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
BOOK REVIEW
In these retooled versions of Max’s Logbook (2003) and Max’s Mystical Logbook (2004), Moss discards the graph-paper backgrounds, expands the role of a small green pencil-topper that is (at least in the young narrator’s mind) a visitor from space with telepathic powers and remixes lightly revised text and art. In the setup episode Max draws comics, lays out simple science demonstrations (“Experiment #1: What happens when you microwave a marshmallow?”) and turns a bucket full of pencil erasers into action figures by drawing faces on them—all while watching and fretting about his parents’ separation. Max Disaster #2: Alien Eraser Unravels the Mystery of the Pyramids (ISBN: 978-0-7656-3385-5; paper: 978-0-7636-4408-6) features more of the same as he and his best buddy Omar work on a school project offering “proof” that aliens built the Egyptian pyramids. Max’s narrative being thickly interspersed with small color illustrations and neatly lettered captions, comments and dialogue balloons, even novice chapter-book readers will have no trouble following along—and could well catch Max’s interests in science, or at least eraser decoration to boot. (Fiction. 8-10)
Pub Date: May 1, 2009
ISBN: 978-0-7636-3577-0
Page Count: 56
Publisher: Candlewick
Review Posted Online: May 19, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: April 1, 2009
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
A quick read, with plenty of rococo weapons, characters and creatures (notably reindeer).
Streaks of preciousness mar, or at least mark, an “origins” tale framed as a monumental struggle between the King of Nightmares and a Cossack bandit plainly destined for a later career bringing gifts to children on Christmas Eve.
Escaping 1,000 years of captivity, Pitch, the Nightmare King, has sent hordes of Fearlings out to darken the dreams of children worldwide and attacked the happy Siberian town of Santoff Claussen. Orchestrated by Tsar Lunar, the Man in the Moon, a small company sets out to gather the first of five ancient relics that will help defeat Pitch. The band is made up of kindly old wizard Ombric Shalazar (last survivor of Atlantis and inventor of “time, gravity, and bouncing balls!”); his ward, the intrepid young orphan Katherine; a mysterious elfin creature; and, last but not least, Nicholas St. North—an exuberant former bandit chieftain turned inventor who is “no longer a thief of treasures but a buccaneer of fun” thanks to Ombric's tutelage in magic and science. With help from an army of yetis led by the Lunar Lamas (who are quaintly described as “inscrutable” and also look identical in the accompanying illustration), Pitch is fended off in a great battle in the Himalayas, the relic is recovered and it's off to further episodes. Many further episodes, as this is just the opening novel in an ambitious multimedia project dubbed “The Guardians of Childhood.” (The Man in the Moon, 2011, is the companion opening picture book in the project.)
A quick read, with plenty of rococo weapons, characters and creatures (notably reindeer). (Fantasy. 9-11)Pub Date: Oct. 4, 2011
ISBN: 978-1-4424-3048-8
Page Count: 240
Publisher: Atheneum
Review Posted Online: Aug. 30, 2011
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Sept. 15, 2011
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