by Stephan Pastis ; illustrated by Stephan Pastis ‧ RELEASE DATE: Oct. 6, 2015
Abundantly illustrated fun for readers who are tired of the Wimpy Kid.
Detective Timmy Failure is on the case…probably not a good thing for anyone involved.
Timmy (formerly of Total Failure Inc., but he had to fire his partner, Total the polar bear) has a new case: someone stole the funds from YIP YAP, a charity created to raise money to buy books for the bookless tot Yergi Plimkin. Unfortunately, Timmy’s mother is forcing him to use his precious spring break to help her boyfriend, Doorman Dave, move to Chicago. The investigation goes on the road, with the help of Timmy’s best friend, Rollo Tookus, via telephone. Who will Timmy find as a scapegoat—er, discover to be the perpetrator? This case may answer these crucial questions: can Molly Moskins, criminal mastermind, be rehabilitated? Will Total the polar bear ever get enough bonbons? And what did Timmy actually hear his mother and Doorman Dave talking about that could change everything? Cartoonist Pastis brings his intelligent yet clueless, arrogantly overconfident detective back for a fourth nonsensical (and nonexistent) case. Some of the humor (such as the plays on song titles, quotes, and lyrics that name most chapters—“Rainy Days and Mothers Always Get Me Down,” for instance) will fly over the heads of all in the target audience. Nevertheless, for fans of the bestselling series, this one’s more of the same.
Abundantly illustrated fun for readers who are tired of the Wimpy Kid. (Graphic/fiction hybrid. 8-12)Pub Date: Oct. 6, 2015
ISBN: 978-0-7636-8092-3
Page Count: 144
Publisher: Candlewick
Review Posted Online: July 14, 2015
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Aug. 1, 2015
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by Stephan Pastis ; illustrated by Stephan Pastis
by Stephan Pastis ; illustrated by Stephan Pastis
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by Stuart Gibbs ; illustrated by Anjan Sarkar ‧ RELEASE DATE: March 5, 2024
Will satisfy fans but could be better.
Young CIA agent-in-training Benjamin Ripley switches sides—or is he just going undercover?—in this graphic version of the third Spy School caper.
Sticking to the plot of the 2015 original, this episode sees the talented math whiz recruited by nefarious organization SPYDER after being (unjustly, he fumes) kicked out of the CIA’s academy. While training in a hidden school for evildoers with other prospective villains, including Ashley Sparks, a gushy former competitive gymnast with a fondness for portmanteau words (sweet + awesome = swawesome), Ben gets wind of a dastardly scheme to make billions on government construction projects. Hot if inept pursuit by both rival espionage agencies takes Ben from a secret underground command center to the top of the Statue of Liberty. But while the action has a rapid flow in the art (Sarkar is good at portraying fights, high-speed chases, and explosions), several characters are drawn with generic features and such a limited range of expressions that even with help from the cast gallery, it’s hard to tell them apart easily. Still, along with coming through in the suspenseful climax—thanks to clever deductions and quick thinking—by the end, Ben has also achieved a long-sought breakthrough with Erica Hale (code name “Ice Queen”), a superbly omnicompetent schoolmate who has his heart as well as his back. The cast largely presents white.
Will satisfy fans but could be better. (Graphic thriller. 8-12)Pub Date: March 5, 2024
ISBN: 9781665931946
Page Count: 368
Publisher: Simon & Schuster
Review Posted Online: Jan. 5, 2024
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Feb. 1, 2024
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by Stuart Gibbs ; illustrated by Stacy Curtis
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by Emily Ecton ‧ RELEASE DATE: Feb. 13, 2018
A lighthearted mystery starring seriously smart kids.
A mysterious scholarship contest launches this middle-grade mystery.
The action begins when three Chicago middle schoolers—Bondi Johnson, a black boy; Wilf Samson, a white boy; and Melissa Burris, a white girl—are selected to compete in the Kaplin/Baron scholarship contest. No one at the three students’ schools has heard of this scholarship, and even stranger, none of these students is known for exemplary academics. In fact, they are better known for scheming, daydreaming, and schmoozing. The scholarship rules appear straightforward: untangle the clues, provide a photo of each, and win $10,000. With these guidelines, a provided cellphone, a personal driver, and a no-strings-attached debit card, each student is ready to tackle the task. Bondi attacks his clues with diligence; Melissa, though suspicious, enjoys the chase; Wilf would rather cross items off his bucket list than solve the riddles. When the hunt for clues draws to an end, Bondi, Melissa, and Wilf discover there is another mystery surrounding this scholarship and the money, leading them to band together to unravel the remaining clues and unearth the truth before the $10,000 slips out of their hands. In the tradition of The Westing Game or Chasing Vermeer, this is a plot-driven brainteaser centered on Chicago landmarks and Chicago history. The twists and turns are well-paced and believable, and transcripts of texts, emails, and letters within the chapters add dimension to the strong cast of secondary characters.
A lighthearted mystery starring seriously smart kids. (Mystery. 8-12)Pub Date: Feb. 13, 2018
ISBN: 978-1-4847-8838-7
Page Count: 368
Publisher: Disney-Hyperion
Review Posted Online: Nov. 12, 2017
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Dec. 1, 2017
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by Emily Ecton ; illustrated by David Mottram
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by Emily Ecton ; illustrated by David Mottram
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