September 1, 2013
Is there a dragon on the loose in Mr. Venezi's and Stuff? Mr. Venezi no longer sells pets; he just sells stuff--like walrus toothbrushes and aardvark neckties; the animals are there but not for sale. Sasspants the guinea pig and Hamisher the hamster have also changed careers, and they are trying to decide what to do now that they are no longer detectives. Mr. Venezi isn't close to paying his rent, but he's paying plenty of tongue-tied attention to Charlotte, the owner of the bookstore, which is outgrowing its space. Her daughter, Bree, loves dragons; when Mr. Venezi starts noticing that the merchandise is disappearing and being replaced by piles of money, Bree and the animals decide there's a dragon living in the shop. What will Sasspants and Hamisher do? Who or what is leaving that money? Will Mr. Venezi ever ask Charlotte out? Venable caps her series of graphic novels for young readers with a light mystery readers won't have any trouble solving. As usual, the fun is in the interaction of the characters: clueless Mr. Venezi, enthusiastic Hamisher and the smartest pig in the room--Sasspants. Yue's bright, colorful, expressive panels extend the sly humor (check out the mouse with Princess Leia hair) and boost the giggles. The happy ending is visible from miles off; fans will reach it and go right back to Book 1. (Graphic fiction. 7-11)
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January 1, 2014
Absent-minded pet shop owner Mr. Venezi is behind in his rent; Charlotte the bookstore owner next door has too many books. They like each other but may have to move apart, unless Sasspants the guinea pig detective and sidekick Hamisher can figure out a way to help. Although the quirky graphic novel has appealing, emotive illustrations, the convoluted plot is difficult to follow.
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