Book review: The Bad Guys in The Furball Strikes Back, by Aaron Blabey

Blabey, Aaron. The Bad Guys in The Furball Strikes Back. (Bad Guys series, book 3) Scholastic, 2017. $5.99. 140p. ISBN 978-1-338-08749-9. Ages 6-10. P9Q9

After rescuing 10,000 chickens in Mission Unpluckable, the motley crew of “bad” guys turned into “The Good Guys Club” led by Mr. Wolf face more danger from Dr. Marmalade, the evil mad scientist guinea pig, was wants revenge for the chicken rescue. Mr. Wolf is captured along with the snake and the shark, leaving the piranha and tarantula to save the day. Fortunately, the ninja-like Special Agent Fox steps in to help, but Mr. Wolf’s crush on her may cause more problems. The simple illustrations on large, sometimes full-page panels, are full of shouting in bold, all caps type that contribute to the excitement.

Verdict: Well laid out and simple, the drawings clearly show the different creatures, and the crazy humor, including the group’s in-fighting dialog, is non-stop. Although the graphic novel can be read without the first two books in the series, reading those two books first would enhance the enjoyment. A wonderful sequel by the Australian author with a short taste of the crew’s fourth adventure against an army of zittens—zombie kittens.

December 2017 review by Nel Ward

Book review: Thelma the Unicorn, by Aaron Blabey

Blabey, Aaron. Thelma the Unicorn. Scholastic Press, 2017. $14.95. ISBN 9781338158427. Unpaged. Ages 3-8. P8 Q8

If you like pink, glitter and unicorns, you will love Thelma the Unicorn. Thelma is a pony who wishes to become a unicorn. She ties a carrot to her nose and has a run in with pink paint and glitter. This results in her becoming a unicorn! However, things do not turn out how she had imagined. The cover of the book is raised sliver glitter. Children will be captivated by Thelma and also learn that what we wish may not be all we think it will be.

Verdict: Through Thelma’s experience, children will see how they are special the way they are–they do not need to be something else. We do not need to be something else to be special, we are special just the way we are.  Highly recommended for young children’s libraries.

December 2017 review by Tami Harris

Book review: Pig the Pug, by Aaron Blabey

Blabey, Aaron. Pig the Pug. Scholastic, 2017. $14.99. ISBN 978-1-338-11245-0. Ages 4-6. P9Q9

“Greedy and selfish” is the way that the author describes his leading man in this tale about the dog who refuses to share his toys with the dachshund, Trevor. Pig is so anti-sharing that he falls out the window after climbing on top of all his possessions. The broad comedy of the acrylic and pen/pencil illustrations on white watercolor paper extend to the bulging eyes, and the punny rhymes include “pugs cannot fly” about Pig’s fall. Young readers will appreciate Pig’s comeuppance because they most likely experience Pigness in their associates.

Verdict: Originally published in Australia in 2014, the irreverent story about contrasting personalities suffers a bit from lack of poetic scanning, but it will produce giggles if children understand that it’s delightfully ridiculous fiction.

May/June 2017 review by Nel Ward.

Book review: The Bad Guys: Episode 1, by Aaron Blabey

Blabey, Aaron. The Bad Guys: Episode 1. Scholastic, 2017. $5.99. 138p. ISBN 978-0-545-91240-1. Ages 7-10. P9Q8

The Big Bad Wolf doesn’t want to be “bad” so he puts together “The Good Guys Club” with Mr. Snake, Mr. Piranha, and Mr. Shark. Unfortunately, the team doesn’t always conform to the “good,” especially when one of the group eats another, but the slapstick adventure with exaggerated print fonts and black and white graphics show their success in rescuing a kitten caught high in a tree. The Australian import already has three sequels ready to come to the United States.

Verdict: Young readers will delight in the simplicity and twists as the four characters of this graphic novel try to overcome their fearsome natures.

April 2017 review by Nel Ward.