Icon: Graphic Novel

Bird & Squirrel On The Edge

Bird and Squirrel are heading home, but first they have to cross the Great Mountains. Along the way, the two friends run across a baby bear that is being chased by wolves. Bird jumps in to help the bear. During the chase, Bird gets hit in the head with an acorn and gets amnesia. Now Squirrel has to be the brave one in order to keep both Bird and the bear cub safe as they travel over the mountains. With a pack of hungry wolves chasing them, can Squirrel step up and be the leader they need to keep them alive?

Bird’s and Squirrel’s role reversals lead to laugh after laugh. Even though Squirrel is reluctant to help the baby bear, in the end, Bird convinces him to do what’s right. When the two friends switch roles, Squirrel takes several risks to keep his friends safe. The cute bear gives the story a fun new twist. Through it all, Squirrel learns that helping others is always the right thing to do.

With funny puns, wild chase scenes, and friendship, Bird & Squirrel on the Edge will take readers on an amazing adventure through the Great Mountains. Although the story’s plot consists mostly of chase scenes, readers will enjoy the interplay between Bird, Squirrel, and the bear. The perfect ending will have readers smiling from ear to ear.

Even though Bird & Squirrel on the Edge is the third installment of the series, readers do not have to read the books in order. However, Bird’s and Squirrel’s developing friendship is one of the best parts of the series, so readers will get the most enjoyment if the books are read in order. Bird’s and Squirrel’s adventures aren’t over when they make it home. Once they are back on their home turf, they discover a new danger that threatens the forest. Readers will be eager to pick up the next book in the series, Bird & Squirrel On Fire.

Sexual Content

  • None

Violence

  • Wolves with large teeth chase a bear, who climbs into a tree. Bird and Squirrel help by throwing pine cones at the wolves. The wolves run away. Squirrel accidentally hits Bird in the head with a pine cone, and Bird loses his memory. The chase scene is illustrated over 14 pages.
  • When Bird, Squirrel, and the bear hide in a cave, the wolves find them. Bird screams, “We’re going to die!!” The three friends fall over a cliff, but they aren’t injured. The chase scene is illustrated over five pages.
  • As the three friends are walking through a forest, Bird and Squirrel freak out over a spider. When the bear squishes the spider and eats it, it is described as, “Slurp Mum Num.”
  • The wolf tries to eat Bird. The bear is frightened, falls into a river, and goes over a waterfall. Bird and Squirrel jump in after the bear. The scene is illustrated over seven pages.
  • The wolves surround the three friends. The wolves snarl and howl at them. A wolf tries to bite the bear, but Squirrel hits the wolf with a large stick. The chase scene is illustrated over 16 pages.

Drugs and Alcohol

  • None

Language

  • When the bear jumps in the mud, Squirrel said, “We’ll be cleaning crud out of our crevices for years.”

Supernatural

  • None

Spiritual Content

  • None

Rebound

Ever since Chuck “Da Man” Bell’s father died, Chuck’s turbulent emotions are holding him back from his relationships. When his mom sends him to his grandparents’ house for the summer, Chuck finds healing through basketball. With the help of his friends and relatives, Chuck also learns about his family’s past.

Chuck is an emotional 12-year-old who disobeys his mother and gets into trouble with his friend, Skinny. However, Chuck’s attitude towards life adjusts as his grandparents and cousin, Roxie, teach him wisdom and basketball. Chuck realizes that his grandparents are suffering after their son’s death as well, and Chuck makes an emotional connection with them. This story presents the multifaceted nature of grief through Chuck and his family. The narrative emphasizes this shared humanity rather than suppressing the trauma that the family has endured. The family helps Chuck come to terms with his emotional turbulence, and the end shows him as a happy adult who learned how to cope.

Chuck’s story pairs well with Alexander’s creative narrative styles. The poetry might be off-putting to some readers, but the flow is similar to reading prose fiction thanks to his free verse. The graphic novel panels help build excitement in the basketball/daydream sequences and give a different look into Chuck’s imagination. This book is a good introduction into poetry for younger readers.

Told in free-verse poetry and graphic novel panels, Rebound shows the turbulent healing process after tragedy strikes. As Chuck learns about basketball and how his family members deal with loss, he begins to understand the world outside his emotions. The book is told from Chuck’s perspective, but his grandparents are a large focus of the story. His grandfather, Percy, uses humor and tough love to help Chuck come to terms with his father’s death. However, Percy is serious and kind when Chuck is struggling the most, but Percy never comes off as preachy.

Alexander’s writing style is unique, and it switches between poetry and graphic novel panels. However, the story flows well and has many fast-paced basketball scenes. Alexander uses different poetic techniques to emphasize sounds, emotions, and dialogue. These portions and the graphic novel panels depicting Chuck’s daydreams help enhance his narrative voice and his dreams of success. Rebound is the prequel to Kwame Alexander’s book Crossover, but Rebound can be read as a stand-alone book.

Rebound tells a story about shared humanity and suffering, and it reinforces the need for family in difficult times. Alexander writes interesting and complex family dynamics, and his integration of basketball and comic books into the text feels natural with these themes. He grounds the abstract nature of grief in a manner that is digestible for younger readers. Rebound is a good read because it presents a character who rises above self-pity and gains perspective in dire times. Anyone who has faced a difficult situation will enjoy Rebound’s blend of poetry and graphic novel elements because they effectively portray themes of grief, love, and the power of family.

Sexual Content

  • Chuck’s friend CJ likes Chuck, a topic that is revisited somewhat often throughout the book.
  • CJ pulls Chuck out on the roller rink and “kisses [him]/on the cheek,/and, just like that,/ lets go/of [his] hand,/ and skates away,/and [his] heart/ almost jumps/ out of [his] chest.”
  • Chuck’s grandparents, Alice and Percy, kiss. Percy says to Alice, “Now give me some sugar.”
  • Chuck’s friend, Skinny, meets Chuck’s cousin, Roxie, and calls her “a pretty young thing,” which does not make Roxie or Chuck very happy.
  • Uncle Richard brings his boyfriend to the Fourth of July party.

Violence

  • Skinny mentions that his cousin “Ivan got into a fight” when his team lost a basketball game, but no other context is given.
  • Chuck says, “I remember/my father spanking me/when I was little,” as his mom tries to hit him for smack talking.
  • Chuck’s mom tries to hit him when he talks back. Chuck says, “Her hand/is like/a razor-sharp claw/about to slice/the air/lightning fast/in the direction/of my face, /but I duck/before the blast/almost rips/my head off.”
  • In her way of showing affection, CJ occasionally gives Chuck “a punch/to [his] stomach/that hurts/in a good/kind of way.”
  • Chuck says to his mom, “Some of my friends’ parents got divorced, /remarried, and the new fathers abused the/ kids, and that’s not cool.”
  • On a walk, Percy tells Chuck, “My/mother wasn’t so easy. Used to make me/get a switch from our peach tree, then we/ got whupped good.”
  • When Roxie sees Chuck sitting in the truck, she “punches [Chuck]/ in the arm.”
  • After Roxie and Chuck lose a game, one of the boys on the other team taunts them. The other boy says, “Maybe you should play on a girls’ team,” and Chuck narrates, “She raises/HER fist, / ready to punch, but I grab it, / and get/in HIS face.” Percy pulls them apart before an altercation can occur.
  • While waiting outside the rink, Skinny’s cousin and his friends run over to “this other/ crew of guys/ like they’re about/ to throw down.” It is implied later that they fight off-screen.
  • Ivan walks into the roller rink “with specks/ of blood/ on his shirt/ and a sneaker/ in his hand.” It is inferred that he was in the fight that occurred off-screen, and that someone was seriously injured. No other details of the fight are given.
  • Chuck says that Ivan is bragging about “the beatdown/ they just dished out.”
  • Someone brings a gun to the rink, and everyone scatters.

Drugs and Alcohol

  • Before Chuck’s father died, “he promised/to get me/ some fresh sneakers/and let me/taste beer, /as long as/You don’t tell/your mother, Charlie.”
  • At the end of the book, Chuck narrates, “my mom/ let me taste beer/ and it was disgusting.”
  • Skinny has an uncle that “smokes incessantly.”
  • According to Chuck, “Ivan/used to be/pretty cool/and fun/to be around/till he started/smoking/and hanging out/with a group/of delinquents/he met/in juvie.”
  • It is insinuated that the older guys hanging with Skinny’s cousin are drinking alcohol “hidden in/ brown paper bags.”
  • The police stop Skinny and Chuck outside the rink, and they unknowingly have Ivan’s bag containing “three sandwich bags/ filled with/ cannabis.” They are arrested for possession.

Language

  • Words like stupid, sucks, punk, wimp, nerd, loser, and fool are used frequently throughout the book.
  • There are some loud altercations near the beginning of the story when Chuck’s mom yells at Chuck in creative ways. For example, when Chuck defies his mom and slams his door in her face, she yells, “Boy, I am this/ close to wringing your neck.”

Supernatural

  • None

Spiritual Content

  • After Chuck scores the winning point in a three-on-three basketball game, he thinks, “The gym / roars like / a hyped-up choir / in church /after a sermon.”
  • Of Chuck’s father’s death, Alice says, “There’s a masterplan, and I’m not the / master. We just have to trust in the plan.”

by Alli Kestler

The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess Vol 2

When Link travels to the Twilight Realm to save Ilia, he is transformed into a wolf and is quickly captured. A Twilight imp named Minda takes a liking to Link and helps him escape. Minda introduces Link to Princess Zelda, who explains how the King of Shadows has cast the kingdom of Hyrule into perpetual twilight. The King of Shadows seeks to rule everything under the light and dark. Princess Zelda is powerless to stop him. She prays every day that the gods will save her people. Is Link the prayed-for hero?

But as a wolf, what can Link do? He can talk to animals in his wolf form, but he cannot communicate with his friends or wield a weapon. As Minda leads Link on a quest, it is unclear to readers and to Link himself whether Minda is helping Link save his people or tricking him for her own gain. While this graphic novel has more action than the first book, video gamers who have played Twilight Princess may become bored, as this graphic novel follows the game so closely that it begins to feel like a recap. For readers unfamiliar with the games, this installment may be more interesting.

Link is a relatable character that readers will root for, but the other characters in the story remain two-dimensional, leaving much to be desired. This story has several battle scenes scattered throughout, but there are only a few violent images where Link is shown slashing monsters with his sword or attacking in his wolf-form. The images are not gory. The theme of Twilight Princess Vol 2 follows Link’s struggle to find his inner strength in order to protect his loved ones.

Twilight Princess Vol 2 is darker than the video game. However, the story will appeal to reluctant readers because the Manga-style illustrations tell the story through pictures and uses a limited amount of words. Each page contains 1-6 simple sentences, which appear in thought bubbles. Similar to the original Batman comics, Twilight Princess’s battle scenes use onomatopoeia words, such as “Bwommm” and “gyaaah.” Overall, Link fans may be better off sticking with the video game and skipping the graphic novels altogether.

