Young readers who are fans of the Dog Man books will be delighted with this spinoff featuring Cat Kid, Li'l Petey. Along with Molly, vice-president of the Cat Kid Comic Club, Li'l Petey does his best to help a group of baby frogs create their own comics. Each time the club meets, readers are able to read the mini-comics created by the club members. Whether they are about a toothbrush who wants to grow up and be a lawyer for dinosaurs, or a "cute little fluffy cloud of death," the stories are sure to make young readers laugh - while also showing them that comics and other illustrated texts can be about any subject that interests them and can have a wide variety of artistic and writing styles.
Don't be surprised if readers laugh their way through the book, but then begin creating comics of their own and sharing them (or collaborating on them) with friends. Hand this to kiddos who enjoy graphic novels and illustrated books in the vein of Dog Man, Big Nate, and Captain Underpants. Teachers and librarians will recognize many of the situations they encounter when trying to help students with projects. There are arguments over everyone's roles in the club, disparagement of the plots of various comics that are created, and of course the frogs' father objects to violence and crude humor in the stories his kids are creating.
I received a copy of the book as part of a promotion by Scholastic Graphix. I can't wait to share it with my students.
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