Hopeful and surprisingly exhilarating.
The children of Dublin chase down the Black Dog of depression in order to retrieve the city’s funny bone.
Doyle’s affection for Dublin underlies every moment in this fey, extended chase scene. When Gloria and Raymond’s beloved uncle comes to live with them “for a while,” they struggle to understand what’s wrong. It does seem possible, as their granny says, that the Black Dog has stolen Dublin’s funny bone. Setting out to find the Dog, they are joined by others: children whose parents, siblings, uncles, and aunts suffer from depression. They recruit a neighbor who has a job as a vampire—Ernie’s skills of gliding and leaping prove useful in their quest—and are joined by others. At last, thousands of Dublin’s children are on the tail of the Black Dog. Though they are defeated at moments by its fanged word “USELESS” spoken to their hearts, they fight back with another word: brilliant. Though the story is perhaps slightly short on plot, the run through the city is nevertheless uplifting and physical: a tribute to doing rather than waiting. There’s not a hint of despair, though sadness, economic disruption, and returns from far-off wars are acknowledged. Instead, there’s humor and determination. Talking animals support the children—especially charming is the zoo’s chatty meerkat Kevin. And there is a deep fondness for Dublin and its iconic landmarks.
Hopeful and surprisingly exhilarating. (Fantasy. 8-12)Pub Date: Sept. 8, 2015
ISBN: 978-1-4197-1479-5
Page Count: 192
Publisher: Amulet/Abrams
Review Posted Online: June 9, 2015
Kirkus Reviews Issue: July 1, 2015
Readers can still rely on this series to bring laughs.
The Heffley family’s house undergoes a disastrous attempt at home improvement.
When Great Aunt Reba dies, she leaves some money to the family. Greg’s mom calls a family meeting to determine what to do with their share, proposing home improvements and then overruling the family’s cartoonish wish lists and instead pushing for an addition to the kitchen. Before bringing in the construction crew, the Heffleys attempt to do minor maintenance and repairs themselves—during which Greg fails at the work in various slapstick scenes. Once the professionals are brought in, the problems keep getting worse: angry neighbors, terrifying problems in walls, and—most serious—civil permitting issues that put the kibosh on what work’s been done. Left with only enough inheritance to patch and repair the exterior of the house—and with the school’s dismal standardized test scores as a final straw—Greg’s mom steers the family toward moving, opening up house-hunting and house-selling storylines (and devastating loyal Rowley, who doesn’t want to lose his best friend). While Greg’s positive about the move, he’s not completely uncaring about Rowley’s action. (And of course, Greg himself is not as unaffected as he wishes.) The gags include effectively placed callbacks to seemingly incidental events (the “stress lizard” brought in on testing day is particularly funny) and a lampoon of after-school-special–style problem books. Just when it seems that the Heffleys really will move, a new sequence of chaotic trouble and property destruction heralds a return to the status quo. Whew.
Readers can still rely on this series to bring laughs. (Graphic/fiction hybrid. 8-12)Pub Date: Nov. 5, 2019
ISBN: 978-1-4197-3903-3
Page Count: 224
Publisher: Amulet/Abrams
Review Posted Online: Nov. 18, 2019
SEEN & HEARD
File under “laugh riot.”
A rogue spell-check program’s bid to transform all life-forms into that eminently useful office item, the paper clip, touches off a fresh round of lunar lunacy.
Predicated on the entirely reasonable premise that eliminating all spelling and grammar errors everywhere would logically lead to the necessity of exterminating carbon-based life in the universe, this third series entry combines high stakes with daffy banter and daring exploits. CheckMate—a chipper, jumped-up editing program—has invented the Transmogratron, a giant laser that will fulfill its ultimate goals in both the cyber world and “meatspace.” Facing challenges as random as prankster lunar unicorns and a disarmingly motherly Motherboard, scowling First Cat joins a motley crew of diversely carbon- and silicon-based allies, led by the pearlescent Queen of the Moon. They’re in a race to the finish—diverted occasionally by, for instance, a relentlessly punny comic-book interlude featuring a pair of literal and figurative Pool Sharks. They ultimately triumph thanks to teamwork and moxie. Following a celebratory party and toasts to “new friends…and steadfast comrades” (and, of course, “MEOW”), the story’s energetic, brightly colored panels close with a reveal of the next volume. (“I always hate it when comics end by announcing a sequel. SO CRINGE!” declares an authorial stand-in.) It can’t come too soon.
File under “laugh riot.” (Graphic science fiction. 8-11)Pub Date: Nov. 5, 2024
ISBN: 9780063315280
Page Count: 272
Publisher: HarperAlley
Review Posted Online: Sept. 14, 2024
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Oct. 15, 2024
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