Cat Kid Comic Club Collaborations

Cat Kid Comic Club Collaborations by Dav Pilkey (Graphix: an imprint of Scholastic Inc.) HB RRP $13.99 ISBN 9781338846621

Reviewed by Kerry Gittins

This fourth installment in the Cat Kid Comic Club series from Dav Pilkey is another triumph, not only because of its trademark graphic format, but for the inspiration within for young writers and illustrators. Join Li'l Petey, Molly, Flippy and the baby frogs, as they share their successes and failures in story creation with the world. They also provide an insight into the process of writing, with each chapter using either a slightly different graphic format and/or a different writing technique. In Wendy and Raine’s chapter about their dad’s life story, they use a traditional comic format in the illustrations, but have incorporated A LOT of exaggeration in the actual story. Gilbert and Curly learn about copyright and parody in their creation of Frogzilla. Summer and Starla use photography and the art of Haiku for their story.

There are chapters highlighting storyboarding, recycling toys to create completely different characters, using real life sequential images instead of illustrations, 3-D modelling, being an agent, getting published, and all the while learning to be respectful, resilient, creative, and collaborative. My favourite chapter is Billie and Corky’s story Run Little Baby, Run!!! because it incorporates mondegreens – the misinterpretation or mishearing of phrases to create totally new meanings – and an order of two large French fries and a supa-sized shake becomes two large French flies and a supa-sized snake with hilarious consequences. 
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The thing I love about the Cat Kid stories is that readers won’t even know they are absorbing and learning all these creative insights because of the very clever and thoughtful way Dav Pilkey writes and presents the books. Bright, colourful, humorous illustrations with large, colourful fonts, and funny, engaging stories that are quick and easy to read, will capture the children’s imaginations.  And the graphic novel format has been such a drawcard for reluctant readers. Many children who found chapter books a struggle are now avid readers, thanks to authors and illustrators like Dav Pilkey who make reading accessible, appealing and most of all - fun!

 

Supporting teaching themes include family, persistence, resilience, collaboration, respect, copyright, graphic novels, photography, recycling, storyboarding, story writing and publishing. Recommended for ages 7 – 10 years.

Ricky Ricotta's Mighty Robot 4: Vs. The Mecha-Monkeys From Mars

Ricky Ricotta's Mighty Robot 4: Vs. The Mecha-Monkeys From Mars by Dav Pilkey, Illustrated by Dan Santat (Scholastic Inc)

PB RRP $10.99

ISBN 978-0-545-63012-2

Reviewed by Jenny Heslop

Ricky Ricotta and Mighty Robot are in trouble again. This time they have wrecked the family car by using it as a skateboard for the gigantic robot. Now they need to find some way to pay for the damage.

But before they can, they are caught up in the plans of another villain, the mean little Major Monkey. This evil monkey would love to enslave earth's inhabitants. He is lonely on Mars and has no one to talk to, or more importantly, no one to be mean to. But he has been watching the heroic deeds of Ricky Ricotta and Mighty Robot and knows he needs to outsmart this pair or his evil plan will end in the same manner as the previous ones. He needs to set a trap...

This fourth Ricky Ricotta follows the last three adventures with Ricky and mighty Robot up against evil creatures from other planets who want to take over earth. Short, fully illustrated and easy to read, this series is great for young and beginning readers who want a fast, action-packed and humorous read. Both the text and illustrations are fun and the imaginative villains,  mini-comic fight scenes and alliterative text make an entertaining read.

Ricky Ricotta's Mighty Robot vs. the Mutant Mosquitoes from Mercury

Ricky Ricotta's Mighty Robot vs. the Mutant Mosquitoes from Mercury by Dav Pilkey, Illustrations by Dan Santat (Scholastic Inc)

PB RRP $10.99

ISBN 978-0-545-63010-8

Reviewed by Jenny Heslop

In this second adventure, Ricky Ricotta and his friend Mighty Robot are back in action. Ricky sees mutant mosquitoes attack Squeakyville from his school window but the teacher will not let him leave to save the earth until he finishes his maths test. Luckily, Ricky is a whiz at maths. With his robot friend, Ricky must battle evil mosquitoes which are sick of living on their hot planet of Mercury, and want to take over Earth for their home.

Thin, colourful, and glossy, the short chapter and easy text will attract young boys who are looking to extend their reading to chapter books. And the action, with animal-like alien monsters will keep them hooked. Comic style pages enhance the action in the battle scenes and the illustrations.

Created by the author of Captain Underpants, and illustrator Dan Santat, the Ricky Ricotta tales are filled with action, aliens, heroes and flip-o-ramas, which will appeal to lower primary readers and younger Captain Underpants fans.

