Go Pig or Go Home

January 1, 2023
A porcine superhero returns for his third graphic novel adventure. Gary is back for more giggle-inducing escapades that unfold over two short tales. In the first, "Careful What You Wish For," he worries about an upcoming history test. Instead of just staying home and studying, he goes out as Batpig, his alter ego, saving a magic-store owner from a vandal and in return being gifted a magical powder that will help him learn whatever he needs. Predictably--albeit with hilarious results--the spell does not go as planned, and a giant green squid clown, or squown, threatens his school and classmates. Will Gary admit that wishing for good grades is not the same as earning them? In the second offering, "Camp Danger," Gary, along with pals Brook and Carl, is off to sleep-away Camp Moldy Snout. Carl and Brook make new friends easily, leaving Gary feeling left out. When a series of events leads a lake monster to frighten his fellow campers, Gary makes the pivotal decision to save the day, thus revealing his secret identity to the campers--and unbeknownst to him, his greatest adversary, The Butcher. Harrell's newest installment is a full-color comic delight, going whole-hog (pun intended) on all things silly while maintaining the irresistible charm established by its predecessors. Each tale conveys a gentle message alongside the humor. Animal and human characters coexist; humans depicted show a range of skin tones. A consistent crowd pleaser for sure. (Graphic fiction. 7-12)

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April 1, 2023

Gr 2-4-Batpig, aka Gary Yorkshire, is back in this third graphic novel in the series from author/illustrator Harrell, split into two stories. First, Gary cuts corners with magic powder when preparing for a test and ends up cheating with the help of Sharkraham Lincoln. When an evil squidclown later appears on the roof of Gary's school and begins a reign of benign devastation, it's up to Batpig to save the day and undo the effects of his academic dishonesty. In the second story, Gary, along with fish Carl and bat Brook, are off to Camp Moldy Snout, where Carl accidentally angers lake monster Grumbles when he pollutes the lake with bug spray made from pork by-products. While saving the day, Batpig accidentally reveals his identity, which leads to a personal crisis over anonymity versus celebrity. This briskly paced middle grade graphic novel is a great pick for those who enjoy extreme silliness and anthropomorphic animals. Quirky character designs, dark linework, and an overabundance of text result in illustrations that burst with as much enthusiasm as Gary has for Pop-Tarts. VERDICT A unique take on superheroes that can be read as a standalone or as part of the series.

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