‧ RELEASE DATE: Aug. 26, 2014
Dizzyingly silly.
The famous superhero returns to fight another villain with all the trademark wit and humor the series is known for.
Despite the title, Captain Underpants is bizarrely absent from most of this adventure. His school-age companions, George and Harold, maintain most of the spotlight. The creative chums fool around with time travel and several wacky inventions before coming upon the evil Turbo Toilet 2000, making its return for vengeance after sitting out a few of the previous books. When the good Captain shows up to save the day, he brings with him dynamic action and wordplay that meet the series’ standards. The Captain Underpants saga maintains its charm even into this, the 11th volume. The epic is filled to the brim with sight gags, toilet humor, flip-o-ramas and anarchic glee. Holding all this nonsense together is the author’s good-natured sense of harmless fun. The humor is never gross or over-the-top, just loud and innocuous. Adults may roll their eyes here and there, but youngsters will eat this up just as quickly as they devoured every other Underpants episode.
Dizzyingly silly. (Humor. 8-10)Pub Date: Aug. 26, 2014
ISBN: 978-0-545-50490-4
Page Count: 224
Publisher: Scholastic
Review Posted Online: June 3, 2014
Kirkus Reviews Issue: June 15, 2014
Share your opinion of this book
More In The Series
by Dav Pilkey ; illustrated by Dav Pilkey
More by Dav Pilkey
BOOK REVIEW
by Dav Pilkey ; illustrated by Dav Pilkey color by Jose Garibaldi & Wes Dzioba
BOOK REVIEW
by Dav Pilkey ; illustrated by Dav Pilkey ; color by Jose Garibaldi & Wes Dzioba
BOOK REVIEW
by Dav Pilkey ; illustrated by Dav Pilkey ; color by Jose Garibaldi & Wes Dzioba
by Tedd Arnold & Martha Hamilton & Mitch Weiss ; illustrated by Tedd Arnold ‧ RELEASE DATE: March 15, 2017
Two delightfully dense heroes bring folk tales into the 21st century, and young readers are all the richer for it.
Two thickheaded macaroni noodles prove the old adage: a fool and his firewood are soon parted.
Fools have been called “noodleheads” for centuries, but until recently few have represented the term quite so literally. Mac and Mac aren’t the brightest pieces of pasta in the world, but their hearts are in the right place. Here, the two decide to help their mama out by gathering firewood in hopes that she’ll bake them a cake. As they are attempting to cut the very branch they’re sitting on, a passing meatball points out that they are mere minutes away from bruised bottoms. When his words come to pass, our heroes decide the meatball is clairvoyant and demand to know their future. Drawing on and smoothly weaving together a variety of folk tales, the brief graphic novel describes how its obtuse protagonists single-mindedly seek cake, even as they anticipate death, purchase “firewood seeds” (aka acorns), and accidentally dig their mother a garden. Emergent readers will appreciate the simple text, short chapters, and comics-inspired paneled illustrations. Adults will appreciate the authors’ note, which goes into some detail about each chapter’s folk origins.
Two delightfully dense heroes bring folk tales into the 21st century, and young readers are all the richer for it. (Graphic early reader. 5-9)Pub Date: March 15, 2017
ISBN: 978-0-8234-3673-6
Page Count: 48
Publisher: Holiday House
Review Posted Online: Dec. 20, 2016
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Jan. 15, 2017
Share your opinion of this book
More by Tedd Arnold
BOOK REVIEW
by Tedd Arnold , Martha Hamilton & Mitch Weiss ; illustrated by Tedd Arnold
BOOK REVIEW
by Tedd Arnold ; illustrated by Tedd Arnold
BOOK REVIEW
by Tedd Arnold & Martha Hamilton & Mitch Weiss ; illustrated by Tedd Arnold
© Copyright 2024 Kirkus Media LLC. All Rights Reserved.
Hey there, book lover.
We’re glad you found a book that interests you!
We can’t wait for you to join Kirkus!
It’s free and takes less than 10 seconds!
Already have an account? Log in.
OR
Sign in with GoogleTrouble signing in? Retrieve credentials.
Welcome Back!
OR
Sign in with GoogleTrouble signing in? Retrieve credentials.
Don’t fret. We’ll find you.