A brief introduction to charming characters and a delightfully imaginative world.
A girl’s crash-landing leads to new friends and a new perspective along with the power to solve the problems confronting her city.
When Juniper Mae’s newest invention (a jet pack) leaves her stranded in the forest that surrounds Tykotech City, she is terrified to encounter the dangerous beasts rumored to live there. But a kind, froglike creature named Albie brings her to his village, and his fellow tama-tamas’ method of energy production seems to be the perfect solution to the energy crisis facing Tykotech City. Juniper is inspired by Albie’s people’s tales of the Guardian Knights and, upon her return to the city, transforms herself into a modern-day version of the fabled Knights, protectors of all. Juniper’s newfound belief in herself leads her to take on the problem of the city’s failing energy supply. This incredibly adorable story’s up-close panel work and expansive, double-page spreads depicting landscapes and action sequences make the relatively small world feel immersive and captivating, and the vivid color scheme includes many glowing elements that give a fun effect to the artwork. The quick, tidy mystery solved here is part of a larger network of problems that will clearly be addressed in future installments. Juniper and her family have pale skin and white hair; their world is a diverse one.
A brief introduction to charming characters and a delightfully imaginative world. (Graphic novel. 7-9)Pub Date: March 7, 2023
ISBN: 9781912497454
Page Count: 64
Publisher: Flying Eye Books
Review Posted Online: Jan. 11, 2023
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Feb. 1, 2023
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
SEEN & HEARD
BOOK TO SCREEN
BOOK TO SCREEN
Taking a seat in first class aboard the graphic-novels-for-preteens train, this import features a carrot-topped lass who travels the starways with her piratical uncle Yellow Shoulders, foiling the plots of Supermuscleman, nefarious Chief Executive Dictator of the Universe. Presented in small sequential panels of brightly hued cartoon art and spacious dialogue balloons, Sardine’s adventures take her from the space prison Azkatraz to Planet Discoball (for a dance contest presided over by Empress Laser Diskette and her offspring, Prince Beejeez), from encounters with deadly, as well as thoroughly nerve-wracking, Honkfish to a deliciously violent round of “No-Child-Left-Behind-School II,” a virtual game. With nonstop action, humor geared to multiple levels of cultural awareness and the promise of more episodes to come, even readers stubbornly resisting the trendy format’s lure will find that, as Supermuscleman sneers shortly before gorily blasting his own foot, “Resistance is futile.” (Graphic novel. 7-9)
Pub Date: May 1, 2006
ISBN: 1-59643-126-1
Page Count: 128
Publisher: First Second/Roaring Brook
Review Posted Online: May 19, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: April 15, 2006
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