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BUCKY AND STU VS. THE MIKANIKAL MAN

Young superhero wannabes will be shouting “Wonk ’em!” in no time.

Saving the planet’s easy when your rivals are only powered by imagination. Can these heroes handle a real nemesis?

Bucky and Stu, becaped buddies who are sworn “protectors of their hometown, their planet and their favorite TV show,” patrol the backyard, besting BoxMan (a stack of boxes decorated to look like a nasty robot) and TrashMan (old rubber trashcans with mops for eye stalks) and Hose-Nose (an old vacuum cleaner with added eyes) before Stu’s stomach interrupts their play. After a sizable lunch (for Stu at least), Bucky shows Stu a robot he and his uncle Ernie have been working on. Mikanikal Man needs only a power supply to function. With a storm approaching, the boys head inside, planning to find a power pack on the morrow. When Mother Nature spectacularly gives Mikanikal Man life, can our heroes best him? Not until hunger overtakes their foe, when the boys find scary monsters can be super friends (if properly fed). Van Wright follows up When an Alien Meets a Swamp Monster (2014) with another action-packed romp powered by imagination and the boundless energy of boys at play. The watercolor-and-pencil illustrations mimic comics in places, and the mix of fonts conveys the emotions of the boys and their tone of speech as much as their expressive faces do.

Young superhero wannabes will be shouting “Wonk ’em!” in no time. (Picture book. 4-8)

Pub Date: July 28, 2015

ISBN: 978-0-399-16427-9

Page Count: 32

Publisher: Nancy Paulsen Books

Review Posted Online: March 16, 2015

Kirkus Reviews Issue: April 1, 2015

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HOW TO CATCH A MONSTER

From the How To Catch… series

Only for dedicated fans of the series.

When a kid gets the part of the ninja master in the school play, it finally seems to be the right time to tackle the closet monster.

“I spot my monster right away. / He’s practicing his ROAR. / He almost scares me half to death, / but I won’t be scared anymore!” The monster is a large, fluffy poison-green beast with blue hands and feet and face and a fluffy blue-and-green–striped tail. The kid employs a “bag of tricks” to try to catch the monster: in it are a giant wind-up shark, two cans of silly string, and an elaborate cage-and-robot trap. This last works, but with an unexpected result: the monster looks sad. Turns out he was only scaring the boy to wake him up so they could be friends. The monster greets the boy in the usual monster way: he “rips a massive FART!!” that smells like strawberries and lime, and then they go to the monster’s house to meet his parents and play. The final two spreads show the duo getting ready for bed, which is a rather anticlimactic end to what has otherwise been a rambunctious tale. Elkerton’s bright illustrations have a TV-cartoon aesthetic, and his playful beast is never scary. The narrator is depicted with black eyes and hair and pale skin. Wallace’s limping verses are uninspired at best, and the scansion and meter are frequently off.

Only for dedicated fans of the series. (Picture book. 5-8)

Pub Date: Sept. 1, 2017

ISBN: 978-1-4926-4894-9

Page Count: 40

Publisher: Sourcebooks Jabberwocky

Review Posted Online: July 14, 2017

Kirkus Reviews Issue: Aug. 1, 2017

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KNIGHT OWL

A charming blend of whimsy and medieval heroism highlighting the triumph of brains over brawn.

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  • Kirkus Reviews'
    Best Books Of 2022


  • New York Times Bestseller


  • IndieBound Bestseller


  • Caldecott Honor

A young owl achieves his grand ambition.

Owl, an adorably earnest and gallant little owlet, dreams of being a knight. He imagines himself defeating dragons and winning favor far and wide through his brave exploits. When a record number of knights go missing, Owl applies to Knight School and is surprisingly accepted. He is much smaller than the other knights-in-training, struggles to wield weapons, and has “a habit of nodding off during the day.” Nevertheless, he graduates and is assigned to the Knight Night Watch. While patrolling the castle walls one night, a hungry dragon shows up and Owl must use his wits to avoid meeting a terrible end. The result is both humorous and heartwarming, offering an affirmation of courage and clear thinking no matter one’s size…and demonstrating the power of a midnight snack. The story never directly addresses the question of the missing knights, but it is hinted that they became the dragon’s fodder, leaving readers to question Owl’s decision to befriend the beast. Humor is supplied by the characters’ facial expressions and accented by the fact that Owl is the only animal in his order of big, burly human knights. Denise’s accomplished digital illustrations—many of which are full bleeds—often use a warm sepia palette that evokes a feeling of antiquity, and some spreads feature a pleasing play of chiaroscuro that creates suspense and drama.

A charming blend of whimsy and medieval heroism highlighting the triumph of brains over brawn. (Picture book. 4-8)

Pub Date: March 15, 2022

ISBN: 978-0-316-31062-8

Page Count: 48

Publisher: Christy Ottaviano Books

Review Posted Online: Dec. 15, 2021

Kirkus Reviews Issue: Jan. 1, 2022

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