As ever, Dog Man and friends demonstrate that the power of friendship truly can change the world.
Dog Man cedes the limelight to Li’l Petey, the crime-fighting kitten, in this hilarious new adventure.
Fetch-22, which does bear a passing thematic resemblance to its namesake, follows the familiar Dog Man formula: an introduction by George and Harold, who attempt and (happily) fail to throw out all things childish; several pages of recap, serving to inform the reader of Dog Man’s origin, Li’l Petey’s shared-custody situation, and the incarceration of the elder Petey’s treacherous father; finally, a headfirst dive into the action. This action splits itself among three main threads: The Fair Fairy, a deranged television star, gets fired and vows to exact her revenge on the whole city; Li’l Petey discovers a nefarious chemical compound that produces “psychokinetic brain powers” and “supa anger”; and Grampa breaks out of jail by disguising himself as his son. These threads take a while to converge, making space for both heartwarming moments and Pilkey’s characteristically wacky humor. The pace of the story amps up wonderfully when the Scooby Doo–esque final battle begins, although some of the morals espoused may come off as slightly heavy-handed. The simply colored backgrounds beautifully highlight the characters’ lively expressions, and impressive action sequences abound. The unexplained animation of a tree via psychokinesis comes as an especial (and especially strange) delight. Extensive backmatter includes “news” articles, drawing tutorials, and song lyrics; human characters are diverse.
As ever, Dog Man and friends demonstrate that the power of friendship truly can change the world. (Graphic fantasy. 7-10)Pub Date: Dec. 10, 2019
ISBN: 978-1-338-32321-4
Page Count: 240
Publisher: Graphix/Scholastic
Review Posted Online: Dec. 17, 2019
SEEN & HEARD
SEEN & HEARD
Funny, gross, and clever but definitely not recommended for mealtime reading.
Five muco-centric graphic tales in the classic tradition of the Slimeballs and Barf-O-Rama series.
Periodically pausing to reset the mood by chewing up classic books and covering a staring storytime audience with projectile vomit, an outsized rubbery mouth spews out a set of original tales—beginning with one about a child who saves the world from being covered in green slime by loogie monsters in exchange for being appointed school principal. Later entries follow a weak-stomached Romanian vampire who immigrates to America (“Where all are created equal, and some are treated that way!”), lay out a steep cultural learning curve when young Stella’s “bio mom” is replaced by a wrapped stepmummy, show what happens when internet trolls meet real ones, and pit a pair of frustrated ghost hunters against a mob of spectral pranksters. In all of these, DeGrand shows a real talent for lavishing copious quantities of puke, snot, blood, slobber, slime, and goo into his garishly hued cartoon scenes along with endowing the popeyed nonhuman and undead cast members with warty or glutinous skin in a range of noxious shades. Humans present a diverse (and healthier looking) mix of skin colors.
Funny, gross, and clever but definitely not recommended for mealtime reading. (Graphic short stories. 7-10)Pub Date: July 25, 2023
ISBN: 9781250780805
Page Count: 224
Publisher: First Second
Review Posted Online: April 11, 2023
Kirkus Reviews Issue: May 1, 2023
Charming and funny proof that friendship is the key to any hairy situation.
Ted might have a terrible nickname, but he’ll need to get over it to take on a bully, a beast, and a bad case of bedhead.
A giant raccoon is rumored to be running amok in small-town Brookside, but as fourth grade starts, Ted has bigger concerns on his mind. His best friend, Stacy, doesn’t seem to have a problem with it, but Ted’s hair is notoriously unwieldy—always has been—and one bully in particular seems to be leading the charge to make sure Ted never feels normal. The nickname Bedhead Ted catches on, and despite Stacy’s insistence that things will get better, Ted resents every strand, tress, and lock that makes him special. In this graphic novel with full-color, mixed media illustrations, Ted’s big, bright orange hair often takes center stage, but the cast of characters featuring diverse skin tones, hair, and facial features is also noteworthy. When Ted discovers surprising abilities that come with his unique hair—abilities secretly shared by his maternal grandfather and multiple generations of his family—the heroics and hijinks are both silly and exciting, breezily leading readers through both a superhero origin story and a mystery. Elastic hair with superstrength aside, Stacy and Ted’s support of one another through relatable obstacles powers this whole adventure and finally leads to answers regarding the Brookside Beast.
Charming and funny proof that friendship is the key to any hairy situation. (map) (Graphic fiction. 7-10)Pub Date: Aug. 24, 2021
ISBN: 978-0-06-294130-5
Page Count: 224
Publisher: Quill Tree Books/HarperCollins
Review Posted Online: June 15, 2021
Kirkus Reviews Issue: July 1, 2021
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