A zanily cluttered exploration of format and style that transcends its pages into the digital world
In this action-packed graphic offering, a nervous young boy and his fearless robot companion fight to save everyone’s favorite sandwich fixings from a nefarious fowl.
Marvin, a fretful, white 9-year-old, is always anxious about the antics of his best friend, Kung Fu Robot, a 9-foot-tall crimson automaton with good intentions that usually end in comic disaster. Kung Fu Robot is intent on making the perfect peanut butter, jelly, and kung fu sandwich, but dangers—such as chunky peanut butter, beeping ninjas, and an evil chicken—lurk around every corner. Through a series of madcap chases, karate chops, and giggleworthy adventures, the pair seeks to save the beloved sandwich items, all while not making Marvin’s mom angry. Boisterous action propels the story’s characters, and silliness reigns supreme. Bays’ art takes on an appealingly novel-feeling, retro-tinged style, utilizing a muted palette of primary colors and distinctively grouped, irregularly shaped panels. The exploits of Marvin and Kung Fu Robot burst from their panels in a dizzying array of sound effects and motion. An accompanying app is available for download, promising to offer sound effects when the book’s pages are scanned. With an animated feel and its breakneck velocity, Bays’ creation is an interesting marriage of print and digital comics and creates a multidimensional feel for young action aficionados.
A zanily cluttered exploration of format and style that transcends its pages into the digital world . (Graphic fantasy. 6-11)Pub Date: March 28, 2017
ISBN: 978-1-4494-7963-3
Page Count: 208
Publisher: Andrews McMeel Publishing
Review Posted Online: Jan. 16, 2017
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Feb. 1, 2017
Skip this meal.
Four foodstuff friends help a student stave off ill effects from a brushed-aside breakfast.
Snacks are absolutely not allowed in Mrs. Sternbladder’s classroom at the James H. Pinchkid Elementary School. When the four taco-ingredient Hunger Heroes—Tammy the tomato, Leonard the cheese, Mr. Toots the bean, and Chip Ninja the tortilla chip—get an alert about a student’s missed meal and his flagging energy before a big test, they immediately take to their taco hovercraft to save the day. This job won’t be easy: An autonomous vacuum, a gym full of dodgeballs, and a snack-loathing teacher all stand in their way. The first in a proposed series, this graphic hybrid is bland as white bread. All the elements are seemingly there: cute, cartoony characters, silly jokes galore, and zippily paced chapters. Unfortunately, the whole never quite equals the sum of its parts. The characterizations are thin, the resolution is quick and questionable, and many scenes feel like dreaded heavy-handed teachable moments having all the allure of a brownie made from brussels sprouts. There is little connection for its readers, who most likely will wonder why they should care about a kid (hardly more than a name and a face) who missed breakfast and why taco ingredients care so much. Humans portrayed throughout show a range of skin tones; however, there is little differentiation between adult and juvenile characters.
Skip this meal. (Graphic/fiction hybrid. 7-10)Pub Date: Oct. 26, 2021
ISBN: 978-1-5344-6282-3
Page Count: 128
Publisher: Aladdin
Review Posted Online: Sept. 14, 2021
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Oct. 1, 2021
A simple but by no means simplistic tale emphasizing the universality of kindness.
A wide-eyed owl yearns to make friends.
Owly, a gentle bird of prey, just wants to help. The other forest creatures fear him even when he approaches with kindness and support. Owly tries leaving seed to feed the smaller birds, but they flee when they spot him. He rescues two insects trapped in a jar, but again, they fly off when they spy the raptor. Owly’s luck turns when he aids a worm named Wormy trapped in a puddle. Wormy and Owly forge an unlikely but genial friendship, and their forest adventures include reuniting Wormy with his missing parents and then befriending—and ultimately having to say goodbye to—two lovely hummingbirds who must migrate south as the seasons change. When adversity challenges Owly, he reacts calmly, communicates his feelings with Wormy, and acts with warmth and bravery. Originally published in 2004 as a wordless, black-and-white volume, this reissue adds both color, with a cheery earth-toned palette, and dialogue among most of the characters, with the exception of Owly, who communicates only through pictures. Runton’s evocative characters are nothing short of huggably adorable and affirm the importance of compassion and empathy against perceived stereotypes. Owly and Wormy both identify as male characters; hummingbird friends Tiny and Angel identify as male and female, respectively.
A simple but by no means simplistic tale emphasizing the universality of kindness. (Graphic fantasy. 6-10)Pub Date: Feb. 4, 2020
ISBN: 978-1-338-30066-6
Page Count: 160
Publisher: Graphix/Scholastic
Review Posted Online: Oct. 8, 2019
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Nov. 1, 2019
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