Will inspire kids to resist disinformation—and perhaps create their own “just-so stories.”
Everyone’s favorite undersea cryptid learns a valuable lesson in telling fact from fiction.
The Loch Ness Monster (“Call me Ness”), a chevron-patterned indigo blob, proudly hypes her book about birds: “It’s got drama, excitement, adventure! And most important of all, scientific truths.” Her “expert” credentials? She has written a book (“And I’m pretty sure I’ve seen a bird before”). The fanciful stories she tells about puffins’ colorful beaks (the result of sunburn) and boobies’ blue feet (a dyeing mishap) are riveting. Until Ness claims that her book is rooted in science. The puffin’s and the booby’s objections upset her, and Ness sensibly demands their basis, providing an opening for the birds to present some actual facts about their species, like Latin name, habitat, height, and habits. Everyone agrees that though facts are “so fun,” made-up stories are also OK, as long as we know the difference. After penning an error-free tale of flamingos, Ness comically starts writing her “most factual book yet”: her own origin story. The graphic novel format keeps things moving briskly, with touches of humor. The spare cartoon art is accurate enough (though the booby bears a resemblance to a gull character). Offering both a bit of ornithology and helping readers make a solid distinction between science and fiction (though the latter word never appears), this one’s a useful addition to STEM basics.
Will inspire kids to resist disinformation—and perhaps create their own “just-so stories.” (resources, glossary) (Graphic fiction. 6-9)Pub Date: May 5, 2026
ISBN: 9781525312533
Page Count: 64
Publisher: Kids Can
Review Posted Online: Jan. 19, 2026
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Feb. 15, 2026
This outing lacks the sophistication of such category standards as Clementine; here’s hoping English amps things up for...
A gentle voice and familiar pitfalls characterize this tale of a boy navigating the risky road to responsibility.
Gavin is new to his neighborhood and Carver Elementary. He likes his new friend, Richard, and has a typically contentious relationship with his older sister, Danielle. When Gavin’s desire to impress Richard sets off a disastrous chain of events, the boy struggles to evade responsibility for his actions. “After all, it isn’t his fault that Danielle’s snow globe got broken. Sure, he shouldn’t have been in her room—but then, she shouldn’t be keeping candy in her room to tempt him. Anybody would be tempted. Anybody!” opines Gavin once he learns the punishment for his crime. While Gavin has a charming Everyboy quality, and his aversion to Aunt Myrtle’s yapping little dog rings true, little about Gavin distinguishes him from other trouble-prone protagonists. He is, regrettably, forgettable. Coretta Scott King Honor winner English (Francie, 1999) is a teacher whose storytelling usually benefits from her day job. Unfortunately, the pizzazz of classroom chaos is largely absent from this series opener.
This outing lacks the sophistication of such category standards as Clementine; here’s hoping English amps things up for subsequent volumes. (Fiction. 6-9)Pub Date: Dec. 17, 2013
ISBN: 978-0-547-97044-8
Page Count: 128
Publisher: Clarion Books
Review Posted Online: Oct. 1, 2013
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Oct. 15, 2013
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
What a wag.
What do you get from sewing the head of a smart dog onto the body of a tough police officer? A new superhero from the incorrigible creator of Captain Underpants.
Finding a stack of old Dog Mancomics that got them in trouble back in first grade, George and Harold decide to craft a set of new(ish) adventures with (more or less) improved art and spelling. These begin with an origin tale (“A Hero Is Unleashed”), go on to a fiendish attempt to replace the chief of police with a “Robo Chief” and then a temporarily successful scheme to make everyone stupid by erasing all the words from every book (“Book ’Em, Dog Man”), and finish off with a sort of attempted alien invasion evocatively titled “Weenie Wars: The Franks Awaken.” In each, Dog Man squares off against baddies (including superinventor/archnemesis Petey the cat) and saves the day with a clever notion. With occasional pauses for Flip-O-Rama featurettes, the tales are all framed in brightly colored sequential panels with hand-lettered dialogue (“How do you feel, old friend?” “Ruff!”) and narrative. The figures are studiously diverse, with police officers of both genders on view and George, the chief, and several other members of the supporting cast colored in various shades of brown. Pilkey closes as customary with drawing exercises, plus a promise that the canine crusader will be further unleashed in a sequel.
What a wag. (Graphic fantasy. 7-9)Pub Date: Aug. 30, 2016
ISBN: 978-0-545-58160-8
Page Count: 240
Publisher: Graphix/Scholastic
Review Posted Online: May 31, 2016
Kirkus Reviews Issue: June 15, 2016
SEEN & HEARD
BOOK TO SCREEN
BOOK TO SCREEN
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