Sexual Content

  • None

Violence

  • A “demon thief” is banished to the Twilight Realm. He is stabbed with a sword, and the flesh melts from his face before he is sucked into the Twilight Realm.
  • When Princess Zelda tells the story of her kingdom being attacked, the illustrations depict an explosion and a monster slowly crushing a guard to death.
  • Link battles a shadow monster and eventually kills it. The fight is illustrated over six pages.
  • A demon monkey lashes out with fire, burning the forest and killing several animals, who are drawn terrified, aflame, and wounded.
  • Link fights the demon monkey. Their first battle takes place over three pages. Their second battle takes place over five pages.
  • Link battles a giant plant monster and slays it. This battle takes place over nine pages.

Drugs and Alcohol

  • None

Language

  • None

Supernatural

  • Link lives in a world with magic, shadow beasts, and demons. When people from the land of light are engulfed by the Twilight Realm, they turn into lost souls.
  • When Link travels to the Twilight Realm, he is transformed into a giant wolf. While in his wolf form, Link can communicate with animals.
  • Link meets an alpha monkey who “absorbed the power of shadow… He was originally a monkey, but now he’s a demon. He can’t tell friend from foe.”
  • When Link unlocks his instinctive wolf senses, he’s able to see the insects that are “the true form of the shadow demons.” One of the insects is controlling the monkey demon, making him act cruelly.
  • Link finds a boomerang, which speaks to him. It says, “I am the fairy of winds that inhabits the boomerang. You freed me from an evil force, so I can reclaim my true power… Please, use the boomerang in which my power resides.”

Spiritual Content

  • There is a legend that when evil people tried to use magic to take over the land, “the goddesses grew angry at this affront and sent four spirits of light to seal the upstarts’ magical power away in the shadow crystal. Furthermore, the mirror of shadow prevented these wizards from entering the world of light. They were exiled to the twilight realm.”
  • Link meets a light spirit who tells him, “By orders of the gods, I am one of the four spirits of light who protect Hyrule.” The spirit asks Link for his help in saving the land from darkness.

by Morgan Lynn

Bird & Squirrel On Ice

After Bird and Squirrel crash land in the South Pole during a raging blizzard, a penguin named Sakari thinks Bird has come to rid her village of a hungry Killer Whale. But when Squirrel finds out that Bird will actually be fed to the Killer Whale as a sacrifice, they hatch a crazy plan to escape. With good timing, a little luck, and help from Sakari, they just might make it out alive. Or they might end up as whale food!

Bird & Squirrel on the Run consisted of funny cat chases and misfortunes. While Bird & Squirrel On Ice has more of a storyline, there is less interaction between Bird and Squirrel. For much of the story, Squirrel is trying to save Bird’s life, while Bird is clueless, convinced that Squirrel is just jealous. The storyline has a darker tone and revolves around Bird being sacrificed to a whale.

The story’s serious tone is offset by the funny chases and the introduction of Sakari’s penguin family. Sakari and her father disagree about sacrificing Bird; in the end, Sakari proves that she has a “mighty spirit and an even mightier heart.” Many readers will enjoy seeing a female character save the day. Because of Sakari’s determination to listen to her heart and Squirrel’s dedication to his friend, Bird is saved in the end.

Interesting characters, slapstick humor, puns, and a fast-paced plot combine to create an entertaining graphic novel. The story is illustrated with brightly colored panels. Much like a cartoon, the illustrations use exaggerated facial expressions to add to the humor. Each page contains one to six simple sentences. Bird & Squirrel On Ice will appeal to even the most reluctant readers. Bird and Squirrel’s silly antics will keep readers interested while they explore family dynamics and jealousy.

Sexual Content

  • None

Violence

  • A penguin stabs Squirrel with a spear. Squirrel takes off running and yells, “Something bit me!!”
  • A seal jumps out of the water and tries to eat a penguin. The penguin attacks the seal with her spear, and the seal jumps back into the water. The scene is illustrated over two pages.
  • Sakari discovers that her father plans to sacrifice Bird to a whale. Sakari tells her father, “It isn’t his sacrifice to make. You have to stop it.”
  • Before Bird can be sacrificed, Sakari jumps into the ocean and attacks the whale with her spear. The whale tries to eat Sakari. She swims out of the bay. While Sakari is leading the whale away, Squirrel tries to break a snow bridge. As Squirrel is working, a seal smacks him. Bird begins throwing rocks at the seal. In the end, everyone is safe from the whale. The scene is illustrated over 14 pages.

Drugs and Alcohol

  • None

Language

  • Squirrel tells Bird, “You’re the most self-centered birdbrain I’ve ever met!”

Supernatural

  • Squirrel goes to see a woman who gives him advice. The woman says, “The fire shall provide the light you seek. One cannot be found until one is lost.” Squirrel looks into a fire’s smoke and sees a vision.

Spiritual Content

  • None

All the Pieces Fit

In book five, D.J. and Hilo traveled to Hilo’s home planet. In order to keep their activities secret, they left robot versions of themselves on earth. When government agents appear, they are determined to take D.J. and Hilo into custody. With the help of Gina and Polly, the secret agents end up running from the scene. However, now Gina’s parents discover the truth about D.J. and Hilo.

Being a hero isn’t easy. Hilo had no idea it would be this hard. Hilo came to earth because he was running from Razorwark. He’s done running. Razorwark has come to earth, and the time has come for one final face-to-face showdown. What happens will decide the fate of the robot world…and Hilo’s future. The sacrifice will be great but with Izzy’s help, Hilo finally knows what he has to do because THIS is how all the pieces fit.

Fans of the Hilo series will not be disappointed with the sixth installment of the series, which brings all of the characters together to fight Razorwark. All the Pieces Fit is a fast-paced story that contains many exciting battles. However, the fighting is broken up with humorous scenes, such as a hurricane of hamsters and a force field around the city. However, the philosophy about Hilo’s empatis will confuse some readers. However, the ending is surprising and shows how “we all have a purpose. We have a place we’re supposed to fit.”

All the Pieces Fit uses brightly-colored illustrations that keep the action moving. The detailed illustrations show exaggerated facial expressions, which will help readers understand the characters’ changing emotions. For maximum enjoyment, the stories should be read in order. Even though the first chapter recaps the events in the previous books, the stories’ plots build on each other.

Hilo is the perfect series for all ages. The sci-fi story shows the importance of friendship and sacrifice, and the heartwarming conclusion will leave readers smiling. Even though Hilo’s story is wrapped up, readers will be excited that the actions continues in Gina—The Girl Who Broke the World.

Sexual Content

  • None

Violence

  • Government agents try to take custody of D.J. and Hilo. Gina uses her magic wand to knock “buttface here on his butt.”
  • Polly shoots lasers at the government agents, who jump out of the way. Then Gina uses her magic wand to make vines grow around the agents. Later, Polly makes two agents clothes blow up like balloons. Polly hits the agents with a stick and they go flying.
  • Gina and her friends continue to harass the agents. When one of the agents tasers D.J., they discover that a robot has taken D.J.’s place. The government agent fight is illustrated over eight pages.
  • To chase off the rest of the agents, Polly uses magic to send “a wee hurricane of hamsters” to attack. The agent tasers Gina. When he tasers Hilo, he discovers that Hilo has also been replaced by a robot.
  • When Polly creates a “giant monster hedgehog,” the remaining agents run away. The scene takes place over four pages.
  • As a force field covers a town, a car is split in half, separating the passenger from the driver. No one is injured.
  • While flying in the sky, Razorwark grabs Hilo and throws him to the ground. Hilo is uninjured.
  • Razorwark and Hilo fight. Hilo blasts Razorwark with freezing lasers. Razorwark blasts Hilo with a laser, and Hilo falls to the ground. The battle scene is illustrated over five pages.
  • Hilo destroys the portal so Razorwark cannot escape. Then, Razorwark and Hilo blast each other with lasers. Razorwark tells Hilo he wants revenge because people “wanted me to be the sole fighter of their wars! And I was! They wanted me to be a murderer! And I was!” Razorwark plans to kill all of the humans so the “society” of robots has a world of their own.

 Drugs and Alcohol

  • None

Language

  • Lisa calls a government agent a buttface. When Lisa’s father gets upset, her mom says, “No, she’s not totally wrong. They are kind of buttfaces.”
  • Someone calls the government agents “dirt weasels.”
  • When a force field covers the town, an agent says, “holy mackerel.”

Supernatural

  • Razorwark opens a portal to allow robot pieces to enter Earth’s atmosphere. Then Razorwark uses magic to assemble the pieces.
  • Izzy touches Hilo’s heart with a flower that transfers Izzy’s energy to Hilo. When Izzy’s power is drained, she dies. Hilo explains to his friends, “Razorwark gave me some of his empatis and he gave some to Izzy. It’s the energy that brought us to life. Without it we’re empty. We’re broken machines. Without it we die. Izzy gave me all of hers. She gave me everything.”
  • Gina uses her magic wand to make a tree grow to make magic wands. She tells her friends, “You all have wands that can do stunner spells. These won’t hurt the robots! But it’ll knock them on their cans.” The group uses their wands to stun the robots. During this time, the scene flashes to Hilo and Razorwark fighting.
  • Razorwark surrounds Hilo in a “crystal thing.” When D.J. finds Hilo, he breaks the “crystal thing” freeing Hilo.
  • During the final battle between Razorwark and Hilo, the two appear to blow up and “this rain…it’s energy. It’s what made Razorwark. And Izzy…and Hilo…alive.” The energy falls onto the robots, making them come alive.
  • Polly takes the robots through a portal so they can build an entire society.
  • Hilo falls to the ground in a flash of light. Although it’s not explained how, Hilo is now a human.
  • Gina uses a “magic gem. The orb of fellbeck. It cast a spell that makes the entire world forget everything that’s happened in the last two days.” After the spell, Gina says, “Time is the stone that falls. Time is the river that crawls. Turn back the water and rock. Turn back the sun and the clock.” After Gina uses the spell, only four people remember what happened.

Spiritual Content

  • None

Spider-Man: Far from Home: Peter and Ned’s Ultimate Travel Journal

Spider-Man is off to Europe on a science exploration, crime-fighting adventure! While on vacation, Peter Parker and his best friend, Ned Leeds, decide to create a travel journal where they jot down all the exciting things that happened to them during their trip. From St. Mark’s Basilica in Venice to the Globe Theatre in London, Ned tells readers about the most astounding and historic spots to visit in Europe. While web-slinging, Peter introduces readers to European street food, including German pretzels and English toasties. Mary Jane introduces Europe’s most notable, historic women to the boys as she takes them to the weirdest and scariest places in Europe, including Cemetery Island in Venice and the Museum of Communism in Prague. The ultimate, web-shooting travel journal really has it all!

From the Venetian gelato to the London Eye, their international trip seems to be going great until Peter finds himself having to save the world again. As he fights world-threatening monsters, Peter struggles with becoming a big-time superhero and his new crush on his friend, Mary Jane. It’s a big step up from being just the friendly, neighborhood Spider-Man. Will Peter be able to come to terms with his new identity, defeat the monsters, and finish the journal—or will the world fall into chaos?

