THE BIG ADVENTURES OF BABYMOUSE

Babymouse is back, still in graphic format but with an expanded page count that allows her galloping imagination even freer rein.

The storyline is a familiar one, but in the Holms’ inimitable hands it takes loops and swirls that will keep readers riveted from first page to last. Led by longtime bestie Wilson (“…we just go together!” “Like comics and cupcakes!”), Babymouse’s circle of close middle school friends are always good for a spare gym shirt in place of a forgotten one or a pep talk before a pop quiz. But then, new student Kara arrives and, being ridiculously cute and friendly, quickly becomes the center of attention. Even Wilson seems besotted with her, and soon Babymouse is feeling like such an outsider that she’s hanging out with her tentacled locker and trying to edge her way into the sycophantic clique surrounding classmate Felicia to make Wilson jealous. Eventually, following various flights of fancy—ranging from a trip to Candyville, where the clouds are marshmallows but the gummi bears turn out to be surprisingly hostile, to a depressive stretch where the world drains of color and everyone disappears—plus some nudges from an omniscient narrator, Babymouse realizes that real friendship can be neither bought nor lost. And so, one air-clearing conversation with her wise, gentle bestie later, Babymouse and all her buds are marching into a comics convention proudly duded up as alien bunnies.

“Typical” (as she is wont to mutter). Typically great, that is.