An easy handoff to animal lovers.
Squirrel wars, furballs, and a new family member are just a few of the problems pets face in this humorous graphic novel for younger readers.
Crackers, a dog with a big to-do list—barking, napping, peeing outside, barking again, and sniffing stuff—lives with Butter, a wise cat who fantasizes about boxes and can openers. The two live in harmony until their human (seen only as a pair of light-brown hands) brings home Peanut, a panting puppy who pees on the floor, eats Crackers’ food, interrupts nap time, and keeps both Crackers and Butter up at night. After their human leaves them alone with Peanut and a disastrous mess of garbage, strewn toilet paper, and chewed shoes, books, and furniture results, they think that this will end Peanut’s stay. When Peanut receives only a finger-wagging, Butter devises a plan that ends with Peanut lost and alone. Readers, especially those with pets, will find comedic recognition in the antics of these three furry friends and pleased satisfaction when Butter’s and Crackers’ moral compasses kick in, Peanut’s rescue creating a bond that brings the three together. With humor that is observant and good-natured, Braddock’s engaging comic-book paneling and pacing are an ideal match for early readers ready to delve into something a little longer. (Efird contributes the colors.) The banter between Crackers and Butter reveals genuine affection between the two, and Peanut’s puppy earnestness is endearing.
An easy handoff to animal lovers. (Graphic fiction. 6-9)Pub Date: Sept. 22, 2020
ISBN: 978-0-593-11743-9
Page Count: 96
Publisher: Viking
Review Posted Online: July 13, 2020
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Aug. 1, 2020
PERSPECTIVES
PERSPECTIVES
This outing lacks the sophistication of such category standards as Clementine; here’s hoping English amps things up for...
A gentle voice and familiar pitfalls characterize this tale of a boy navigating the risky road to responsibility.
Gavin is new to his neighborhood and Carver Elementary. He likes his new friend, Richard, and has a typically contentious relationship with his older sister, Danielle. When Gavin’s desire to impress Richard sets off a disastrous chain of events, the boy struggles to evade responsibility for his actions. “After all, it isn’t his fault that Danielle’s snow globe got broken. Sure, he shouldn’t have been in her room—but then, she shouldn’t be keeping candy in her room to tempt him. Anybody would be tempted. Anybody!” opines Gavin once he learns the punishment for his crime. While Gavin has a charming Everyboy quality, and his aversion to Aunt Myrtle’s yapping little dog rings true, little about Gavin distinguishes him from other trouble-prone protagonists. He is, regrettably, forgettable. Coretta Scott King Honor winner English (Francie, 1999) is a teacher whose storytelling usually benefits from her day job. Unfortunately, the pizzazz of classroom chaos is largely absent from this series opener.
This outing lacks the sophistication of such category standards as Clementine; here’s hoping English amps things up for subsequent volumes. (Fiction. 6-9)Pub Date: Dec. 17, 2013
ISBN: 978-0-547-97044-8
Page Count: 128
Publisher: Clarion Books
Review Posted Online: Oct. 1, 2013
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Oct. 15, 2013
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
Disconcerting and possibly deadly dealings are afoot; certain to charm younger fans of the macabre.
In the latest installment of the delightfully disturbing chapter-book series, the mundane once more takes on supernatural qualities, this time in the form of veggies.
With this follow-up to Troubling Tonsils! (2025), our host, Jasper Rabbit, once more channels Twilight Zone creator Rod Serling. As Jasper narrates, we meet our heroes: fourth graders Thaddeus Badger and Oliver Possum, who love nothing more than eating junk food, particularly the hamburgers at Hurt-A-Burger (a mildly brilliant corporate name on the author’s part). When Oliver’s parents trick the two into a dinner of salads at their favorite fast-food joint, Thaddeus feels betrayed, but Oliver experiences something a little more dire. Soon after, Oliver starts acting strangely, and his parents begin behaving even more oddly. What’s going on? And does it have anything to do with the full moon? Tone is the true star of the show in this series; the mystery unspools thanks to the buildup of unnerving moments. Reynolds combines suspense with a keen ability to artistically frame both sunny innocent sequences and those rich with dark foreboding. Notably, this is no morality tale about eating your vegetables—this tale is fully on the side of its child readers. Brown’s black-and-white images, punctuated with eerie pops of green, heighten both horrifying and comedic moments.
Disconcerting and possibly deadly dealings are afoot; certain to charm younger fans of the macabre. (Chapter book. 6-9)Pub Date: Feb. 3, 2026
ISBN: 9781665961110
Page Count: 96
Publisher: Simon & Schuster
Review Posted Online: Oct. 25, 2025
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Dec. 1, 2025
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