 Peter and Ned’s Ultimate Travel Journal is a fun, educational read for young readers. Peter, Ned, and Mary Jane’s adventures across Europe, along with their witty humor, make the book fun to read. It introduces young readers to Europe’s many different, historic cultures. Throughout the book, Ned introduces historical buildings to the readers, Peter introduces cultural food, and MJ introduces historic European women. Along the way, the trio even has intellectual debates discussing if Italian pizza is better than American pizza, if Nikola Tesla is smarter than Thomas Edison, and if Michelangelo is more influential than Leonardo Da Vinci.

However, readers should watch the movie Spider-Man: Far from Home before reading the travel journal. The journal makes many references to the crime-fighting antics of Spiderman’s on-screen personality, and the journal could be confusing for readers who have not seen the movie. The camaraderie between Peter, Ned, and MJ is entertaining; however, the characters often go way overboard on teen-talk. Even though the plot is not well-developed, the theme of friendship is portrayed throughout the journal.

Nonetheless, the fun, colorful illustrations will interest readers. The artwork appears much like the Spider-Man comic books with colorful pictures of Spider-Man in action and cartoonish pictures of European landmarks. However, some of the pictures are reused, which may bother some readers. With its mild language, this book is a fun read for superhero fans that are interested in learning about other countries.

Sexual Content

  • None

Violence

  • On the plane, Mr. Hutchinson tells Peter that “his ex-wife faked her own death in the Battle of New York …”
  • Ned thinks he is a great friend because “he will take a tranquilizer dart to the neck courtesy of NICHOLAS FURY and not complain about it.” In the movie, Ned is shot in the neck by Nick Fury.

Drugs and Alcohol

  • None

Language

  • Ned’s “No Lips” face will make Peter “laugh so hard he pees his pants.”
  • While in St. Mark’s Square, “a pigeon pooped on” Peter.
  • Ned thinks that “Betty is going to think I’m so smart when I tell her about these kick-butt ladies tomorrow!”
  • Ned thinks it’s funny to “imagine a baby country peeing in a diaper.”
  • Peter wants to snuggle with Mary Jane during the opera while they share opera glasses, but he wonders if there’s “another word for snuggle so I can just ask her without sounding like a dweeb?”

Supernatural

  • None

Spiritual Content

  • None

by Matthew Perkey

The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess Vol 1

Link is a simple boy in a small, peaceful village. However, he lived a very different life before he came to the village less than two years ago. Before, he had been training with the sword to become a border guard. Then, in a tragic accident, Link’s entire town was sucked into the blackness by a Death God and vanished. Link fled in terror and has been hiding ever since, though he hasn’t been able to escape his guilt.

When monsters invade Link’s safe haven, he springs into action to defend his new home. But these strange creatures are nothing like Link has ever seen before. Will he be able to redeem himself and save his new home? Or is Link doomed to watch another town be swallowed by the darkness?

Link himself is an enjoyable and relatable hero. He has a sense of humor despite his tragic past. He tries to be patient with the children of the village, and when he loses his temper, he regrets it later. However, the other supporting characters in the story are undeveloped caricatures.

There are some mild violent and sexual images, though these do not abound. Specifically, the monsters and Death God may be frightening to younger readers, and parents may not appreciate the bikini-clad princess that appears in the first chapter. However, for the 13+ recommended age range, the images in this graphic novel are much less graphic and sexual than other popular teen graphic novels. Still, the graphic novel is noticeably darker than the video game, such as when the Death God is introduced, Link suffers a gruesome injury.

For fans of The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess video game, this graphic novel will be an enjoyable read. Though the graphic novel diverges from the video game, there are enough similarities that gamers will recognize and enjoy. Link is given a different backstory in this graphic novel, which provides enough of a difference that it is not simply a repeat of the game. For readers who have not played the video game and are meeting Link for the first time, they may find that the plot drags. While there is plenty of action at the end, the first half of the book meanders around, introducing characters and aspects of Link’s life from the video game. While interesting enough to gamers, there might not be enough action to hook new readers.

Sexual Content

  • The Twilight Princess, who only appears in chapter one, is dressed in a bikini top and sarong skirt that bares most of her legs.
  • When Link gets rammed by a goat, he thinks, “It’s weird for Ordon goats to be so aggressive. Is it mating season?”

Violence

  • The sorcerer Zant attacks the Twilight Princess. There is a giant explosion as he overpowers her.
  • A village girl is shot in the shoulder with an arrow and then kidnapped.
  • Link fights the monster trying to kidnap a village girl. The fight is depicted over 11 pages. At the end of it, Link’s arm is cut off.

Drugs and Alcohol

  • None

Language

  • None

Supernatural

  • Link lives in a world with magic and monsters.
  • The sorcerer, Zant, turns the people who live in the Twilight Realm into monsters to serve his evil plans.
  • When Link pulls a sword from a stone, his village is sucked into darkness by a terrifying Death God, who appears like a skeleton with glowing eyes.
  • There are drawings of goblins, skeletons, and other monsters that invade the realm and terrify the villagers. Most of this attack is not shown. One of the monsters threatens the people who don’t live in the twilight realm, saying, “I will curse them all.”
  • When Link travels to the Twilight Realm, he is transformed into a giant wolf.

Spiritual Content

  • The villagers speak of the spirits that protect them several times. For instance, a village woman tells Link, “The spirits give strength to all manner of things. They bring light and consciousness to all things.”
  • There is a legend that when evil people tried to use magic to take over the land, “the goddesses grew angry at this affront and sent four spirits of light to seal the upstarts’ magical power away in the shadow crystal. Furthermore, the mirror of shadow prevented these wizards from entering the world of light. They were exiled to the twilight realm.”
  • A spirit of light heals Link’s arm after it is cut off in a battle.

by Morgan Lynn

Bird & Squirrel On The Run

Squirrel is busy preparing for winter. He’s collected and stored enough acorns to last him through spring. Meanwhile, Bird is enjoying riding the air currents. When Bird invites Squirrel to go south with him, Squirrel isn’t interested. But when Cat decides that he’d like nothing better than to eat Bird for lunch, Squirrel jumps to the rescue. Unfortunately, he also loses all of his acorns. With his winter supply of food gone, Squirrel reluctantly decides to head south with Bird. Cat sneakily follows, waiting for a perfect opportunity to make Bird his lunch.

Filled with cat chases, misfortune, and other drama, Bird’s and Squirrel’s adventure is pure fun. The two friends are comically different. Every time something bad happens, Squirrel is convinced that “We’re gonna die!” On the other hand, Bird looks on the bright side of everything. When all of their possessions are lost, Bird holds up a toothbrush and says, “Look on the bright side, we still have your toothbrush.” The interplay between Bird and Squirrel will make readers laugh out loud.

Bird and Squirrel’s adventure is reminiscent of Tom and Jerry. Every time Cat tries to sneak up and eat Bird, Cat ends up being injured in some way. As Bird and Squirrel try to avoid Cat, they run into a funny family of moles, a raging river, a slimy snake, and other misfortunes. Even though Bird & Squirrel on the Run is full of slapstick humor, the graphic novel also teaches the importance of friendship and working together.

The story is illustrated with brightly colored panels. Much like a cartoon, the illustrations use exaggerated facial expressions to add to the humor. Each page contains one to six simple sentences. Bird & Squirrel on the Run will appeal to even the most reluctant readers. Bird and Squirrel’s silly antics will keep readers interested as it teaches the importance of enjoying life, even if you’re being chased by a cat. Readers who want more animal mischief should read the Pets on the Loose Series by Victoria Jamieson.

Sexual Content

  • None

Violence

  • Cat spends a lot of time chasing Bird. The first time that Cat tries to chomp Bird, Bird crashes into a tree and falls to the ground. To help Bird, Squirrel throws acorns at Cat. When an acorn avalanche begins, it sweeps Squirrel and Cat into a river. The scene is illustrated over eight pages.
  • Bird and Squirrel pack up to head south, when Cat decides to chase them. Bird and Squirrel fall into the river and lose all of their belongings. The scene is described over three pages.
  • When Cat chases Bird and Squirrel, the two friends hide in a hole. Cat tries to follow, but he cannot fit inside the hole. With his butt pointing up out of the hole, Cat is hit by lightning. The scenes is illustrated over three pages.
  • Bird accidentally angers bees, and the bees chase him. Bird leads the bees to Squirrel, who is shown with stingers sticking out of his face and body. The scene is described over three pages.
  • While walking through a dark forest, a snake attacks Bird and Squirrel. The snake wraps its tail around Squirrel, and Bird flies to the rescue. The scene is illustrated over five pages.
  • A hawk scares Bird, who is carrying Squirrel. Bird drops Squirrel, but is able to grab him before he smashes into the ground. The hawk gives chase, but Bird is able to get Squirrel to safety.
  • When it looks like Bird is in trouble, Squirrel jumps on the hawk’s back. The hawk stops chasing Bird, and drops Squirrel, who falls to the ground. The scene is illustrated over six pages.
  • Cat again tries to eat Bird. When Cat holds Bird to the ground, Squirrel throws a rock and hits Cat between the eyes. Squirrel taunts Cat, “I bet you’re too slow and too stupid to catch me!” Cat chases Squirrel and the hawk grabs Cat and carries him away. The scene is illustrated over six pages.

Drugs and Alcohol

  • None

Language

  • None

Supernatural

  • None

Spiritual Content

  • None

The 39-Story Treehouse: Mean Machines & Mad Professors!

Andy and Terry have added thirteen new levels to their amazing treehouse! With a new trampoline, chocolate waterfall, active volcano, opera house, baby-dinosaur petting zoo, museum, boxing elephant, not-very-merry-go-round, X-ray room, disco dance floor, high-tech office, and the world’s scariest rollercoaster, the treehouse has gotten even more ridiculous!

As usual, Andy and Terry are too busy having absurd amounts of fun to realize that their next book is due tomorrow afternoon. Even though the boys have not written a scrap, Terry has a solution. He unveils his new top-secret invention: a Once-Upon-a-Time Machine that writes and draws the books for them. After the invention locks them out of the treehouse and threatens to write its own books, the duo must seek the aid of a mad professor, who is determined to destroy the universe, in order to save their treehouse.

Will the boys be able to save the universe and the treehouse all while finishing their book?

The Treehouse Series is a fantastic series for young readers who are reluctant to read. Griffiths and Denton create a silly, funny, and ridiculous story that will leave readers rolling on the floor laughing. In order to finish their book, Terry invents a machine that will write the book for them. After the machine locks the boys out of the treehouse, Andy and Terry go through a range of slapstick scenarios in order to save their treehouse and book series. In the end, the boys realize they should have written their book and not have depended on the machine to do it for them. This teaches readers the importance of doing their own work.

Unlike other books in the series, Griffiths and Denton do not depend on bathroom humor or inappropriate behavior as a crutch for their jokes, but instead, use wordplay and a bit of slapstick comedy to entertain their readers. The funny black-and-white drawings contribute to a positive reading experience and will help younger readers transfer their reading skills from picture books into full-fledged novels.

