A fast-paced, shenanigans-packed winner; readers will howl for the next one.
Puppy sleuths at an all-animal elementary school unite to stop the Lunchtime Bandit in this series opener.
Pawston Elementary School is filled with bright-eyed and often literally bushy-tailed young students, all of whom are young animals of a wide variety of species. Rider Woofson, self-declared “greatest puppy detective in the whole school,” meets Rora Gooddog when they find themselves working the same case from different sides: a ring of toughs who fight with pencils, cracked in a deliciously pun-filled double-page spread. A super-science mishap introduces them to bespectacled, lab coat–clad inventor Westie Barker, and then the doggy detective team is rounded out by the ever hungry Ziggy Fluffenstuff, already on the trail of the Lunchtime Bandit. The foursome sets off to stop the “cafeteria crook.” When the sneaky scoundrel evades their clever-yet-stinky trap, the detectives and their quarry engage in a battle of wits, schemes, and counterschemes. In the end, they corner and identify the culprit only for him to remain a hop ahead—until his own hubris and bad deeds catch up with him, allowing the heroes to make the catch. The plentiful humor mostly relies on wordplay and alliteration, diversions into gross-out territory landing on stinky beans and garbage rather than potty humor. Character designs are rounded and bright; the neat panels use clear linework and standard comic-book conventions for readability and expressiveness.
A fast-paced, shenanigans-packed winner; readers will howl for the next one. (Graphic mystery/comedy. 5-9)Pub Date: Feb. 2, 2021
ISBN: 978-1-5344-7495-6
Page Count: 144
Publisher: Little Simon/Simon & Schuster
Review Posted Online: Nov. 17, 2020
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Dec. 1, 2020
BOOK REVIEW
Say hello to a relatable and rewarding early reader!
Fun with friends makes for a great day.
Norbit, a salmon-colored worm with a pink kerchief, joyfully greets the day and everyone he encounters. “Hello, friends! It’s time for fun with the sun! Let’s play!” He and his menagerie of forest pals—including the sun, who grows limbs and descends from the sky—exuberantly engage in various forms of physical activity such as jumping, going down a slide, spinning around, and watching the clouds go by. Young readers will readily relate, as these are games that most children are familiar with. As day turns to night, Norbit says farewell to Sun and welcomes Moon with an invitation to continue the fun. Watkins has created a vivid world of movement and merriment. Her illustrations feature bright bursts of color that match the energy of the text, with most sentences ending in an exclamation point. The author/illustrator incorporates many elements that make for an ideal early-reading experience (despite the use of a contraction or two): art free from clutter, text consisting of words with only one or two syllables, and repetition and recurring bits, such as a continued game of hide-and-seek with Sun. Inspired by never-before-seen sketches from the Dr. Seuss Collection archives at the University of California San Diego, this is the first title for Seuss Studios, a new imprint for original stories from “emerging authors and illustrators” who “honor Seuss’s hallmark spirit of creativity and imagination.”
Say hello to a relatable and rewarding early reader! (author's note) (Early reader. 5-8)Pub Date: Jan. 7, 2025
ISBN: 9780593646212
Page Count: 48
Publisher: Seuss Studios
Review Posted Online: Sept. 14, 2024
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Oct. 15, 2024
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
Disconcerting and possibly deadly dealings are afoot; certain to charm younger fans of the macabre.
In the latest installment of the delightfully disturbing chapter-book series, the mundane once more takes on supernatural qualities, this time in the form of veggies.
With this follow-up to Troubling Tonsils! (2025), our host, Jasper Rabbit, once more channels Twilight Zone creator Rod Serling. As Jasper narrates, we meet our heroes: fourth graders Thaddeus Badger and Oliver Possum, who love nothing more than eating junk food, particularly the hamburgers at Hurt-A-Burger (a mildly brilliant corporate name on the author’s part). When Oliver’s parents trick the two into a dinner of salads at their favorite fast-food joint, Thaddeus feels betrayed, but Oliver experiences something a little more dire. Soon after, Oliver starts acting strangely, and his parents begin behaving even more oddly. What’s going on? And does it have anything to do with the full moon? Tone is the true star of the show in this series; the mystery unspools thanks to the buildup of unnerving moments. Reynolds combines suspense with a keen ability to artistically frame both sunny innocent sequences and those rich with dark foreboding. Notably, this is no morality tale about eating your vegetables—this tale is fully on the side of its child readers. Brown’s black-and-white images, punctuated with eerie pops of green, heighten both horrifying and comedic moments.
Disconcerting and possibly deadly dealings are afoot; certain to charm younger fans of the macabre. (Chapter book. 6-9)Pub Date: Feb. 3, 2026
ISBN: 9781665961110
Page Count: 96
Publisher: Simon & Schuster
Review Posted Online: Oct. 25, 2025
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Dec. 1, 2025
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