In a winning reversal, a popular graphic-novel series is adapted into a prose novel.
At Miss Qiunzella Thiskwin Pinniquiqul Thistle Crumpet’s Camp for Hardcore Lady Types, the Lumberjanes spend their days like many other scouts: earning badges, enjoying the outdoors, and spending time with friends. While working on their Living the Plant Life badge, friends April, Mal, Molly, Jo, and Ripley discover a field of strange blue flowers being eaten by horribly malodorous—but undeniably adorable—unicorns. There the girls spy a mysterious color-changing mountain marked by an illegible but still ominous sign. The Lumberjanes decide to climb it in hopes of earning their Extraordinary Explorers medal. However, when the sassy scouts find themselves marooned on the mountain, they must use their Lumberjane know-how to save the day. Without missing a beat, this novelization has successfully sustained the fun, feminist feel and lively vernacular of the beloved graphic-novel series, a notable feat. This buoyant adventure will easily draw new readers to the series and should satisfy established followers. With its just-right blend of giggleworthy jokes, LGBTQ–positive characters, and affirmative emphasis on friendship, this middle-grade charmer can make even the coldest, bleakest day feel like a sunny day at summer camp. April and Molly are white; Mal, Jo, and Ripley are girls of color.
Awesome to the max! (Fantasy. 7-14)Pub Date: Oct. 10, 2017
ISBN: 978-1-4197-2725-2
Page Count: 256
Publisher: Amulet/Abrams
Review Posted Online: Aug. 7, 2017
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Aug. 15, 2017
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BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
Sure signs that the creative wells are running dry at last, the Captain’s ninth, overstuffed outing both recycles a villain (see Book 4) and offers trendy anti-bullying wish fulfillment.
Not that there aren’t pranks and envelope-pushing quips aplenty. To start, in an alternate ending to the previous episode, Principal Krupp ends up in prison (“…a lot like being a student at Jerome Horwitz Elementary School, except that the prison had better funding”). There, he witnesses fellow inmate Tippy Tinkletrousers (aka Professor Poopypants) escape in a giant Robo-Suit (later reduced to time-traveling trousers). The villain sets off after George and Harold, who are in juvie (“not much different from our old school…except that they have library books here.”). Cut to five years previous, in a prequel to the whole series. George and Harold link up in kindergarten to reduce a quartet of vicious bullies to giggling insanity with a relentless series of pranks involving shaving cream, spiders, effeminate spoof text messages and friendship bracelets. Pilkey tucks both topical jokes and bathroom humor into the cartoon art, and ups the narrative’s lexical ante with terms like “pharmaceuticals” and “theatrical flair.” Unfortunately, the bullies’ sad fates force Krupp to resign, so he’s not around to save the Earth from being destroyed later on by Talking Toilets and other invaders…
Is this the end? Well, no…the series will stagger on through at least one more scheduled sequel. (Fantasy. 10-12)Pub Date: Aug. 28, 2012
ISBN: 978-0-545-17534-0
Page Count: 304
Publisher: Scholastic
Review Posted Online: June 20, 2012
Kirkus Reviews Issue: July 15, 2012
Categories: CHILDREN'S ACTION & ADVENTURE FICTION
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The famous superhero returns to fight another villain with all the trademark wit and humor the series is known for.
Despite the title, Captain Underpants is bizarrely absent from most of this adventure. His school-age companions, George and Harold, maintain most of the spotlight. The creative chums fool around with time travel and several wacky inventions before coming upon the evil Turbo Toilet 2000, making its return for vengeance after sitting out a few of the previous books. When the good Captain shows up to save the day, he brings with him dynamic action and wordplay that meet the series’ standards. The Captain Underpants saga maintains its charm even into this, the 11th volume. The epic is filled to the brim with sight gags, toilet humor, flip-o-ramas and anarchic glee. Holding all this nonsense together is the author’s good-natured sense of harmless fun. The humor is never gross or over-the-top, just loud and innocuous. Adults may roll their eyes here and there, but youngsters will eat this up just as quickly as they devoured every other Underpants episode.
Dizzyingly silly. (Humor. 8-10)Pub Date: Aug. 26, 2014
ISBN: 978-0-545-50490-4
Page Count: 224
Publisher: Scholastic
Review Posted Online: June 4, 2014
Kirkus Reviews Issue: June 15, 2014
Categories: CHILDREN'S ACTION & ADVENTURE FICTION
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