Unlike other series, readers can enjoy each of these books by themselves and the series does not have to be read in order. In the end, this fun, easy-to-read book will teach readers the importance of doing your own work and encourage reluctant readers to finally read. The story’s fast pace and silly situations will keep readers turning the pages until the very end.

Sexual Content

  • None

Violence

  • In the treehouse’s baby-dinosaur petting zoo, one of the velociraptors bites one of Andy’s fingers off. It is illustrated, but not gory or violent.
  • The Once-Upon-A-Time Machine slaps the boys “away whenever we get too close to the treehouse.”
  • The Trunkinator, a giant boxing elephant, “stomps into the room and punches [Professor Stupido] in the nose.”

Drugs and Alcohol

  • None

Language

  • After Terry’s jet-propelled swivel chair malfunctions, he calls it “stupid.”
  • When the Once-Upon-A-Time machine refuses to let Terry and Andy in, Terry yells, “You’re just a dumb machine that I invented! Open the treehouse door! NOW!”
  • Professor Stupido, the world-famous un-inventor, is a main character in this book. He calls penguins “stupid, flightless things.”

Supernatural

  • None

Spiritual Content

  • None

by Matthew Perkey

EndGames

Blue arrives in the capital city of Altalus, where she is determined to find her friend Crow, the boy who was created to be a flying war machine, and Jack, the engineer who built him. But soon she is inadvertently kidnapped by Snow and Red, twins from the enemy side of their ten-year war. They set off on a dangerous adventure that brings them to the front lines of the war, and eventually realize that they must work together to help end it. But with larger, more powerful forces at work, the fight for peace and survival will be more difficult than they ever imagined.

The majority of EndGames’ plot focuses on the war between Goswish and Grimmaea. However, readers may have a difficult time following the story because of the abrupt transitions. The story jumps from scene to scene causing readers to struggle with keeping up with the new characters and all of the new information. While NewsPrints focused on Blue and Crow’s relationship, in EndGames the two are separated and have little contact. Readers will miss the interaction between the two.

Even though the story is recommended for readers eight and up, younger readers may not be able to understand the more mature themes that appear in the book. The story is very anti-war and shows the dangers of using children to fight an adult’s war. EndGames also shows how governments only print news that is beneficial to them. Instead of being concerned with the truth, many newspapers only spread the government’s propaganda. The newspaper only runs an important true story when “the truth happens to sell even better for the Bugle.”

Unfortunately, EndGames tries to accomplish too much. The story has themes of imperialism, gender roles, and discrimination as well as an anti-war message. EndGames features both a blind character and a transgender character. A female aviator tells Blue, “Oh I’ve always knon I was a boy. . . Other people just didn’t know it yet.” However, the transgender reference is brief and awkward.

Although the artwork is stunning, younger readers may be confused because of the quick transitions. Even though the illustrations help tell the story, some scenes are still confusing. The frantic pacing allows the story to skip over information that may have made the scene’s action clear.

Sexual Content

  • None

Violence

  • While flying, two airplanes shoot at each other. A plane is knocked out of the sky by “friendly fire.” No one is injured. The scene is illustrated over six pages.
  • When another country’s Navy appears, a soldier uses a weapon in an attempt to “destroy that machine before your Goswish troops can get it back.” The weapon hits a target and starts a fire. The soldier is shown celebrating the destruction. The scene is illustrated over six pages.
  • As airplanes approach, the army is told “to protect Goswing, we must destroy Grimmaea!” Airplanes are shot down and fall into the ocean. The scene is illustrated over four pages.
  • Blue is left on unstable land that is being consumed by lava. Blue falls into a crack in the ground, but is saved.

Drugs and Alcohol

  • None

Language

  • “Goose Butts!” is occasionally used as an exclamation.
  • Heck is used once.
  • Someone calls Blue an “idiot.”

Supernatural

  • None

Spiritual Content

  • None

 Cabin Fever

Most people love the holiday season, but it makes Greg a nervous wreck. Greg believes that if he makes a mistake in the first eleven months of the year, it’s not a big deal, but if he does something wrong during the holiday season, then he’s in trouble with Santa and won’t get any presents. With Thanksgiving gone and Christmas fast approaching, Greg becomes obsessed with playing Net Kritterz online – a game where he takes constant care of his internet pet Chihuahua. Greg needs money in order to feed and clothe his virtual pet, but after his mom says money is tight, Greg has to create new ways to earn cash quickly.

After Greg’s request to his local church for a ‘donation’ and his snow shoveling business fall through, Greg and his best friend, Rowley, decide to hold their own Holiday Bazaar where they will sell concession snacks, offer holiday games, and make gifts like their school’s own Bazaar. However, after Vice Principal Roy stops them from handing out advertisements at school, the young duo decides to advertise their Bazaar by hanging signs on the outside school wall. But while taping them up, rain begins to pour and the paint on the signs runs, staining the bricks a neon green. With the police hot on their tails, Rowley and Greg flee the scene of the crime.

After the local newspaper carries a story about the vandalism and Vice-Principal Roy demands that the guilty parties come forward the next day, Rowley submits an anonymous note indicating that he and Greg are responsible for the vandalism. Refusing to identify Rowley as his partner in crime, Roy forces Greg to clean the outside bricks alone for hours. When Greg gets home, he learns the police have paid his house a visit and left a note saying that they would be back later. That night, a huge snowstorm traps Greg and his family inside their house. Greg now has to wait out the snowstorm while stressing about the police as his family’s food rations and electricity run out. Will Greg survive the snowstorm and get the chance to clear his name or will he be sent to jail like he fears?

Cabin Fever’s plot revolves around everything that happens in Greg’s life and is told from his 12-year-old perspective. The story contains a lot of bathroom and childish humor and at times the humor and illustrations can be crude and inappropriate for really young readers. At one point in the story, Greg clears a neighbor’s driveway of snow using a sprinkler and feels annoyed when his neighbor slips on the resulting ice. In another part, Greg tries to steal from the collection tray at church in order to pay for his Net Kritterz. Many illustrations also depict a butt, someone using a toilet, or Greg in his underwear.

Despite the book’s bathroom humor, Cabin Fever has positive lessons for young readers. Jeff Kinney has a natural talent for using humor to mask important messages. In this book, Kinney uses Greg and his humor to address gratefulness. When Greg is on the verge of losing everything – electricity, food, shelter, video games – while snowed in, he realizes how grateful he is for his family, friends, and home.  Also, the consistently funny black-and-white comic illustrations will help younger readers transfer their reading skills from picture books into full-fledged novels, helping even the most reluctant of readers start reading. Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Cabin Fever is a fun, easy-to-read story that will entertain readers and teach them to be grateful for their families and friends.

Sexual Content

  • None

Violence

  • One of Bryce Anderson’s cronies shoots Greg with a BB gun.

Drugs and Alcohol

  • None

Language

  • Bathroom and immature humor are used consistently. Words like stupid, jerk, and poop are used frequently.
  • After Greg went to the bathroom, somebody asks, “Did you poop?”
  • Every time someone gets hurt on a piece of playground equipment, the teachers remove it for safety issues. Eventually, the only thing left is the balance beam and Greg thought it would never leave, “but believe it or not, some idiot wasn’t looking where he was going the other day, so now that’s gone, too.”
  • Greg thinks Rowley’s skipping “looks stupid.”
  • When Greg was in elementary school, his teacher, Mr. Harkin, accidentally walked in on him while he was using the bathroom. Greg says he “felt like a jerk” after he told his mom about it.

Supernatural

  • None

Spiritual Content

  • It’s Christmastime in the novel; Jesus and God are mentioned.
  • The family goes to church three times and to folk mass one time. Greg says, “Our family usually goes to church at 9:00 a.m., but today we went to the folk service at 11:00.” Greg and his family even go to church on Christmas morning.
  • Greg feels bad for people who have their birthday right around the holidays because it gets lumped together with Christmas and they get cheated out of a gift. Greg guesses it’s been happening for thousands of years and an illustration shows God handing a gift to Jesus saying, “This gift counts for Christmas AND your birthday, Jesus!”

by Matthew Perkey

 Masters of Mischief

After successfully trapping Ralph and his two cronies in South Ridge Middle School, Max’s crazy night seems almost over as police sirens approach. There is just one last thing to do – go home! While evading the police and possible suspensions, Max and Erin dive into the back of a pickup truck just as it is about to take off. What they don’t know is that the pickup truck is driven by the thieves – Ralph, Tucker, and Moose – who all escaped from Max’s traps and the police!

Successfully ditching the pickup truck when it stops for fast food, Erin and Max head home for some well-needed rest. Throughout the weekend and at school on Monday, Max must dodge police, his parents, his nosy neighbors, and a brutal bully to avoid any possible suspicion for his involvement with Friday’s robbery. If Max is caught, he risks detention and probably homeschooling by his grandmother for the rest of his life. However, Max and Erin discover the thieves’ new plan – to pose as security guards to steal the new, expensive school computers when no one is looking. Can Max and Erin avoid detection and detention while stopping the malicious thieves?

Masters of Mayhem is a fun, suspenseful read for young readers. Throughout her three books, Russel has created a character who is troubled just like any other boy his age but manages to strive through his problems and think of others. Max does not flaunt or boast about how he stopped Ralph and his gang and saved the school but instead keeps it to himself. He considers the consequences of his actions and worries about involving Erin and tarnishing her perfect school record. Max cares about other people more than he cares about himself. He even swears to put a stop to the thieves again, risking his own life to protect his new school. He is a role model for young teenagers.

Unlike other books in the series, Russel does not depend on bathroom humor or inappropriate behavior for her jokes. Instead, she puts Max in hysterical and wacky scenarios to entertain her readers. In addition, the book’s cartoonish, manga-like black-and-white illustrations will help readers transfer their reading skills from picture books into full-fledged novels, making this story great for young, reluctant readers.

The Misadventures of Max Crumbly is a series that should be read in order. Like every book in the series, Masters of Mischief ends with a suspenseful cliffhanger, so make sure you have the next book in the series ready for your reader.

Sexual Content

  • None

Violence

  • None

Drugs and Alcohol

  • None

Language

  • After Max and Erin fall into the school dumpster, Max worries that unless he and Erin “can figure out how to get out of this stupid dumpster,” they might never roam free again.
  • Erin doesn’t want her ice princess costume to get damaged. Max says, “Erin only cared about her STUPID ice princess costume.”
  • When Max and Erin hide in the back of a truck, Max worries that “those Neanderthals would see us through that big window in the back of the truck and try to run over us or something.”
  • Max says that if “Erin could sneak out of her house to rescue me, then I could at least sneak INTO my house to save my butt.”
  • Max screams when he sees his sister in an oatmeal face mask. Max’s sister tells him, “Shut up, you birdbrain!”
  • After the police visit their house, Max’s sister comes downstairs and asks if the police were there. Max says his sister is hearing things and she responds with, “Actually, the voices TOLD me to give YOU some mouthwash, BUTT BREATH!”
  • Thug Thurston, Max’s bully, asks Max, “Did you have a nice weekend, BARF?!”
  • Erin fumes and says they “can’t just let these JERKS get away with this!”

