A fast-paced narrative infused with silliness that will keep new readers giggling and turning pages.
Slow-witted but sweet Weenie the dachshund’s hunger creates chaos for him and his pals, sarcastic Frank the cat and gentle Beans the guinea pig.
Weenie is hungry (actually, he’s famished), but his owner Bob’s No. 1 rule is “Never, ever, ever wake Bob up early on the weekend.” (Bob’s No. 2 rule is “Always follow Bob’s number one rule.”) Confused, Weenie decides to wake Bob to explain the rules, except…Bob isn’t in his bed. There’s just a Bob-shaped lump that sounds and smells like their owner. Weenie is positive the lump is a monster that has eaten Bob. Fortunately, it turns out the lump is Bob…but after a rude awakening, he’s unwilling to make Weenie pancakes, so Weenie turns to his invention, the Supersonic Pancake Maker. However, the machine makes Brussels sprouts instead, and Weenie, Frank, and Beans are bombarded by the veggies—unfortunately, Weenie didn’t invent an off switch. The trio’s efforts to dispose of the smelly sprouts fail hilariously, but all’s well that ends well. Ideal for budding readers, this quick-moving, action-packed graphic novel features exaggerated cartoonish illustrations. Text density varies from page to page, and fun details—a close-up of Bob’s calendar, a diagram of a wiener dog’s stomachs (the better to gobble pancakes, Bob’s shoes, and couch cushions)—add humor. Bob is light-skinned; other human characters are diverse.
A fast-paced narrative infused with silliness that will keep new readers giggling and turning pages. (Graphic novel. 6-9)Pub Date: Jan. 24, 2023
ISBN: 9780735267947
Page Count: 48
Publisher: Tundra Books
Review Posted Online: Nov. 28, 2022
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Dec. 15, 2022
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
What a wag.
What do you get from sewing the head of a smart dog onto the body of a tough police officer? A new superhero from the incorrigible creator of Captain Underpants.
Finding a stack of old Dog Mancomics that got them in trouble back in first grade, George and Harold decide to craft a set of new(ish) adventures with (more or less) improved art and spelling. These begin with an origin tale (“A Hero Is Unleashed”), go on to a fiendish attempt to replace the chief of police with a “Robo Chief” and then a temporarily successful scheme to make everyone stupid by erasing all the words from every book (“Book ’Em, Dog Man”), and finish off with a sort of attempted alien invasion evocatively titled “Weenie Wars: The Franks Awaken.” In each, Dog Man squares off against baddies (including superinventor/archnemesis Petey the cat) and saves the day with a clever notion. With occasional pauses for Flip-O-Rama featurettes, the tales are all framed in brightly colored sequential panels with hand-lettered dialogue (“How do you feel, old friend?” “Ruff!”) and narrative. The figures are studiously diverse, with police officers of both genders on view and George, the chief, and several other members of the supporting cast colored in various shades of brown. Pilkey closes as customary with drawing exercises, plus a promise that the canine crusader will be further unleashed in a sequel.
What a wag. (Graphic fantasy. 7-9)Pub Date: Aug. 30, 2016
ISBN: 978-0-545-58160-8
Page Count: 240
Publisher: Graphix/Scholastic
Review Posted Online: May 31, 2016
Kirkus Reviews Issue: June 15, 2016
SEEN & HEARD
BOOK TO SCREEN
BOOK TO SCREEN
Extraordinary introductory terror, beautiful to the eye and sure to delight younger horror enthusiasts.
What terrors lurk within your mouth? Jasper Rabbit knows.
“You have stumbled your way into the unknown.” The young bunny introduced in Reynolds and Brown’s Caldecott Honor–winning picture book, Creepy Carrots (2012), takes up Rod Serling’s mantle, and the fit is perfect. Mimicking an episode of The Twilight Zone, the book follows Charlie Marmot, an average kid with a penchant for the strange and unusual. He’s pleased when his tonsils become infected; maybe once they’re out he can take them to school for show and tell! That’s when bizarre things start to happen: Noises in the night. Slimy trails on his bedroom floor. And when Charlie goes in for his surgery, he’s told that the tonsils have disappeared from his throat; clearly something sinister is afoot. Those not yet ready for Goosebumps levels of horror will find this a welcome starter pack. Reynolds has perfected the tension he employed in his Creepy Tales! series, and partner in crime Brown imbues each illustration with both humor and a delicate undercurrent of dark foreshadowing. While the fleshy pink tonsils—the sole spot of color in this black-and-white world—aren’t outrageously gross, there’s something distinctly disgusting about them. And though the book stars cute, furry woodland creatures, the spooky surprise ending is 100% otherworldly—a marvelous moment of twisted logic.
Extraordinary introductory terror, beautiful to the eye and sure to delight younger horror enthusiasts. (Early chapter book. 6-9)Pub Date: Sept. 2, 2025
ISBN: 9781665961080
Page Count: 88
Publisher: Simon & Schuster
Review Posted Online: May 30, 2025
Kirkus Reviews Issue: July 1, 2025
© Copyright 2025 Kirkus Media LLC. All Rights Reserved.
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