March 20, 2023
Petrik (The Silly Sounds of Christmas) offers a goofy graphic novel chapter book series launch starring bright green Duck, the effortlessly cool leader of a pack of anthropomorphized animal kids living in an idyllic woodland neighborhood. Shades-wearing Duck can “kickflip on a skateboard” and routinely scores highest at the arcade, and his vibe is never aloof—always affable and affirming. But newcomer Cat represents cool’s dark side: he’s arrogant, contemptuous, and inconsiderate. Duck calls him out (“That wasn’t very nice, Cat,” says Duck when the feline swipes Pig’s pizza slice), but Cat’s charisma eventually wins over the rest of Duck’s friend group, dampening the fowl’s spirit. Bummed, he retreats home and puts away his shades, but reassurance from Grandpa Duck prompts Duck’s return to local neighborhood hot spots, where he rescues Cat from an ill-advised tree-diving stunt. Chastened Cat admits he’s “been acting like a not-so-nice crumbbum,” and Duck invites him to officially join his crew. Dialogue sometimes reads a bit outdated, often feeling as if it’s emulating 1950s greaser speech, but the digital illustrations have plenty of authentic verve, thanks to the bright, saturated palette; energetic, expertly paced compositions; and an eager cast savoring their summer independence. Ages 6–9.
August 1, 2023
This graphic-novel series starter has incredibly cool vibes. Duck and his friends have some awesome summer plans. Duck wakes up in super rad fashion (donning a pair of sunglasses and giving a double-thumbs-up), then meets his friends at the skate park, where he gets props for his kickflip. Later, they head to the arcade, where Duck earns a high score. As the friends ride their bikes down a hill, a mysterious figure rushes past them in totally sick style. It's Cat, sporting shutter shades. Duck asks him to hang, to which Cat replies with a bored "Whatever." As Cat shows off his various skills, he commits some very uncool actions--skateboarding over Turkey's toes and swiping Pig's pizza slice. While the rest of the group goes to a woodland pool, complete with rope swing, Duck heads home to take a break from Cat's big talk. When Cat climbs super high to swing, he gets scared, and the others seek out Duck for a rescue. This short, three-chapter graphic novel has minimal words, ideal for early or reluctant readers. The tone stays firmly in the G-rated lane with positive messages--the hinted rivalry fizzles out as the text implies that there can be more than one cool guy around. Importantly, Cat apologizes for "acting like a not-so-nice crumbbum." Illustrations smoothly meld '80s stylings with a woodland setting like an old-school Saturday morning cartoon. A rad read! (Graphic fiction. 5-8)
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