Supernatural

  • None

Spiritual Content

  • None

by Matthew Perkey

Scarlett Hart Monster Hunter

Scarlett Hart isn’t afraid of monsters. As the orphaned daughter of two legendary monster hunters, she is prepared to rid the entire city of monsters! The only problem is that the Royal Academy for the Pursuit and Eradication of Zoological Eccentricities says she’s too young to fight perilous horrors. But that doesn’t stop Scarlett and her trusty butler. They fight mummies, a horrid hound, and save the city from a monster attack.

Scarlett is a plucky heroine who isn’t afraid to fight. With the help of her butler, Napoleon, Scarlett is able to keep her monster hunting a secret. However, her parents’ rival, Count Stankovic, wants all of the monster hunting glory for himself. The Count will try anything to get Scarlett out of the way. Every time Scarlett turns around, the Count is hiding in the shadows, waiting for his chance to get proof that Scarlett is breaking the law. When a group of monsters starts mysteriously manifesting, Scarlett knows she has to risk breaking the rules and being put in jail. She will do whatever it takes to save the city.

Scarlett goes around the city fighting sea monsters, fire-breathing monsters, and gargoyles. Even though the monsters always meet their demise—sometimes in creative ways—the illustrations keep out the bloody gore. Most of the story revolves around battling monsters and the Count. However, Sedgwick includes enough detail and family background to give the story a little depth.

Scarlett Hart Monster Hunter is an entertaining story with elements of steampunk. Even though the action revolves around monsters, no one is seriously injured. The story has many elements that will entertain middle school readers, like the string of funny, creative insults Scarlett uses when referring to the Count. The illustrations use many onomatopoeias, such as, “creak, fazaza, tweak, phut, phut, sputter.” The cartoon-like illustrations use shades of brown to mimic the darker tone of the story.

Readers who love monster fighting fun and have read The Last Kids on Earth series will miss the humor and friendship that is lacking in Scarlett Hart Monster Hunter. Despite this, Scarlett Hart Monster Hunter is a fast-paced story that is worth spending an afternoon reading. However, readers may want to make sure they aren’t alone in the house when they decide to jump into Scarlett’s spooky world. Monster-loving graphic novel fans should also add Ghostopolis by Doug TenNapel to their reading list.

Sexual Content

  • When the Count is running after Scarlett, his pants slip down and show his buttcrack.

Violence

  • While walking, a monster jumps out and a man falls into the water and sinks.
  • The Count uses a rocket launcher to fire a weapon that blows up a monster. The scene is illustrated over two pages.
  • Scarlett reads a newspaper article that says, “The Black Dog of Suffolk County. Also known as Black Shuck. Ghost-dog with glowing red eyes. Has caused four deaths this past month alone. Last sighted in Devil’s Hollow.”
  • Scarlett goes to capture the Black Dog. When she shoots at it, the Black Dog attacks her car. When the Black Dog runs off, Scarlett chases it and hits it with her car. They load the dead dog into a sack and put it on top of the car. The scene is illustrated over five pages.
  • When a mummy sees Scarlett and Napoleon, it says, “Urrr. Brains. Fresh brains. . .” The mummy chases Scarlett and Napoleon. A group of mummies appears, trapping the two monster fighters. Scarlett uses her sword and a stage curtain to capture the mummies. The scene is illustrated over five pages.
  • While hunting a ghost, a ghostly bishop jumps out of a closet and chases Scarlett and Napoleon. The Count shoots the ghost who shrivels. “Fzzzzz. Pop.” The ghost disappears. The scene is illustrated over four pages.
  • When the Count takes a picture of Scarlett ghost hunting, she holds a gun up to threaten him. The Count gives Scarlett the camera and leaves.
  • Scarlett follows the Count. When he hears her, he shoots at her. Scarlett shoots back. Then, she throws a container of black spiders at the Count, who freaks out and drops the gun. The scene is illustrated over three pages.
  • Scarlett and Napoleon go to a cathedral and see swarms of living gargoyles attacking people. The Count drives up and begins shooting the gargoyles. When a gargoyle grabs the Count, Napoleon drives into the creature, saving the Count. A gargoyle grabs a boy and Scarlett shoots the gargoyle. The boy falls safely to the ground. The scene is illustrated over 10 pages.
  • Napoleon tells Scarlett about a dance her parents attended. Scarlett’s father and the Count argued over a girl. The Count “went to punch your father. . . Stankovic (the Count) fell over a balcony into a fountain. He was humiliated. Everyone laughed at him. He left in a huff, and no one saw him for months.”
  • When Scarlett and Napoleon are put in jail, someone slams a car into the building to free them.
  • When a group of monsters attacks, several people (including Scarlett and Napoleon) try to stop them. People use a variety of weapons, including a gun, a shovel, and a sword. A giant octopus-like monster with many eyes goes after Scarlett. She jumps in a car with Napoleon and drives away. The battle takes place over 14 pages.
  • Scarlett jumps in an airplane and looks for an octopus-like monster. When she finds the monster, she shoots it. The monster throws parts of a building at the plane. Scarlett drops a bomb into the monster’s mouth and it blows up. The fight is illustrated over 16 pages.
  • When Scarlett is flying home, she sees the Count hit Napoleon with a car. The Count points his gun at Napoleon. Scarlett flies close and the Count shoots at the plane. When Scarlett turns the plane around, she flies close to the Count, who falls off a cliff. He falls into a shark’s mouth. Later, the Count is seen hanging onto the shark’s fin; it is not clear if the Count is a zombie or still living. The scene is illustrated over eight pages.

Drugs and Alcohol

  • Scarlett goes into a pub and orders “a triple whisky and easy on the ice.” The bartender glares at her. Then she says, “Just kidding. Ginger beer, please.”
  • After battling monsters, Napoleon tells Scarlett, “Since you will arrive first, perhaps you could ask Mrs. White to pour me a glass of beer? A large one.”

Language

  • Scarlett exclaims, “leaping lizards, piston heads, and gaskets and cylinder rings.”
  • Scarlett says, “I’m just a great idiot.”
  • Scarlett calls the Count a series of names, including: “pea-brained tire muncher,” “scabby nosed cat eater,” “animal-faced sewer dweller,” “dog-bottomed ferret face,” and “weasel-headed monkey brain.”
  • Scarlett says, “that toad faced Count stole our kill the other day.”
  • Someone calls Napoleon “an old fusspot.”
  • Someone calls the Count a “swine.”

Supernatural

  • Scarlett has a pair of ghost goggles that let her see ghosts. Without the goggles, ghosts “only materialize when they want to scare you.”
  • The Count learns how to bring monsters to life.

Spiritual Content

  • While hunting ghosts, Napoleon takes holy water and Scarlett takes the Bible.

 The 26-Story Treehouse: Pirate Problem

Life is never boring in a 13-story treehouse, especially when you add 13 more stories! Andy and Terry have added a bumper car rink, a skate ramp with a crocodile-pit hazard, a mud-fighting arena, an antigravity chamber, an ice-skating pond with real ice-skating penguins, a mechanical bull named Kevin, an Automatic Tattoo Machine, an ice-cream parlor with seventy-eight flavors, and the Maze of Doom–a maze so complicated nobody has escaped. Fun seems endless in their new 26-story treehouse!

Distracted by their new, amazing stories, Andy and Terry do not notice their new book is due Friday until their publisher, Mr. Big Nose, threatens to fire them. While writing their book about how Andy, Terry, and Jill, their animal-friendly neighbor, met, Captain Woodenhead suddenly appears. Threatening to destroy the treehouse and enslave Andy, Terry, and Jill on his ship, the trio must outwit and outsmart the captain and his evil crew before time runs out. Can the boys save their treehouse and fight off the pirates all while writing their new book?

The Treehouse Series is an imaginative series for young readers who are reluctant to read. Griffiths and Denton created a silly story that will have young readers laughing from beginning to end. Along with their crazy slapstick scenarios, Griffiths and Denton teach readers about the importance of friendship. Andy, Terry, and Jill must work together throughout the book to solve their complex problems. Without each other, Andy, Terry, and Jill would never have been able to perform “open shark surgery,” fight off pirates or escape the Maze of Doom. Also, the funny black-and-white illustrations contribute to a positive reading experience and will help younger readers transfer their reading skills from picture books into full-fledged novels.

However, The 26-Story Treehouse may upset some readers. Before his entire crew dies in a terrible shipwreck, Captain Woodenhead’s head is bitten off by a giant sea monster. Later in the book, he is pictured being eaten alive by man-eating sharks.

The 26-Story Treehouse has very simple vocabulary and sentence structure, reading more like a comic book rather than an actual chapter book. In the end, The 26-Story Treehouse is an easy-to-read story that will teach the reader practical lessons about friendship while causing readers to giggle.

Sexual Content

  • None

Violence

  • During a sea battle, Captain Woodenhead fights the large, greedy fish nicknamed Gorgonzola. “The pirate captain drew his cutlass and tried to spear Gorgonzola from the deck of his ship, but as he leaned over the side, the fiendish Gorgonzola leaped right out of the water and bit the pirate’s head clean off his neck!” After fashioning a new wooden head for himself, Captain Woodenhead was swallowed whole. Inside Gorgonzola’s stomach, he found some dynamite and his old head, which was moldy and waterlogged. After putting his head back on his shoulders, “he did what any self-respecting pirate captain would have done. He collected up all the barrels of dynamite, tied them together, lit the fuse, and blasted that beast to pieces!” Gorgonzola, a large sea monster, is pictured blasted to pieces for two pages.
  • If Andy and Terry don’t open the treehouse and let Captain Woodenhead in, he threatens to blow up the treehouse. The Captain yells, “Men, prepare the canon.”
  • After tricking the captain’s crew, Andy, Terry, and Jill are chased by Captain Woodenhead with a cutlass and gun in his hand. This is a one-page event.
  • At the end of the book, Captain Woodenhead threatens to kill Andy, Terry, and Jill. Then, the captain falls into the man-eating shark tank and there’s “a wild frenzy of flashing fins and teeth, and then all is quiet.” The Captain is eaten alive. This is illustrated over two pages and does show him in the mouth of a shark, but there is no blood or gore involved.

Drugs and Alcohol

  • Jill uses “Dr. Numbskull’s Sleepy Shark Sleeping Potion” to sedate the man-eating sharks before their “open shark surgery.” During the surgery, the shark’s kidneys and intestines are shown along with some of the ridiculous things they have eaten.

Language

  • After getting lost in the Maze of Doom, one of the penguins blames it on his “stupid GPS!”
  • Andy thinks that using their man-eating shark tank as a washing machine was one of Terry’s dumbest ideas. “You know, Terry has done some dumb things in the past, but this has got to be the dumbest ever!”
  • When he struggles to put on his swimsuit before he enters the shark tank, Andy says, “Stupid tight wetsuit.”
  • Captain Woodenhead enslaves Andy and Terry and forces them to swab the poop deck. Terry exclaims, “Oh, gross, there’s poop on the poop deck.”

