When the whole planet’s in a dilly of a dilemma, who ya gonna call? Magic Pickle, of course—that buff, green and all-kosher adversary of the scheming Brotherhood of Evil Produce. Dwelling in Capital Dill, a secret lab right beneath the bedroom of intrepid young sidekick JoJo Wigman, Pickle barrels out in this series opener to face the shriveled but powerful Razin’, whose plan for world conquest has kicked off with a barrage of well-aimed sour grapes that have turned everyone in JoJo’s school into round purple zombies. Morse illustrates this vegetarian adventure with plenty of splotchy, energetic line drawings that switch, for combat scenes, to sequential panels of sound-effects-heavy action. In the end, thanks to JoJo’s quick thinking and a brisk shower of strawberry juice, what passes for normality is restored and, as Pickle puts it, “we can raze The Razin’ from the roster of rogues.” Readers will be smirkin’ at the exploits of this gherkin. (Fantasy. 9-11)
Pub Date: March 1, 2008
ISBN: 978-0-439-87996-5
Page Count: 144
Publisher: Graphix/Scholastic
Review Posted Online: May 19, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Jan. 1, 2008
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
The dream phantasms of a high-spirited narrator intersect, even crowd, reality, but the stream-of-consciousness text makes for a rambling, radically personal tale. Playful images of a stuffed lion, trampoline, purple shoes, and a cat named Pine-Cone take hold in a young girl’s imagination, despite her “old” mother who makes her go to bed when she’d rather “stay up early” and a big sister with a cranky disposition. At home, she likes counting flea bites and pretending to be a worm, but is afraid of the dark and going to Grade One. The second half of the book takes off in a separate first-day-of school direction. Wild dreams precede the big day, which includes bullies on the playground and instant friend Chelsea. The childlike articulations of the text are endearing, but not quite of universal interest, and don’t add up to a compelling story; children may more readily warm to Gay’s illustrations, which include a dreamlike flying cat, a menacing hot dog, and an uproarious stuffed toy looming over everyday domestic scenes. (Picture book. 4-7)
Pub Date: Feb. 15, 1999
ISBN: 1-55143-107-6
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Orca
Review Posted Online: May 19, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Jan. 15, 1999
The spotlight shifts to Little Vampire’s new human friend Michael in this mistitled sequel to Little Vampire Goes to School (p. 810). Beaten up in front of his girlfriend Sabrina by a bully named Jeffrey, Michael eagerly follows his undead buddy into a magic painting to meet Rabbi Solomon, feline “cat-balist” and kung-fu master. After a quick bout or two, Michael’s ready to rumble; unfortunately, in the meantime a trio of Little Vampire’s over-helpful monster friends have gone to Jeffrey’s house and eaten him. Several misadventures later, Jeffrey’s pieced back together—and though in the ensuing battle Michael’s martial arts skills disappear as quickly as they came, Sabrina sends the bully staggering off in a daze. Illustrated in crowded cartoon panels, the newest episode in this freewheeling graphic mini-novel offers plenty of gags (in more than one sense of the word), but will be incomprehensible to readers unfamiliar with the first chapter. (Picture book. 9-11)
Pub Date: Sept. 1, 2003
ISBN: 0-689-85769-1
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Simon & Schuster
Review Posted Online: May 19, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Aug. 1, 2003
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
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