THE UNKINDNESS OF RAVENS

Can Rufus and Penny keep the totem safe from a tricky flock of ravens?

Ten-year-old Rufus is overjoyed to be back at Grammy’s, in the deep of the woods. He and his animal guide, a flying squirrel named Sidney, set off to find his friend Penny as soon as they arrive. When they can’t find her, Rufus uses the totem he found on his last trip to transform into Bigfoot Boy, a tall, red, hairy sasquatch. With his heightened senses, he finds her easily, and she tells him she’s looking for a totem of her own. Unknown to the friends, a flock of ravens has spied the totem and decided they want its power. The ravens trap Sidney to use as bait, but the friends don’t fall for raven tricks, but how long can they keep the totem safe from the ravens? Canadian Torres starts off his second Bigfoot Boy adventure with a history of the totem and later ties it to Rufus’s family, but this prologue and the villains (ravens rather than wolves) are the only features that distinguish this volume from the first. Hicks’ glossy, colorful, action-packed panels will keep pages turning more than the near-repeat that is this tale. That said, fans will devour this and holler (with anticipation) at the wide-open end. Those unfamiliar with the series should definitely begin with Book 1.

Feels a bit like filler, but still so much fun.