Supernatural

  • None

Spiritual Content

  • None

by Matthew Perkey

 Middle School Mayhem

After being trapped in a locker for hours, Max Crumbly has discovered three burglars are planning to steal all the school’s new computers and his father’s vintage comic book. Max vows to stop them and get his book back. But after crashing through a ventilation shaft and landing on the burglar’s pizza, he is surrounded by three ruthless criminals. There is no hope in sight as Max is now trapped between the three burglars who are ready to tear him apart and three ruthless criminals. All of a sudden, Erin, his only friend at South Ridge Middle School, comes to the rescue. She shuts off all the lights giving Max valuable time to escape.

Trapped in the school, Max and Erin must get Max’s comic book back and trap the three burglars – Moose, Tucker, and Ralph – before the police arrive. After Max confines Moose in the cafeteria and Tucker in the gymnasium, it seems like Max might actually accomplish the impossible and outwit the thieves. But Ralph, the ringleader of the burglars, poses a much harder challenge for Max than his two cronies. Will Max be able to catch Ralph and save his dad’s comic book, or will he be caught by the most malicious criminal of them all?

Russell creates a character who is flawed just like any other boy his age but manages to work through his problems. Up against an impossible task, Max strives through self-doubt to outsmart and outwit the criminals to save the school’s new computer center. Throughout the book, Max grows as a person and he now considers the consequences of his actions. He also feels bad after he accidentally gets Erin grounded because she was helping him snoop around the school. Young readers can see Max as a role model. They can be inspired to work hard when all hope seems lost and help others whenever possible.

While parents might find the book repetitive and full of too much bathroom humor and slapstick comedy, younger readers will enjoy the story’s amusing mayhem. Many of the jokes come from Max either making a fool of himself or hurting the criminals in some way, like trapping Ralph in a room with a snake and setting his hair on fire. However, the large font, black-and-white illustrations, and consistently funny jokes will help young, reluctant readers transfer their reading skills from picture books into full-fledged novels. Readers should read the first book in the series in order to understand this one. This book also ends with another cliffhanger, so make sure you have the next book in the series The Misadventures of Max Crumbly: Masters of Mischief.

Sexual Content

  • None

Violence

  • Ralph grabbed onto Max’s cape in the ventilation shaft. Max rolled over onto his back, brought both of his knees to his chest, and then kicked with all his might. “The chunky soles of my lost-and-found motorcycle boots landed squarely on Ralph’s very sweaty and very surprised FACE!!”
  • Moose chases Max and grabs him by his collar. Moose accidentally “butt-dialed the burner on the stove and set himself on fire.” While on fire, Max dumps a bucket of slime on Moose, wraps him in plastic wrap, and ties him to a pole.
  • Max knocks Turner out in the gym and ties him up in a soccer net.
  • Max shoots a rocket at Ralph. It misses but lights Ralph’s toupee on fire. “As Ralph slowly walked toward me, I noticed the strangest thing. The top of his head was smoking.”

Drugs and Alcohol

  • None

Language

  • Max knew middle school was going to be challenging, but he never “expected to end up DEAD in the computer lab, wearing a SUPERHERO COSTUME, with four slices of PIZZA stuck to my BUTT!”
  • The students at Max’s school nicknamed him “Barf” after he threw up on his bullies’ shoes.
  • After Moose and Tucker complain they are hungry, Ralph shouts, “How about I rip out your spleens and shove ‘em down your throats?! Then you won’t be hungry anymore, you MORONS!”
  • When grabbing Max, Ralph snarls, “Hold still, you little RAT!”
  • When Ralph gets stuck in a ventilation shaft, Moose and Tucker try to pull him out. Ralph’s saggy pants fall off and he is pictured in his underwear.
  • Max said that releasing his pet turtles into the wild when he was younger was “the STUPIDEST thing I’ve ever done in my life!!”

Supernatural

  • None

Spiritual Content

  • None

by Matthew Perkey

 

 

 

 

 

The Great Big Boom

When Gina disappears into a portal, no one knows where she is. But Hilo knows that friends don’t let friends disappear. Hilo and D.J. know they must find Gina and bring her home. They know jumping into a portal will lead them on a dangerous adventure, but they are determined to get Gina back. Can they find Gina and make it back to Earth before the portal closes?

Readers will fall in love with Hilo, the lovable living machine from another planet. The Great Big Boom takes readers on an epic adventure to a world where two clans have been battling for centuries. As Hilo searches for a way home, he struggles with regaining his memories. Hilo is afraid that he will discover that he is truly evil.

In the battle scenes, the characters spend more time running away than fighting and none of the characters are seriously injured. Hilo and D.J. go to “Oshun, the last magical planet” and find their friend Polly who loves to tell puns. Polly introduces Hilo and D.J. to a clan of fierce-talking cats. Readers will giggle at the sibling arguments and the silly antics of the Furback Clan.

Brightly colored illustrations will capture readers’ attention, but readers will want to keep turning the pages because of the engaging story and the likable characters. The detailed illustrations show exaggerated facial expressions which will help readers understand the characters’ changing emotions.   For maximum enjoyment, the stories should be read in order. Even though the first chapter recaps the events in the previous books, the story’s plots build on each other.

Hilo’s story demonstrates how one person can make a positive impact on others. Hilo learns that a person can always change for the better and that past deeds do not have to define you. The Great Big Boom keeps readers entertained with mystery, fighting, magic, and wonderfully complex characters. At the end of the story, readers will be eager for Hilo’s next adventure, Waking the Monsters.

Sexual Content

  • None

Violence

  • The military surrounds Hilo and D.J. with tanks but when the two boys beginning crying, “I want my mommy! Waaaaaah!” the army men get confused. The boys are put in a holding cell. Hilo holds an object and recites a spell: “Time is the stone that falls. Time is the river that crawls. Turn the water and rock. Turn back the sun and the clock.” The orb “can erase the memories of an entire world from two sunsets.” After the spell, a man lets the kids out of the cell.
  • A giant hamster-like creature that is carrying an alligator creature chases D.J. and Hilo. Someone uses lasers to hit the alligator creature and the hamster-like creature in the butt. The two creatures run away.
  • An elephant squid grabs someone and D.J.’s sister uses a magical blast to shrink the elephant squid. When the squid shrinks, the person he captured kicks him.
  • Hilo and his friends are gobbled up by a fish, who takes them to a sorcerer. The fish spits the group out of its mouth.
  • The Scale Tale Clan tries to attack Hilo and his friends, but the house they are in begins grabbing them and punching them. The Scale Tale Clan is able to capture one creature. When Hilo goes to save his friend, the Scale Tale Clan surrounds him with weapons, but Hilo uses an electromagnetic pulse to disable the weapons. The two clans battle each other.

Drugs and Alcohol

  • None

Language

  • The characters in the story call others names. For example, humans are called “hairless monkeys.” Other names creatures are called include putrid, slime-caked salamander, odorous toe crust from a troll’s diseased foot, snake face, and fish-bottomed dung herders.
  • Someone tells Hilo and D.J. that they stink “just like a buffalo’s keister.”
  • “Holy Mackerel” is used as an exclamation.

Supernatural

  • Hilo is a living, feeling machine that runs off of solar energy, can fly, and shoots lasers out of his hands.
  • Two kids use magic to turn their brother into a sandwich. Their mother shouts, “Turn your brother back before the cockroach eats him!”
  • Someone uses an incantation to bring Hilo’s memories back. The person chants, “Deep in the sea, below the murk. Beneath the cavers, trapped in dirt. Rise up from the ground, overturn the dark moss. Return to use the visions we have lost.”
  • A sorcerer uses a spell to put Hilo and his friends “inside of Hilo’s memories. Our bodies are entranced inside my house. Oh. . . We’re in Hilo’s head.”
  • The Scale Tale Clan has a “fire orb” that makes them weapons.

Spiritual Content

  • None

 

New Kid

Seventh-grader Jordan Banks loves drawing cartoons about his life. But instead of sending him to the art school of his dreams, his parents enroll him in a prestigious private school known for its academics, where Jordan is one of the few kids of color in his entire grade.

As he makes the daily trip from his Washington Heights apartment to the upscale Riverdale Academy Day School, Jordan soon finds himself torn between two worlds and not really fitting into either one. Can Jordan learn to navigate his new school culture while keeping his neighborhood friends and staying true to himself?

Jordan is an incredibly likable kid who struggles with fitting in at his new school where most of the students are affluent and white. Jordan’s experiences highlight the way privilege, bias, and racism affect people. New Kid tackles racism and colorism without feeling preachy; instead, Jordan and his friend Drew discuss how others treat them differently because they are African American. Both of the boys are frustrated that one of the white teachers doesn’t take the time to learn their names. When the teacher continues to get his name wrong, Jordan thinks it is worse than being called names because “They’re saying that you’re not even worth their time and are insignificant.”

Middle school readers will relate to Jordan’s struggles. Jordan wants to fit in at his new school, but he’s also afraid of losing his neighborhood friends. Readers will understand Jordan’s desire to be nice to a girl who is a bit odd, even though he doesn’t necessarily want to be her friend. Readers will be surprised by the caring way that Jordan solves the problem. Another positive aspect of the story is Jordan’s mother. She clearly loves Jordan, but sometimes her enthusiasm for hugs and taking pictures drives him crazy.

New Kid is an entertaining graphic novel that has brightly colored illustrations that are at times heartwarming and hilarious. Craft does an excellent job making the character’s feelings clear by focusing on the character’s facial expressions. Jordan’s artwork is shown in black and white illustrations, which highlights his feelings about a variety of topics, such as his mother’s picture taking, books written for African American kids, and his teacher. In the end, New Kid will entertain the reader and teach the importance of not judging others based on appearance as well as speaking up for what is right.

Sexual Content

  • None

Violence

  • Two boys get in an argument at lunch. When they begin pushing each other, one boy drops part of his lunch and steps on an apple. The boy falls, but is not injured.

Drugs and Alcohol

  • None

Language

  • Someone calls a couple of the sophomores “real jerks.” Jordan’s grandmother told him, “You don’t have to like everyone, but you don’t have to be a jerk about it, either.”

Supernatural

  • None

Spiritual Content

  • None

 

 

Sisters

Raina wants a little sister, but once Amara shows up, things aren’t how she expected them to be. Amara cries a lot. She’s grouchy. To make things worse, Amara always has to get her own way. As the two sisters grow up, their relationship doesn’t improve. When their baby brother is born, the tiny apartment that they live in becomes even more cramped.

When the family is invited to Colorado for a family reunion, Raina’s mom decides to take a road trip without their dad. Being stuck in a car for three weeks doesn’t bring the sisters any closer. Instead, they argue their way across three states. Is there anything that will bring these two sisters together?

Sisters doesn’t just focus on the family car trip, instead, it continuously jumps back to the past to show how Raina and Amara’s relationship has always been full of conflict. Both girls are mean, argumentative, and do things just to irritate each other. Amara is a complete brat, while Raina tries to block out everything by wearing headphones and ignoring everyone. While younger readers may think the sisters’ behavior is silly, parents will not want their children to emulate the siblings’ behavior.

