A light read with a not inconsiderable punch.
Nick never gives up faith in his own abilities even when others try to relegate him to the sidelines in this oddball, quick-paced graphic novel.
In a dramatic, full-page panel, readers are introduced to caped hero Nick, silhouetted against the moon, standing atop a building—or is it a garbage can? The omniscient narrator shifts gears: If he’s not a superhero, Nick must be a sidekick. But Nick rejects the typical role, breaking the fourth wall and forcing the narrator to backtrack. Left turns and surprises such as this abound in this irreverent romp, which features a mostly white cast. Readers are treated to a colorful retelling of Nick’s early life and his special ability: excellent hearing powered by superbig ears. While those ears appear comical—and boy, does Nick hear about it—they can be used to good effect. Often cranky, sometimes dispirited, Nick will impress readers most with his bounce-back, never-give-up attitude, especially when he’s paired with vainglorious buffoon Super Fantastic Guy. Well-paced panels, vibrant colors, and tongue-in-cheek asides keep the action popping along. In most scenes, Super Fantastic Guy dwarfs Nick, but no one outranks him. In fact, the duo might just start to work together—just not before one gets his comeuppance and the other his reward. Nick, Super Fantastic Guy, and the villains all present white, with people of color largely limited to one journalist and bystanders.
A light read with a not inconsiderable punch. (Graphic fantasy. 6-9)Pub Date: April 3, 2018
ISBN: 978-1-77138-355-4
Page Count: 48
Publisher: Kids Can
Review Posted Online: Feb. 3, 2018
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Feb. 15, 2018
Hooray, hooray for this par-tay.
Five more stories featuring buddy pair Fox and Rabbit.
Following the formula of its predecessors, this third installment of the Fox & Rabbit series focuses on Sparrow’s “super-trooper special” birthday. A slightly unrelated opening story introduces a variety of animal characters as Fox—proudly adopting the moniker “Fix-it Fox”—goes around trying to solve everyone’s “enormous problems.” In the next story, Fox and Rabbit scheme to make the “biggest, roundest, yummiest pizza in the world.” They pilfer ingredients from Sparrow’s garden (a nod to the first book) and ask Mouse for mozzarella. Subsequent stories—each contained in a chapter—involve a pizza-cooking dragon, the “really awesome” party, and a birthday wish that finally comes true. Dudás’ full-color cartoon illustrations complement Ferry’s chipper tone and punny dialogue for an upbeat woodland romp. Even the turtle, who always comically arrives at the end of the chapter and misses most of the action, gets to enjoy the party. Another standout scene, in which Fox assumes Dragon doesn’t speak their language and speaks “Dragonian” unprompted, gently addresses microaggressions. Though all dialogue is clearly linked to each speaker, some scenes with lots of back and forth within a single panel gear this to comics readers with a bit of experience. Still, the eight-panel–per-page max and short chapters keep the text accessible and pace quick.
Hooray, hooray for this par-tay. (Graphic early reader. 6-9)Pub Date: April 20, 2021
ISBN: 978-1-4197-5183-7
Page Count: 96
Publisher: Amulet/Abrams
Review Posted Online: Feb. 11, 2021
Kirkus Reviews Issue: March 1, 2021
A hilarious but enlightening guide to the online world—the good, the bad, and the ugly.
A craving for the latest tech leads to cat-astrophe in this new addition to the Bad Kitty series.
With her heart set on owning a cellphone, anthropomorphic house cat Kitty plows through three solid months of chores without complaining before her owners reluctantly grant her fervent wish. Then things go rapidly downhill. She becomes obsessed with violent mobile games, gets catfished (no pun intended), divulges too much personal information online, becomes consumed with rage at cyberbullies, and grows listless from excessive screen time. Only after the intervention of a Sphynx cat named Strange Kitty and a monthlong technology fast enforced by her owners does Kitty come to understand that while smartphones are fun, they can also be a serious distraction from real life and true friends. Using a digestible graphic-novel format, the book tackles internet safety and digital media literacy with purr-fect aplomb. The “Uncle Murray’s Fun Facts” section serves as a deep dive into the differences between facts and opinions, and many of Kitty’s quirky feline behaviors ring true. It’s unfortunate that the word lame—a disability-related term with negative connotations—is used by the internet trolls who deride the video Kitty makes and posts on “ViewTube.” Occasional misstep aside, Kitty’s tribulations provide ample fodder for this instructive and amusing tale.
A hilarious but enlightening guide to the online world—the good, the bad, and the ugly. (Graphic novel. 6-9)Pub Date: Dec. 28, 2021
ISBN: 978-1-250-74996-3
Page Count: 144
Publisher: Roaring Brook Press
Review Posted Online: Nov. 15, 2021
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Dec. 1, 2021
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