A giant googly eye embedded in a bite-marked cover beckons invitingly to stronger-stomached monster lovers.
Go for the gross! Even hard-core fans may be tempted to give away their lunches after sampling this banquet of bogles.
Advising readers who don’t wish to become entrées themselves to flee at the first sign of monsters, “expert” Dr. Thomas Jelly presents a menagerie of menaces from giant closet worms, the aptly named Dentadontis and snot pets that “just love to hang out,” to the Lesser-Spotted Pooter, the Fartsquid and (tossing in something for the ‘rents) Crate Moss “the world’s most beautiful monster.” Flushed with references to poop and other bodily excrescences, the narrative covers monster types, household habitats (like your toothpaste tube—guess what comes out when you squeeze) and recipes (“Live Eyes On Sticks,” “Thing On Toast”). Also discussed are monster escape, capture and disposal strategies. Enhanced by dozens of flaps and sliding tabs, plus die cuts, minibooks and popups, the cartoon art portrays its luridly hued subjects in properly nauseating detail.
A giant googly eye embedded in a bite-marked cover beckons invitingly to stronger-stomached monster lovers. (Novelty browsing item. 7-10)Pub Date: Sept. 1, 2011
ISBN: 978-0-7636-5756-7
Page Count: 20
Publisher: Templar/Candlewick
Review Posted Online: July 19, 2011
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Aug. 1, 2011
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
A lively, inventive romp with plenty of spirit!
In Dean’s middle-grade debut, a boy must adjust to life as a ghost and de-haunt the family that’s moved into his house.
12-year-old Evan Cameron and his dad have just moved to Bainbridge, California. Evan likes books and baseball. He’s excited about their new house but sad to leave his friends behind. What will his life be like? Unfortunately for Evan, the answer is: short! The day after they move in, Evan, his dad, and their dog, Buzzby, wake to find all their possessions gone. Nobody can see or touch them. They have died in their sleep—carbon monoxide poisoning from the old boiler. They are ghosts! On top of this shock, Evan is horrified to find a new family moving into their now-empty house. There’s Mrs. Fraidy, a single mom; her young daughter, Lily; and Elliot, a boy Evan’s age. Evan plans to haunt them—to scare them into leaving—but it turns out the house is already haunted! A pair of burning red eyes appears to Elliot, terrifying him as well as Evan and his dad. Judging this ghost to be the real intruder, Evan decides to help Elliot and his family. He follows Elliot to school and, while saving him from bullies, manages to forge a mental connection. Elliot can now see him! Evan has always wanted a brother, but will he be able to protect his adopted “fleshies” from the malevolent ghost that torments them? Dean writes in the first person and imbues Evan and his dad with distinct (and in the latter case, quite eccentric) personalities. The writing is clear and personable, narrated conversationally, and the tale moves quickly, deploying some nice inversions on the usual genre expectations. Dean’s dialogue is perhaps a relative weak point—at times it’s overly frenetic; plus, Lily seems very articulate for her age—but these are minor qualms and not really at odds with the book’s overall tone of excitability. Young readers should devour this cover to cover, reveling in the action while soaking up Dean’s underlying message of family and friendship.
A lively, inventive romp with plenty of spirit!Pub Date: Aug. 8, 2020
ISBN: 979-8-66-271773-2
Page Count: 159
Publisher: Self
Review Posted Online: Oct. 13, 2020
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Nov. 15, 2020
Review Program: Kirkus Indie
This tater is half-baked.
A young monster fighter faces off against a villainous vegetable.
In this graphic-novel sequel to series opener Catch the Munchies (2020), creature-catcher Carlton Crumple and best friend Lulu are after one hot potato determined to overtake the world with his diabolical Tot Bots. While noshing at the Spuds on Wheels food truck at the local Cactus Fest, Carlton is shocked when one of his king-size Lots o’ Tots sprouts arms and legs and bounds away. Intrepid Lulu catches the rogue tater, bringing him back to the Creature Cave for questioning. The pair teams up with the food truck’s driver, French Fry Thunderknuckle, and they learn about a spiteful spud who not only wants long-simmered vengeance on Thunderknuckle, but also the entire planet. Fremont’s sophomore effort is busy and bright and filled with more puns than fries in a supersized meal. His panels are outlined with heavy black borders that can barely contain their crowded contents and zippy, display-type onomatopoeia. While certainly high on pep, this overstuffed plot feels about as substantial as cotton candy, relying on harebrained gimmicks to move it along. Among a sea of similar titles, this offers little to help it rise above the glut, with yet another tale of a male main character supported by a female who seems more than capable without him. Carlton and Lulu are White; supporting human characters also present mostly White.
This tater is half-baked. (Graphic fantasy. 7-10)Pub Date: Feb. 2, 2021
ISBN: 978-1-64595-006-6
Page Count: 136
Publisher: Pixel+Ink
Review Posted Online: Dec. 14, 2020
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Jan. 1, 2021
BOOK REVIEW
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