Throughout the story, the two girls are never disciplined. At one point, Raina’s parents give up their bedroom, so Raina can have her own space. Because the parents knew Amara would be “a little put out,” they let her get a pet snake. However, the family doesn’t research the pet before they purchased it, and the snake eventually ends up lost in the family van.

Sisters is a simple story told through both illustrations and text. Each page contains eight or fewer sentences. The easy vocabulary, simple sentences, and bright pictures make Sisters accessible to all readers. The brightly colored pictures do an amazing job at showing the facial expressions of the characters, which brings the character’s emotions to the forefront. Although the story will engage readers, parents may want to skip picking up this book and instead try Raina Telgemeler’s graphic novel Ghost which shows a healthy sibling relationship and has a positive message. Roller Girl by Victoria Jamieson is also an excellent graphic novel that contains a positive message.

Sexual Content

  • None

Violence

  • While riding in the car, Raina ignores her sister, so Amara reaches over and punches her in the arm.
  • Amara’s pet snake tries to bite her.

Drugs and Alcohol

  • None

Language

  • Amara calls Raina a moron and an idiot.

Supernatural

  • None

Spiritual Content

  • None

Saving the Whole World

Hilo doesn’t remember much about his past, but that’s not stopping him from settling into life on earth. Hilo has discovered bowling, knock-knock jokes, and some good friends. Strange portals begin opening up all over town, and strange creatures are coming through them. Hilo has a plan to send the giant mutant chickens, Viking hippo, and the millions of killer vegetables back to their homeworld. Can Hilo, D.J. and Gina send these creatures back to their worlds before they destroy the earth?

Saving the Whole World digs deeper into Hilo and his friends’ backgrounds as well as introduces a sorceress martial-arts cat named Polly. In addition to being a lot of fun, the ferocious Polly jumps into every battle. D.J.’s family also plays a positive role in the story. Readers will enjoy the hilarious awkward parental interactions. Readers will laugh out loud when D.J.’s mom finds monsters in her house and yells, “Monsters are in my kitchen! There’s a talking cat! And Hilo can fly! I need an explanation! Now!”

Hilo isn’t just a fun story about a super-strong robot boy. Saving the Whole World hits on topics such as family, friends, and fitting in. Several times Hilo reinforces the idea that “Trying to find stuff out is the best part of not knowing something.” Without sounding like a school lesson, Saving the Whole World introduces new vocabulary through Hilo’s speech. For example, Hilo says “Y’see, I lured Razorwark into this limbo. Lured. Isn’t it a great word? Lured: verb, past tense. To tempt a person or animal to do something or go somewhere.”

Brightly colored illustrations will capture readers’ attention, but readers will want to keep turning the pages because of the engaging story and the likable characters. The detailed illustrations show exaggerated facial expressions which will help readers understand the characters changing emotions.   For maximum enjoyment, the stories should be read in order. Even though, the first chapter recaps the events in the previous books, the stories’ plots build on each other.

The book ends in a cliff-hanger that will have readers reaching for the next book, The Great Big Boom. Viking hippos, a magical warrior cat, and attacking vegetables combine to make a wonderful story that all ages will enjoy. If you’re looking for a story full of action and humor, Hilo is a perfect choice.

Sexual Content

  • Lisa has a crush on Hilo. Whenever she sees him, a heart pops up over her head.

Violence

  • Hilo and his friends find a robot in the bowling alley. When Hilo talks to the robot, the robot slams Hilo into a wall. Then, the robot begins “chucking bowling balls. Hilo throws the robot into the snow, where it short-circuits. Hilo sends the robot back to its home planet.”
  • Hippopotamuses fall from a portal and Polly shoots them with a laser. Polly yells, “That’s right whale bellies!” Then the hippopotamuses fight back with their own lasers.
  • A monster robot falls from a portal and begins pounding a “mighty mart.” The robot grabs Hilo and Hilo uses his power to knock out the robot.
  • A jabberwocky appears. When Hilo and his friends try to put the big bird into a cage, the bird steps on Polly.
  • When four monsters appear in D.J.’s kitchen, D.J. throws tennis rackets at them. The monsters chase D.J. who runs outside and jumps on a trampoline. When the monsters follow, the trampoline breaks, and the monsters get stuck.
  • Rapscallions, living vegetation, begin taking over everything, including buildings. Hilo and his friends begin whacking them with maces and lasers. Hilo yells, “I think we’ve got these veggies on the run!” When it looks the vegetation might win, Hilo blasts them with ice. The rapscallions are sent through a portal to the void.
  • Razorwark controls another robot and grabs Hilo, so Hilo cannot help his friends. In an attempt to hurt Hilo’s friends, Razorwark opens a portal that sucks Gina up. When Razorwark tries to convince Hilo to join him, Hilo shoots the robot with his laser hands

Drugs and Alcohol

  • None

Language

  • Hilo is in a space void. Hilo says the void smells “like a gorilla’s armpit.” Later Hilo gets “hurled into a new spot. Smells like elephant butt.”
  • Some kids call D.J. a dweeb.
  • “Holy Mackerel” is used as an expression occasionally.
  • While eating dinner, D.J. and his sibling discuss how mangos make Dexter “poop weird.”
  • When fighting hippopotamuses appear, Polly yells, “Come back and fight, you bloated, zit-caked boils from a troll’s butt.”
  • There is some name-calling. For example, space squid, bubble butt, phlegm-spitting ogre.
  • “Dang” is used twice.

Supernatural

  • Polly is a magical warrior cat and an “apprentice sorceress third class.”
  • Hilo is a living, feeling robot who can shoot lasers out of his hand. He discovers that he can also “freeze your hands with your breath and blast ice.”

Spiritual Content

  • None

Locker Hero

Max Crumbly is like any other teenage boy. He likes comic books and video games, and his uncanny ability to smell pizza from a block away has helped him out in some really sticky situations. However, after being homeschooled by his grandmother for years, Max is about to face the scariest thing ever: South Ridge Middle School. Awkward and alone, Max tries to make friends with the other students, but within days becomes the favorite target of the school bully, Doug “Thug” Thurston.

Despite Thug’s repeated attempts to throw him in his locker every day, Max succeeds in his attempt to make friends. He meets Brandon, his best friend in the world, at a pet store and they work at the local shelter together on weekends. Max also develops a crush on one of the most popular and smartest girls at his school, Erin. All the boys love Erin, especially Thug. When Erin meets Max, she is really nice to him and develops a small crush on him. Erin invites Max to help paint the backgrounds for the school play with her. But, after Erin tells Max that the play is canceled, they eventually stop speaking to each other, much to the dismay of Max.

But, all that drama is trivial after Thug traps Max in his locker on a Friday afternoon before a three-day weekend. Alone and with no way to call home, Max must find his way out of the school before he dies of starvation or boredom (whichever comes first). While in the locker, Max uncovers three criminals’ plots to rob the school of its brand new computer center. After the phone lines are cut, Max must find a way to singlehandedly stop the thieves and save the school. Will Max become the superhero he always wanted to be or will the thieves catch up to him?

Russell created a flawed character, who struggles with fitting in at his new school and being ‘hip’ and ‘cool’ around the other students. Throughout the book, Max grows as a person and rises above his middle school problems to think of others, like valuing saving the school’s computers above going home and taking a nap. At the end of the story, Max may inspire readers to put other people’s problems above their own.

Max Crumbly: Locker Hero is the companion series to Dork Diaries, but focuses on a male protagonist. Parents should be concerned about the book’s level of bathroom humor. Many of the jokes come from Max either unintentionally puking or peeing on other students, or just making a fool of himself. However, the black-and-white illustrations along with consistently funny jokes will help reluctant readers transfer their reading skills from picture books into full-fledged novels. Readers who are struggling with a new school or the transfer to middle school will enjoy this fun, easy-to-read story.

Similar to the movie Home Alone, the antics in Max Crumbly: Locker Hero’s are hard to believe, and the over-the-top action comes to an abrupt end. None of the story conflicts are resolved, which may upset some readers. Instead of wrapping up the story, Russell leaves off on a cliffhanger. Readers will want to jump into the next book in the series The Misadventures of Max Crumbly – Middle School Mayhem.

Sexual Content

  • None

Violence

  • After Thug finds out that Max isn’t Dark Vader’s son, he threatens to “beat my face into a pulp.”
  • One of Max’s favorite comic book superheroes, Electrostatic Man, “actually ZAPPED his OWN MOTHER with 10,000 watts,” killing her.
  • Ralph swears that once he gets his hands on Max, he’s “GONNA RIP HIS FACE OFF.”

Drugs and Alcohol

  • None

Language

  • Max believes that if he had superpowers, life in middle school would be better. He would never “miss the stupid bus again” because he could just fly to school.
  • In one of the images where Max draws himself flying, he gets pooped on by a bird. Max thinks, “Getting bombed by an angry bird is NOT cool.”
  • Max is calling his book THE MISADVENTURES OF MAX CRUMBLY and it will be “a highly detailed record of all the CRAP I’ve had to deal with! my experiences here at this school.”
  • Max has a socially anxious bladder and he pees when he gets nervous or scared. In one of his drawings, he imagines peeing on Thug.
  • One day in gym class, Max vomited on Thug’s shoe.
  • Max “had exactly forty-eight seconds to get my BUTT on the bus” before his big fight with Thug.
  • Max would have loved the janitor’s pretend rock and roll show “a lot better if I hadn’t been watching it from, you know …. INSIDE OF MY STUPID LOCKER!!”

Supernatural

  • None

Spiritual Content

  • None

by Matthew Perkey

 

 

 

 

 Dog Days

The trials and tribulations of middle school life are temporarily over for Greg Heffley. As summer approaches, there are no bullies or classes to worry about. Greg is ready to kick back and enjoy junk food, TV, and video games. However, after his summer vacation is canceled, a three-month guilt trip starts for Greg. Greg now has to put up with his mom’s constant demands to go outside and read a book, his dad and his “bonding” experiences, a terrible birthday party, a new dog, and a fight with his best friend, Rowley. How will Greg survive?

Written in Greg’s own journal, the conflict of Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Dog Days revolves around everything that happens in Greg’s life. It is written from his 12-year-old perspective. The story contains a lot of bathroom and childish humor. At one point in the story, Greg, who is almost naked, has to chase after his dog. At another point in the story, Greg has to save his younger brother, Manny, before he accidentally washes his hands in the urinal.

Greg Heffley is a well-developed and relatable character for young audiences. Although Greg is lazy, petty, narcissistic, and cowardly, he does have moments of kindness. Greg will show readers the importance of sharing and thinking of others. He even points out some of the flaws in his own terrible behavior, showing kids that procrastinating and sleeping all day isn’t worth it. The consistently funny black-and-white illustrations, which look more like a comic strip than a highly illustrated graphic novel, help break up the text and keep even the most reluctant readers engaged.

