A warm tale that will have readers following the characters’ worthy examples.
A sweet story that proves things “built with kindness are built to last!”
The Good Guys Agency is “here to make the world a better place.” The agency—made up of three boys named Lucky, Rudy, and Red—has an enviable treehouse, a fun Kid Cruiser go-cart, and a long list of aspirations, much like a scout law (“We Pledge To: Be Kind to Others …”). The agency must help Charlie, who’s frustrated by his little brother, Teddy, who keeps ruining his attempts to build a fort. So Lucky, Red, and Charlie go to Imagination Station, while Rudy stays connected to them via string-and–tin can “telephones.” The boys learn about Fred Rogers, who as a child was bullied but nevertheless always advocated for treating others with kindness. The boys meet an adult Mr. Rogers and witness highlights in his career: Mr. Rogers speaks “calmly and nicely” while testifying before Congress to ask for a $20 million allocation for the Corporation for Public Broadcasting and cools off in a wading pool with Officer Clemmons, a watershed moment in 1969 when many swimming pools were still segregated. Back home, Charlie, having absorbed Mr. Rogers’ lessons, welcomes Teddy’s help building the fort. A mix of prose and colorful comic panels make for a fast-moving story affirming the power of kindness and empathy. Lucky, Red, Charlie, and Teddy are light-skinned; Rudy has a darker complexion and curly dark hair.
A warm tale that will have readers following the characters’ worthy examples. (brief biography of Fred Rogers, complete list of Agency pledges) (Graphic chapter book. 6-9)Pub Date: Aug. 2, 2022
ISBN: 978-1-63819-079-0
Page Count: 96
Publisher: Bushel & Peck Books
Review Posted Online: June 21, 2022
Kirkus Reviews Issue: July 15, 2022
What a wag.
What do you get from sewing the head of a smart dog onto the body of a tough police officer? A new superhero from the incorrigible creator of Captain Underpants.
Finding a stack of old Dog Mancomics that got them in trouble back in first grade, George and Harold decide to craft a set of new(ish) adventures with (more or less) improved art and spelling. These begin with an origin tale (“A Hero Is Unleashed”), go on to a fiendish attempt to replace the chief of police with a “Robo Chief” and then a temporarily successful scheme to make everyone stupid by erasing all the words from every book (“Book ’Em, Dog Man”), and finish off with a sort of attempted alien invasion evocatively titled “Weenie Wars: The Franks Awaken.” In each, Dog Man squares off against baddies (including superinventor/archnemesis Petey the cat) and saves the day with a clever notion. With occasional pauses for Flip-O-Rama featurettes, the tales are all framed in brightly colored sequential panels with hand-lettered dialogue (“How do you feel, old friend?” “Ruff!”) and narrative. The figures are studiously diverse, with police officers of both genders on view and George, the chief, and several other members of the supporting cast colored in various shades of brown. Pilkey closes as customary with drawing exercises, plus a promise that the canine crusader will be further unleashed in a sequel.
What a wag. (Graphic fantasy. 7-9)Pub Date: Aug. 30, 2016
ISBN: 978-0-545-58160-8
Page Count: 240
Publisher: Graphix/Scholastic
Review Posted Online: May 31, 2016
Kirkus Reviews Issue: June 15, 2016
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
SEEN & HEARD
BOOK TO SCREEN
Readers will go for these pals who stick together in a bond as solid as stone.
More fun with Stick and Stone!
The BFFs whose exploits were chronicled in two earlier picture books (2015, 2021), illustrated by Tom Lichtenheld, have joined the graphic-novel universe. This second graphic novel starring the duo, after Stick and Stone Explore and More (2022), is divided into two chapters, each followed by appealing, simple activities. The first chapter finds the pals picnicking with friends near a cave. Timid worrywart Stone has misgivings, but those issues are resolved satisfactorily. Once over those hurdles, Stone confronts spelunking, a word he loves (as will readers) until he learns what it entails. Stone’s not into cave exploring, but what he discovers when he finds himself in a cave are unexpected—and not entirely unpleasant—surprises and, afterward, a burgeoning new friendship. In the second chapter, Stone effects a daring rescue as he extracts Stick from the jaws of an overly enthusiastic puppy, an adventure that leads the pair to adopt a “pet” that undergoes a spectacular transformation, necessitating a tender farewell. This charmer is chock-full of humor, heart, adventure, and the joys of friendship. Stick and Stone are endearingly winning characters with distinctive, expressive personalities. Kids will savor the dynamic, funny digital illustrations; follow the panels and speech bubbles easily; and appreciate the font, which varies with the narrative’s onomatopoeia.
Readers will go for these pals who stick together in a bond as solid as stone. (Graphic fiction. 6-9)Pub Date: Feb. 7, 2023
ISBN: 978-0-358-54938-3
Page Count: 96
Publisher: Clarion/HarperCollins
Review Posted Online: Dec. 23, 2022
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Jan. 15, 2023
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