Amusing but bland, this graphic novel works better as a snack than as a meal.
Traveling chef Rutabaga and his magical cooking-pot companion, Pot, continue to journey the world in search of new ingredients.
When the going gets tough, the tough get cooking in this sequel to Rutabaga the Adventure Chef (2015). Though Rutabaga is now a veteran traveler, his friendliness and naiveté still land him in plenty of exciting scrapes, including encounters with giant spiders, a clever thief, and malicious gubblins. Fortunately, he’s able to cook his way out of most of his pinches, thanks to his inventive use of ingredients and menus. Though there are a few references to the first book, the narrative is episodic, and it’s not necessary to have read the first book to follow the story. Some readers may be disappointed, however, by the continued lack of character and plot development. Rutabaga’s goofy artlessness is funny at first, but it grows repetitive as the story goes on. Similarly, the straightforward, cartoonish illustrations are a little dull over the course of a novel-length work. Suggest this graphic novel to fans of comic strips and other short-form works; readers searching for longer, plot-heavy series are unlikely to find it to their tastes.
Amusing but bland, this graphic novel works better as a snack than as a meal. (Graphic adventure. 8-11)Pub Date: May 3, 2016
ISBN: 978-1-4197-1658-4
Page Count: 128
Publisher: Amulet/Abrams
Review Posted Online: March 1, 2016
Kirkus Reviews Issue: March 15, 2016
BOOK REVIEW
Dizzyingly silly.
The famous superhero returns to fight another villain with all the trademark wit and humor the series is known for.
Despite the title, Captain Underpants is bizarrely absent from most of this adventure. His school-age companions, George and Harold, maintain most of the spotlight. The creative chums fool around with time travel and several wacky inventions before coming upon the evil Turbo Toilet 2000, making its return for vengeance after sitting out a few of the previous books. When the good Captain shows up to save the day, he brings with him dynamic action and wordplay that meet the series’ standards. The Captain Underpants saga maintains its charm even into this, the 11th volume. The epic is filled to the brim with sight gags, toilet humor, flip-o-ramas and anarchic glee. Holding all this nonsense together is the author’s good-natured sense of harmless fun. The humor is never gross or over-the-top, just loud and innocuous. Adults may roll their eyes here and there, but youngsters will eat this up just as quickly as they devoured every other Underpants episode.
Dizzyingly silly. (Humor. 8-10)Pub Date: Aug. 26, 2014
ISBN: 978-0-545-50490-4
Page Count: 224
Publisher: Scholastic
Review Posted Online: June 3, 2014
Kirkus Reviews Issue: June 15, 2014
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
A dramatic, educational, authentic whale of a tale.
After a tsunami devastates their habitat in the Salish Sea, a young orca and her brother embark on a remarkable adventure.
Vega’s matriarchal family expects her to become a hunter and wayfinder, with her younger brother, Deneb, protecting and supporting her. Invited to guide her family to their Gathering Place to hunt salmon, Vega’s underwater miscalculations endanger them all, and an embarrassed Vega questions whether she should be a wayfinder. When the baby sister she hoped would become her life companion is stillborn, a distraught Vega carries the baby away to a special resting place, shocking her grieving family. Dispatched to find his missing sister, Deneb locates Vega in the midst of a terrible tsunami. To escape the waters polluted by shattered boats, Vega leads Deneb into unfamiliar open sea. Alone and hungry, the young siblings encounter a spectacular giant whale and travel briefly with shark-hunting orcas. Trusting her instincts and gaining emotional strength from contemplating the vastness of the sky, Vega knows she must lead her brother home and help save her surviving family. In alternating first-person voices, Vega and Deneb tell their harrowing story, engaging young readers while educating them about the marine ecosystem. Realistic black-and-white illustrations enhance the maritime setting.
A dramatic, educational, authentic whale of a tale. (maps, wildlife facts, tribes of the Salish Sea watershed, environmental and geographical information, how to help orcas, author’s note, artist’s note, resources) (Animal fiction. 8-10)Pub Date: Sept. 1, 2020
ISBN: 978-0-06-299592-6
Page Count: 240
Publisher: Greenwillow Books
Review Posted Online: June 30, 2020
Kirkus Reviews Issue: July 15, 2020
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