Greg’s perspective is often pessimistic and at times can be downright mean. Greg demonstrates qualities, such as laziness and selfishness, that parents would not want their children to emulate. However, the story has relatable conflicts and shows readers the different perspectives of children and parents. Greg’s behavior could lead to a good discussion between parents and children about how people should act. Readers do not have to read these books in order to enjoy them. The fun, easy-to-read story will teach valuable and practical lessons to readers. Despite the childish humor, Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Dog Days will entertain readers and have them laughing out loud.

Sexual Content

  • At the beginning of the book, Greg and Rowley are strolling around the country club pool and he says, “We’re both bachelors at the moment, and during the summer it’s better to be unattached.”
  • Greg has a crush on Heather Hills, a lifeguard at the public pool, and hits on her every day for weeks. However, he “…didn’t mention Heather Hills to Mom, because [he doesn’t] need her getting in the middle of my love life.”

Violence

  • Rodrick shoves Greg off the high dive.
  • Grandpa accidentally runs over Greg’s dad’s dog while Rodrick’s fish eats Greg’s fish.
  • Greg snaps Rowley with a rubber band, leaving him with a red mark on his arm.
  • Rowley “crushed [Greg’s] hand to smithereens” with a hammer because he thought it was the Muddy Hand (a terrifying horror movie character) coming to get him.

Drugs and Alcohol

  • None

Language

  • Both bathroom and immature humor are used frequently and include words like poop, idiot, pee, and dumb.
  • Poop jokes are told frequently. For example, Rodrick wants to name the dog Turtle so he can call it “Turd for short.”
  • Scared that he’s not going out enough, Greg’s mom invites Fregley over and suggests that he and Greg should play outside together. Greg glances out the window and says, “I think Fregley might be naked” when he sees Fregley shirtless behind a tree.
  • When Greg was younger, he used to go swim in the baby pool, but he quit after he figured little kids would pee in the pool.
  • Greg’s dad went back-to-school shopping and the next day Greg says, “Well, THAT was a dumb move because Dad did all of his shopping at the pharmacy.”
  • Greg’s at the public pool and asks a lifeguard, “Does Mrs. Arciaga REALLY think it’s a good idea to wear a bikini when she’s eight months pregnant?”
  • Greg has the highest score on an arcade machine called Thunder Volt at the boardwalk, and his name was at the top of the high scores list. However, the person that had the second highest score on the list listed their name as “Is an idiot.” The high score list says “Greg Heffley …. is an idiot.”

Supernatural

  • None

Spiritual Content

  • Greg’s Gramma prays to the Lord to help her find her dollar savers coupon book while Greg prays, “Dear Lord, please let Mr. Jefferson get hit on the head so he forgets about the money I owe him. And please let me get past the third level of Twisted Wizard without having to use any of my bonus health packs. Amen, and thank you in advance.”
  • Greg describes a church trip on Sunday. He says, “Today’s sermon was called ‘Jesus in disguise,’ and it was about how you should treat everyone you meet with kindness because you never know which person is really Jesus pretending to be someone else.”

by Matthew Perkey

 

Guts

Raina wakes up with a terrible stomachache. Because her mom is also sick, no one is really worried. But Raina’s stomach continues to hurt, even after she’s returned to school. Raina worries about throwing up at school. She’s worried about her classmates giving her an illness. She worries about eating something that will make her sick. She’s worried about her best friend moving. Raina’s tummy trouble isn’t going away. All this worrying is making Raina sick. What will it take for Raina to conquer her fears?

Raina doesn’t just have tummy trouble; she is also being bullied by Michelle. Every time Michelle says something mean to Raina, she explodes and ends up in trouble. Raina only talks to her best friend about Michelle’s mean words. Everything gets worse when Raina’s best friend begins talking and giggling with Michelle. Many readers will relate to Raina’s fears and anxiety. In the end, Raina and Michelle learn that they actually have a lot in common, and they might just be able to become friends.

As Raina’s stomach problems become worse, her parents take her to the doctor and eventually to a therapist. Even though Raina is “perfectly healthy,” she learns that her constant worrying is making her sick. With the therapist’s help, Raina learns breathing exercises to calm herself down. When she tells her friends that she is in therapy, Raina thought her friends would freak out, but instead, they think it’s “no big deal.”

Guts deals with the difficult topic of panic attacks, anxiety, and puberty. Using both illustrations and text, Telgemeir tackles the problem with compassion and humor. Each page contains eight or fewer sentences. The easy vocabulary, simple sentences, and bright pictures make Guts accessible to all readers. The brightly colored pictures do an amazing job at showing the facial expressions of the characters, which brings the character’s emotions to the forefront. The engaging story explores feelings and lets readers know that sometimes people need help to conquer their fears.

Readers who enjoyed Guts should pick up Telgemeier’s graphic novel Ghost which shows a healthy sibling relationship and has a positive message. Roller Girl by Victoria Jamieson is also an excellent graphic novel that contains a positive message.

Sexual Content

  • None

Violence

  • None

Drugs and Alcohol

  • During a sleepover, the girls share their secrets. One girl says, “my dad gets drunk sometimes. He’s never dangerous, but a couple of times he’s yelled at me and my brother. It’s scary.”

Language

  • A girl at school calls Raina a “poopy diaper baby.”

Supernatural

  • None

Spiritual Content

  • None

The Boy Who Crashed to Earth

BOOM! CLANG! CRASH! D.J. and Gina are totally ordinary kids. But Hilo isn’t! Hilo just fell out of the sky and doesn’t know where he came from, what he’s doing on Earth, or why going to school in only your underwear is a BAD idea! But Hilo is excited to have a friend, D.J. Even when Hilo tries to blend in with the rest of the kids at D.J.’s school, he just doesn’t understand earth’s customs.

Soon the three discover that Hilo wasn’t the only thing to fall to earth. Can the trio unlock the secrets of Hilo’s past? Can Hilo SURVIVE a day at school? Find out in Hilo – a laugh-out-loud, epic story of friendship, adventure, and occasionally a mutant space robot.

Readers of all ages will fall in love with the main characters D.J. and Hilo. Readers will relate to D.J. who worries that he is boring and eagerly helps Hilo. The relationship between the two is fun and endearing. Hilo says he is lucky to have D.J. because when “a boy fell from the sky, and all you wanted to do is protect him. You saved him by throwing a robot off a cliff, leaping down a pitch-black hole, fighting a giant metal bug with a stick. And a whole lot more!” In order to help Hilo, D.J. helps Hilo battle robots.  In the battle scenes, the characters spend more time running away than fighting and none of the characters are seriously injured.

Without sounding like a school lesson, The Boy Who Crashed to Earth introduces new vocabulary through Hilo’s speech. For example, Hilo says, “Crazy. AD.J.ective. Informal. ‘He was acting like a crazy person.’ Mad, insane, out of one’s mind. Deranged.” One negative aspect of the story is the juvenile humor. For example, Hilo likes to talk about his silver underwear and he loves to burp. Despite the juvenile humor, Hilo portrays D.J.’s family in a positive light and shows the importance of helping others.

 Brightly colored illustrations will capture readers’ attention, but readers will want to keep turning the pages because of the engaging story and the likable characters. The detailed illustrations show exaggerated facial expressions which will help readers understand the characters’ changing emotions.

 The Boy Who Crashed to Earth introduces complex characters that readers will love. The reader only sees snippets of Hilo’s past, which creates both suspense and mystery. The action-packed story will keep readers flipping the pages until the very end. Readers will be eager to read the next book in the series, Saving the Whole Wide World.

Sexual Content

  • None

Violence

  • A giant robot chases Hilo and D.J. When D.J. falls, Hilo shoots the robot with lasers. The scene is illustrated over six pages.
  • In order to distract the school secretary, Hilo sets a wild raccoon loose in the school office.
  • “A cybernetic formicidae! A robot ant!” chases D.J. and Hilo. All three of them fall over a cliff, and when D.J. is in danger of being hurt, Hilo shoots the robot with lasers. The robot is disabled but eventually comes back. The robot and Hilo fall over another cliff. The robot is destroyed and Hilo falls apart. The action is illustrated over twelve pages.
  • A giant robot centipede grabs Hilo and takes him underground. D.J and Gina go in after Hilo. When the centipede opens its mouth, Hilo shoots a laser inside of the creature. The creature is disabled. The scene is illustrated over three pages.
  • Giant robot insects are building a robot, and Hilo tries to stop the creatures by zapping them with lasers. The robot comes to life and begins shooting lasers while the robot bugs chase the kids. During the battle, the robot is able to capture Hilo. In the end, Hilo opens a portal and sends the robot through. The epic battle is illustrated over 28 pages.

Drugs and Alcohol

  • None

Language

  • “Holy Mackerel” is used as an expression occasionally.
  • A classmate tells D.J., “Dude. Your pal is a real freak.”

Supernatural

  • None

Spiritual Content

  • None

Another Phoebe and Her Unicorn Adventure: Unicorn Bowling

A unicorn in bowling shoes is quite a STRIKE-ing sight. But for nine-year-old Phoebe Howell, it’s just another fun outing with her best friend, the illustrious unicorn Marigold Heavenly Nostrils. This unique and magical friendship is at the heart of the ninth Phoebe and Her Unicorn collection, which includes adventures such as writing original songs, publishing rival news websites, and making a summer visit to the exclusive Camp Shimmerhorn. Life with a unicorn BFF is not without its challenges, however, and whether it’s homework, friction with classmates, or talent show jitters, Unicorn Bowling is full of amusing, heartwarming reminders that when the going gets tough, the tough get sparkling.

Unlike the previous installment of Phoebe and Her Unicorn, Unicorn Bowling is a collection of comics, not a continuous story. Some of the comic strips are only 4 panels, while others span multiple pages. The panels use simple artwork with bright colors. The character’s facial expressions will help younger readers understand the character’s emotions. Each page has six or fewer sentences and some panels contain no words at all, which makes the story accessible to reluctant readers. Some of the vocabulary is difficult such as culottes, conspicuous, cataclysmic, and libel. To aid readers, a word glossary appears at the back of the book.

Although Unicorn Bowling is a collection of comic strips, the situations lend themselves to discussions. Phoebe and her Unicorn deal with the dangers of posting online as well as the need to take other peoples’ feelings into consideration. The book also includes a comic about gender stereotypes. Younger readers will enjoy Phoebe and her Unicorn as they learn important life lessons. The humorous look at Phoebe’s everyday life as well as Phoebe’s friendship with Marigold will capture readers’ attention.

Sexual Content

  • None

Violence

  • None

Drugs and Alcohol

  • Marigold ask Phoebe, “Remember the day we sang ’99 Bottles of Beer on the Wall?”

Language

  • A girl calls Phoebe a “nerd girl.”
  • When Phoebe is upset, she writes a song called, “Unicorns are stupidfaces”
  • Dang is used once.

Supernatural

  • Marigold says she can cast spells, but she never actually casts a spell. When Phoebe doesn’t want to practice, Marigold says, “I could cast a motivation spell on you.” Phoebe declines because “those make my hands shake.” Marigold says, “They do contain a LOT of caffeine.”
  • Phoebe asks Marigold to cast a non-caring spell on her. Marigold refuses because, “Every time I do that you start chewing with your mouth open.”

Spiritual Content

  • None
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