A story to treasure, full of kindness in a magical world.
Enjoy a magic-filled glimpse into your cat’s secret life when you are away.
After their human leaves for work, Squash, a one-eyed calico cat, and Ginny, a ginger cat, raid the kitchen cabinets. Soon they’ve eaten all the snacks. But they want more! Squash pulls out a magic wand and consults a book of spells to create a snack potion. They will need a “scale from a catfish in Mewmaid Ocean…a lava rock from Mount Lava…and a jar of rain from the Enchanted Rain Forest,” according to Squash. “Easy peasy!” says Ginny, except Ginny impetuously sends them “woosh”ing through a portal before the more-practical Squash is prepared. Luckily, they land at Mewmaid Ocean. During their search, they meet Coral, a catfish (portrayed as half cat and half fish) who challenges them to an exciting water race; Magma, a lost lava dog; riddler Kumi, the volcano spirit; and bun-fairy Lotus, queen of the (struggling) Enchanted Rain Forest, where it hasn’t rained for weeks. The cats have their ingredients, but they are now faced with a moral dilemma. Will they give up two potion ingredients to help the forest live? A surprise ending finds the cats rewarded and able to share their good fortune with their new friends. This first book in a series uses boldly colored cartoons, fanciful character designs, creative problem-solving, and chapter-ending cliffhangers to keep young readers turning pages.
A story to treasure, full of kindness in a magical world. (Graphic fantasy. 6-9)Pub Date: Sept. 7, 2021
ISBN: 978-0-06-308381-3
Page Count: 96
Publisher: HarperAlley
Review Posted Online: June 15, 2021
Kirkus Reviews Issue: July 1, 2021
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
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
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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