Pilkey and Ontiveros team up for another action-packed adventure with Ricky Ricotta and his robot (Ricky Ricotta’s Giant Robot vs. the Voodoo Vultures from Venus, 2001, etc.). In a tale that is part comic book, part early chapter book, tiny mouse Ricky enjoys playing with his gigantic robot until they decide to use the family minivan as a skateboard. It becomes a minivan pancake and Ricky and his Mighty Robot are in trouble. But before they can repair the damage, they are called into duty: saving Mars and Earth from destruction by the Mecha-Monkeys from Mars. Like the comic-book superheroes of decades past, Ricky and his Mighty Robot race from disaster to disaster, narrowly avoiding catastrophe at every turn. There is violence in the battle scenes, but the battles are comical with the trademark Pilkey plays on words. “Ricky’s Robot treated the Mecha-Monkeys to two servings of punch . . . one foot-long . . . and a knuckle sandwich.” Of course, it all works out in the end: Earth and Mars are saved, bad guys are punished, and even the demolished minivan is replaced. All is right with the world. Kid-pleasing diversions such as a flipbook and 11 “how to draw” pages add to the fun. Part shtick, part goofy predictable adventure, the easy-to-read short novel will allow the early reader to turn pages quickly, feel successful, and have fun. (Fiction. 6-10)
Pub Date: Feb. 1, 2001
ISBN: 0-439-25295-4
Page Count: 144
Publisher: Blue Sky/Scholastic
Review Posted Online: May 19, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Dec. 15, 2001
A solid start to a new chapter-book series.
Archie Morningstar has been waiting for “eight years, eight months, and eight days” to ride along with his taxicab-driving father. But when the night finally arrives, the experience proves to be out of this world.
Archie had been looking forward to seeing more of the city, but his father is no ordinary cabbie. He drives a space taxi, with fares all over the known universe. Archie serves as his father’s co-pilot for the night, helping him navigate wormholes, avoid asteroid fields and work the taxi’s thrusters. But things get really interesting when Archie meets Intergalactic Security Force deputy Pilarbing Fangorius Catapolitus, aka Pockets, a talking space police cat who can shoot lasers out of his tail. Together, cat and boy take down a dangerous member of the evil organization BURP. Archie can hardly believe his luck when his father agrees not only to allow Pockets to live with them, but to take Archie on as his permanent co-pilot. Zany adventures, a wacky plot and plenty of slapstick humor make this a quick, enjoyable read. Simple illustrations and a trio of scientific definitions add to the narrative.
A solid start to a new chapter-book series. (Adventure. 6-9)Pub Date: April 1, 2014
ISBN: 978-0-316-24319-3
Page Count: 112
Publisher: Little, Brown
Review Posted Online: Feb. 18, 2014
Kirkus Reviews Issue: March 1, 2014
Eeney meeney miney moe, catch this series before it goes! (Adventure. 7-9)
Two kids get up close and personal with some great works of art in this first in a new series.
Tiger Brooks is used to his little sister’s fantastical stories. So when the top-hatted orange pig she describes turns out to be not only real, but a next-door neighbor, Tiger enlists the help of his kooky new friend, Luna, to investigate. It turns out the pig works for the reclusive painter Viola Dots. Years ago a magical picture frame swallowed up her only son, and she’s searched for him in artworks ever since. When Tiger’s tinkering starts the magic up again, he and Luna are sucked into a reproduction of Henri Rousseau’s Surprised! or Tiger in a Tropical Storm, hungry predator and all. After meeting and failing to rescue Viola’s son in this adventure, the series is set up for the intrepid pair to infiltrate other classic paintings in the future. Backmatter provides information on the real Rousseau and his life. Oliver keeps the plot itself snappy and peppy. While there are few surprises, there’s also an impressive lack of lag time. This is helped in no small part by Kallis’ art, which goes from pen-and-ink drawings to full-blown color images once the kids cross over into the painting. Tiger is a white boy, and Luna is a dark-haired Latina.
Eeney meeney miney moe, catch this series before it goes! (Adventure. 7-9)Pub Date: April 26, 2016
ISBN: 978-0-448-48087-9
Page Count: 128
Publisher: Grosset & Dunlap
Review Posted Online: Jan. 19, 2016
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Feb. 1, 2016
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