It’s D&D: delightful and dear.
You’re never too old to be “ogre” having some fun.
Izzie’s amazement that older brother Ollie threw away most of his toys is quickly diverted upon meeting Tim, a lumbering, green-skinned ogre who has recently moved into the neighborhood—specifically, into a previously unnoticed cave in Izzie’s backyard. Unperturbed by this sudden change in local real estate, Izzie brings Tim to meet Ollie, who has become so consumed with a new video game that he considers his toys babyish. Engrossed in the game, Ollie doesn’t notice for several hours that Tim and Izzie took him up on his offer to take his old stuff and have stripped his room bare. Once he emerges, Ollie follows a piece of yarn through the house and into the yard to find that Izzie and Tim have, using Ollie’s “baby” toys, built a video game–like world that requires Ollie’s imagination to play. The game rekindles his love of imaginative play, and Ollie is more than willing to join Izzie and Tim on future adventures. The story is gorgeously captured in digital illustrations dominated by shades of green, but the message may resonate more with caregivers than with the intended audience. That said, young readers who enjoy a fast-paced tale or are fantasy fans will appreciate the story. Izzie and Ollie have brown skin and dark hair.
It’s D&D: delightful and dear. (Graphic early reader. 6-9)Pub Date: Sept. 27, 2022
ISBN: 978-0-8234-5018-3
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Holiday House
Review Posted Online: July 12, 2022
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Aug. 1, 2022
Hooray, hooray for this par-tay.
Five more stories featuring buddy pair Fox and Rabbit.
Following the formula of its predecessors, this third installment of the Fox & Rabbit series focuses on Sparrow’s “super-trooper special” birthday. A slightly unrelated opening story introduces a variety of animal characters as Fox—proudly adopting the moniker “Fix-it Fox”—goes around trying to solve everyone’s “enormous problems.” In the next story, Fox and Rabbit scheme to make the “biggest, roundest, yummiest pizza in the world.” They pilfer ingredients from Sparrow’s garden (a nod to the first book) and ask Mouse for mozzarella. Subsequent stories—each contained in a chapter—involve a pizza-cooking dragon, the “really awesome” party, and a birthday wish that finally comes true. Dudás’ full-color cartoon illustrations complement Ferry’s chipper tone and punny dialogue for an upbeat woodland romp. Even the turtle, who always comically arrives at the end of the chapter and misses most of the action, gets to enjoy the party. Another standout scene, in which Fox assumes Dragon doesn’t speak their language and speaks “Dragonian” unprompted, gently addresses microaggressions. Though all dialogue is clearly linked to each speaker, some scenes with lots of back and forth within a single panel gear this to comics readers with a bit of experience. Still, the eight-panel–per-page max and short chapters keep the text accessible and pace quick.
Hooray, hooray for this par-tay. (Graphic early reader. 6-9)Pub Date: April 20, 2021
ISBN: 978-1-4197-5183-7
Page Count: 96
Publisher: Amulet/Abrams
Review Posted Online: Feb. 11, 2021
Kirkus Reviews Issue: March 1, 2021
In a nutshell: short and sweet.
Always be prepared...to be underprepared.
Scaredy Squirrel is perfectly happy to stay in his nut tree, away from the myriad dangers plaguing the outside world, like aliens, germs, cacti, and evil dust bunnies. Or, as the case may turn out to be, not-so-evil dust-free bunnies, who do pesky and panic-inducing things like clog Scaredy’s trusty vacuum and try to make friends. In a nutshell: a risky situation! Scaredy, of course, has constructed contingency plans for his contingency plans in hopes of avoiding such situations (when in doubt, play dead). But the best-laid plans of squirrels and men oft go awry, leading Scaredy to discover that sometimes, a risk can yield a mighty (and tasty) reward. With this outing, Watt gives her award-winning Scaredy Squirrel picture-book series, published over a decade ago, a graphic-novel upgrade for a contemporary audience. Fortunately, no familiarity with the series is required to quickly get a grasp of this quirky, querulous, and ultimately rather adorable character. The simple story is enlivened by bold, expressive artwork and stylistic embellishments; Scaredy, an overthinker top to tail, is especially fond of lists and charts. An impressive collection of fears and cameos, including the insidiously ubiquitous Gary the Germ, promises plenty of nutty adventures to come (confirmed in the concluding FAQ).
In a nutshell: short and sweet. (Graphic fiction. 6-9)Pub Date: May 25, 2021
ISBN: 978-0-593-30755-7
Page Count: 72
Publisher: Random House
Review Posted Online: April 13, 2021
Kirkus Reviews Issue: May 1, 2021
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