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
A blend of magic, history and mystery for patient readers who want to catch the crook but don’t necessarily need a good...
Mystery abounds once again in the miniature Thorne Rooms at the Art Institute of Chicago.
Though their first adventure is over (The Sixty-Eight Rooms, 2010), Ruthie and Jack still possess the magical key that can shrink them down to fit into the tiny rooms at the museum. They know they should return it, but it’s difficult to walk away from that kind of power. Suddenly, objects start disappearing from the rooms. There is also a real-life art thief striking the city. Could the two be connected? Having established the magical premise in the first volume, this story jumps right into the action—but one would be hard pressed to say the narrative is action-packed. In this light read that tumbles along pleasantly enough, the pair also visit the World’s Fair in 1937 Paris, meeting a girl who may not escape the horrors of World War II, as well as the antebellum South, where they meet a young enslaved girl. These junkets provide a hint of tension but are quickly, and neatly, resolved, leaving readers poised for the next comfortable outing.
A blend of magic, history and mystery for patient readers who want to catch the crook but don’t necessarily need a good chase. (Fantasy. 8-12)Pub Date: Jan. 24, 2012
ISBN: 978-0-375-86819-1
Page Count: 256
Publisher: Random House
Review Posted Online: Dec. 2, 2011
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Dec. 15, 2011
Juvenile fans of Dragnet or Law & Order: SVU might look forward to Book 2; few others will.
Who’s flooding Kalamazoo City with synthetic fish? The Platypus Police Squad is on the case!
Platypus Rick Zengo is ready for his first day as a detective on the Platypus Police Squad. He dreams of living up to the reputation of his grandfather, who helped rid the city of crime boss Frank Pandini Sr. Partnered with stodgy, slow Detective O’Malley, Zengo doesn’t think he has a chance until their first case, the disappearance of teacher William Hopkins, looks to involve dangerous synthetic fish and possibly Kalamazoo City’s new savior, businessman Frank Pandini Jr. Son of the former crime kingpin, he says he’s working to undo the damage his father did. Zengo’s impulsive actions land the duo on safety-patrol duty, but a break in the case might be the key to success! Making his chapter-book debut with this series kick-off, Krosoczka, known for his foolish and fun picture books and the goofy Lunch Lady graphic novels, turns out a surprisingly dull two-joke mystery. Cop platypuses: hysterical! Synthetic fish: funnier than fart jokes! It’s a cop-show-rerun plot full of clichéd characters wearing fur and tails. Occasional black-and-white illustrations (final art not seen) might do a bit to liven things up, but the tale’s got the zip of a broken boomerang.
Juvenile fans of Dragnet or Law & Order: SVU might look forward to Book 2; few others will. (Mystery. 8-12)Pub Date: May 7, 2013
ISBN: 978-0-06-207164-4
Page Count: 240
Publisher: Walden Pond Press/HarperCollins
Review Posted Online: March 5, 2013
Kirkus Reviews Issue: April 1, 2013
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