A light read with a not inconsiderable punch.
Nick never gives up faith in his own abilities even when others try to relegate him to the sidelines in this oddball, quick-paced graphic novel.
In a dramatic, full-page panel, readers are introduced to caped hero Nick, silhouetted against the moon, standing atop a building—or is it a garbage can? The omniscient narrator shifts gears: If he’s not a superhero, Nick must be a sidekick. But Nick rejects the typical role, breaking the fourth wall and forcing the narrator to backtrack. Left turns and surprises such as this abound in this irreverent romp, which features a mostly white cast. Readers are treated to a colorful retelling of Nick’s early life and his special ability: excellent hearing powered by superbig ears. While those ears appear comical—and boy, does Nick hear about it—they can be used to good effect. Often cranky, sometimes dispirited, Nick will impress readers most with his bounce-back, never-give-up attitude, especially when he’s paired with vainglorious buffoon Super Fantastic Guy. Well-paced panels, vibrant colors, and tongue-in-cheek asides keep the action popping along. In most scenes, Super Fantastic Guy dwarfs Nick, but no one outranks him. In fact, the duo might just start to work together—just not before one gets his comeuppance and the other his reward. Nick, Super Fantastic Guy, and the villains all present white, with people of color largely limited to one journalist and bystanders.
A light read with a not inconsiderable punch. (Graphic fantasy. 6-9)Pub Date: April 3, 2018
ISBN: 978-1-77138-355-4
Page Count: 48
Publisher: Kids Can
Review Posted Online: Feb. 3, 2018
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Feb. 15, 2018
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
Models attention to detail and deductive reasoning in a fun beach setting, complete with interesting facts.
Beachcombers and shell seekers, gather ’round and meet Shelby and Watts, Planetary Investigators.
When Fred the hermit crab can’t find a new, larger shell to move into, he seeks out the “brilliant brains” of Shelby and Watts. Shelby, a fox, is the detective in the duo, and Watts, a badger, loves facts, adding simple fun ones—about hermit crabs, tides, tide-pool dwellers, how shells are used, etc.—throughout the story. Watts also loves to catalog clues in his notebook. In fact, the first mystery that Shelby solves is that of Watts’ lost notebook. Young readers can watch Shelby investigate, solve, and explain her deductive process, all while learning to carefully examine all the details in each graphic panel. Once the missing shells are found, it’s “time for the hermit crab shuffle,” in which the members of a colony of hermit crabs all line up and trade up to larger homes. Final pages include “Earth-Saving Tips from Shelby & Watts,” such as taking pictures of shells instead of collecting them, eating seafood from sustainable sources, and cleaning up the beach. The seven chapters are of varying length, but with several one-panel pages and many pages with low word count, the book is shorter than it appears, which should be a confidence boost for young readers. (This book was reviewed digitally.)
Models attention to detail and deductive reasoning in a fun beach setting, complete with interesting facts. (Graphic early reader/mystery. 6-9)Pub Date: Aug. 24, 2021
ISBN: 978-0-593-20531-0
Page Count: 96
Publisher: Viking
Review Posted Online: June 1, 2021
Kirkus Reviews Issue: June 15, 2021
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