Classic action-packed, monster-fighting fun
11
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It’s been 42 days since the Monster Apocalypse began, and 13-year-old Jack Sullivan, a self-proclaimed “zombie-fighting, monster-slaying tornado of cool” is on a quest to find and rescue his not-so-secret crush, June Del Toro, whether she needs it, wants it, or not.
Jack cobbles together an unlikely but endearing crew, including his scientist best friend, Quint Baker; Dirk Savage, Parker Middle School’s biggest bully; and a pet monster named Rover, to help him save the damsel in distress and complete the “ULTIMATE Feat of Apocalyptic Success.” Middle-grade readers, particularly boys, will find Jack’s pitch-perfect mix of humor, bravado, and self-professed geekiness impossible to resist. His sidekicks are equally entertaining, and it doesn’t hurt that there are also plenty of oozing, drooling, sharp-toothed monsters and zombies and a host of gizmos and gadgets to hook readers and keep them cheering with every turn of the page. Holgate’s illustrations play an integral role in the novel’s success. They not only bring Brallier’s characters to life, but also add depth and detail to the story, making plain just exactly how big Rover is and giving the lie to Jack’s “killer driving.” The marriage of text and illustration serves as a perfect example of what an illustrated novel can and should be.
Classic action-packed, monster-fighting fun (. (Graphic/horror hybrid. 8-12)Pub Date: Oct. 13, 2015
ISBN: 978-0-670-01661-7
Page Count: 240
Publisher: Viking
Review Posted Online: July 22, 2015
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Aug. 15, 2015
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Three children set out on a quest to prove they can be heroes.
Bartok, a 12-year-old Black boy, was nicknamed Fart by the master he apprentices under after choosing Gas Attack as his first spell to learn. He wants to be an exalted mage instead of an average human. Fart and his group—Pan Silversnow, Moxie Battleborne, and their respective masters—are only three months into a yearlong journey. They must prove they can survive the wilderness of the Fourteen Realms while helping others and defeating evildoers in order to graduate from Krakentop Academy for Heroes. When the masters are obliterated before their very eyes, Moxie and Pan are ready to head back to the academy, but Fart insists that they should use the opportunity to demonstrate their bravery. After taking their masters’ belongings, the trio defeat a hobgoblin then set off in search of heroic escapades. Chaos ensues as the group comes up against giant bees, ogres, and other mythical creatures. Though the story is told from Fart’s perspective, Moxie and Pan are just as important as the three learn to work as a team and recognize each other’s strengths. The humorous writing, wacky names, lively, cartoonlike illustrations, and simple text will especially appeal to reluctant readers. Pan is an elf who is cued as Asian; Moxie is a dwarf who appears White.
A good questing novel for readers seeking a simple, lighthearted adventure. (map) (Fantasy. 8-11)Pub Date: Sept. 15, 2020
ISBN: 978-1-250-20636-7
Page Count: 288
Publisher: Roaring Brook Press
Review Posted Online: June 30, 2020
Kirkus Reviews Issue: July 15, 2020
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In this fourth roller coaster of an endangered-species mystery, Teddy is still living at the giant zoo/amusement park called FunJungle, and he’s still smack dab in the epicenter of the brouhaha.
Middle schooler Teddy, his girlfriend, Summer, and hundreds of panda fanatics anticipate the arrival of a rare panda from China named Li Ping. However, when the guarded truck reaches FunJungle, Li Ping is gone, replaced by a ransom note. Having learned from past mistakes and at the behest of the FBI, Teddy tries to avoid getting involved. No such luck, because his bungling park-security nemesis, Marge, blackmails him into investigating the official investigation. When a villain dressed as a panda throws Teddy into the freezing-cold water of the polar-bear exhibit, Teddy and Marge forge a new dimension to their relationship. They begin to work together, making some headway into narrowing down the suspects (which include the mythical chupacabra) of this monkey-wrenching whodunit. Gibbs never scrimps on creating belly-laughing hullabaloo for his white protagonists. Interweaving animal facts (pandas can produce 50 pounds of poop per day) into his plot, the author seamlessly inspires compassion and urgency on behalf of species endangered due to lack of habitat and exotic animal trafficking.
Never slumping into the formulaic doldrums, the FunJungle series keeps on chugging. (author’s note) (Mystery. 8-12)Pub Date: April 4, 2017
ISBN: 978-1-4814-4567-2
Page Count: 352
Publisher: Simon & Schuster
Review Posted Online: Dec. 21, 2016
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Jan. 15, 2017
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