Ricky Ricotta's Mighty Robot

Ricky Ricotta's Mighty Robot by Dav Pilkey, Illustrated by Dan Santat (Scholastic Inc)

PB RRP $10.99

ISBN 978-0-545-63009-2

Reviewed by Jenny Heslop

Ricky Ricotta lives with his Mum and Dad in Squeakyville. His biggest wish is for a friend, a big one, who will help him thwart the bullies who pick on him. So one day, when evil Dr Stinky McNasty brings his Mighty Robot to town, Ricky befriends the giant robot. Instead of destroying Squeakyville, Mighty Robot teams up with Ricky to destroy evil and they become heroes and close friends.

Ricky Ricotta's Mighty Robot is another series by the author of Captain Underpants which is well loved by primary aged boys everywhere. Together with illustrator Dan Santat, Pilkey has created a colourful, glossy book, full of fun illustrations, cartoon strips, boy humour, evilness, alien monsters and flip-o-rama's, that will also appeal to the young Captain Underpants fans.

A thin volume with very short chapters, short sentences, easy words, craziness and lots of action, Ricky Ricotta will attract beginning and reluctant readers as well as those who just want a fun fast read. 

Captain Underpants and the Revolting Revenge of the Radioactive Robo-Boxers

Captain Underpants and the Revolting Revenge of the Radioactive Robo-Boxers by Dav Pilkey (Scholastic Inc.)

PB RRP $10.99
ISBN 978-1-74362-180-6
Reviewed by Jenny Heslop

Captain Underpants and the Revolting Revenge of the Radioactive Robo-Boxers takes readers back to the end of the last book where Tippy Tinkletrousers was crushed beneath the foot of Zombie Nerd Harold leaving a squishy, red stain. In this book it is revealed that misdirection was employed and in between the foot lowering and the squishy stain a whole novel’s-worth of action occurred. This book is the hilarious explanation of the complicated series of events, time travelling exploits and cloning of Big Tippy, Mega Tippy and Supa Mega Tippy which went on.

Confused? Great!! Pick up this book and get lost in the action, humour, revenge and fabulously funny drawings, cartoons and flip-o-rama’s created by Dav Pilkey.

This is the tenth epic novel featuring George, Harold and Captain Underpants. It will be loved by boys (and some girls) from about seven years old. Fans will also be thrilled to know that DreamWorks Animation is currently in production for a feature film due to be released next year.

 

   

 

The Captain Underpants Super-Silly Sticker Studio

The Captain Underpants Super-Silly Sticker Studio by Dav Pilkey (Klutz)
PB RRP $19.99
ISBN 978-1-74283-022-3
Reviewed by Jenny Heslop

The Captain Underpants Super-Silly Sticker Studio is both a sticker book and an activity book. Packed with stickers that glow in the dark, stickers to colour in (with the textas provided with the book), funny gags and things to do, this book will keep kids entertained for hours. The glow in the dark stickers will be especially appealing for Dave Pilkey fans as the messages change when the lights are switched off.

As well as the recognisable illustrations, Pilkey’s brand of humour is evident in activities such as using charts to find silly names for your friends and creating characters by swapping heads and bodies. The characters are all from Captain Underpants books and kids will have great fun colouring, sticking and leaving glow in the dark messages in the bathroom.

For all fans of Dave Pilkey whatever the age.

Captain Underpants and the Terrifying Return of Tippy Tinkletrousers

Captain Underpants and the Terrifying Return of Tippy Tinkletrousers by Dav Pilkey (Scholastic Inc.)
HB RRP $12.99
ISBN 978-0-545 17534 0
Reviewed by Jenny Heslop

George and Harold are back. For those who haven’t met them yet, George and Harold are the heroes who hypnotised their principal Mr Krupp, and turned him into comic book hero Captain Underpants. That was back in grade four.

This story, however, travels way back in time to George and Harold’s kindergarten days where they are facing another fearsome villain and bully, Kipper Krupp (and the nephew of Mr Krupp). Captain Underpants has not yet appeared so cannot help the boys in this adventure. The Return of Tippy Tinkletrousers tells the story of the funny and amazingly inventive way two kindergarten boys defeat the grade six bullies.

The comic book that the boys create - George writes and Harold draws - reflects all the action which takes place both in the school and in the minds of these small boys. The comic books enhance the ability for the adventure to be told through both text and illustration, as do the flip-o-ramas. All this makes for an interactive and interesting reading experience as well as breaking up the text, which helps less proficient readers.

The front cover promises ‘action’, ‘pranks’ and ‘laffs’ and there is plenty all three. But told through George and Harold’s comic books, prose and black & white illustrations, this story is more than just silliness and boy humour (although there is plenty of that too), it is also a fabulously plotted tale of revenge.

The playing around with time travel, which bookends the adventure of the kindergartners, is fun and the ending took me completely by surprise. Boys (and some girls) from about seven years old are going to love this ninth addition to the ongoing saga of Captain Underpants.