Making Scents

April 17, 2017
Yorinks’s eccentric graphic novel opens as a couple that keeps bloodhounds finds a baby under a tree. They treat Mickey like one of their dogs, insisting that he learn to track like the hounds do. From Mickey’s perspective (he narrates), the bloodhounds are his older siblings, and he idolizes them: “I practiced... and I practiced. I studied. I even prayed.” (He’s seen kneeling before a picture of Jimmy “The Nose” Durante.) Mickey’s unorthodox upbringing means that he’s in constant trouble; on the night of his greatest school triumph, his parents are killed in an accident. Mickey is separated from his dogs, his new guardians are awful, and it’s hard to see how things will work out—but, somehow, they do. Lamb and Paroline’s quirky ink lines soften difficult moments, and their panels—splashed in drab yellow, teal, and orange—shine, especially in the scenes where Mickey learns to track (the elusive scents are traced in pink). Yorinks (The Invisible Man) pulls off a tricky feat; he creates a set of characters who are difficult to like, then makes readers care about them. Ages 7–10. Author’s agent: Tina Wexler, ICM.

April 1, 2017
In this thoughtful graphic novel, a human boy who believes himself to be part dog seeks acceptance for who he is.Mickey's brothers and sisters all have four legs. His ardently dog-loving parents are professional bloodhound breeders who never planned on having a child. His parents encourage Mickey to develop his own sense of smell, which becomes just as acute as his hound siblings'. However, when his parents suddenly die, he goes to stay with his estranged aunt and uncle, a much older couple who hate dogs and demand that Mickey start acting like a boy. Now in the throes of grief, Mickey must also struggle with having to conform to someone else's idea of whom he should be. Yorinks spins a pensive yarn with a quiet undercurrent of magical realism. Despite the muted tone, his message about acknowledging people for who they are inside and not who others wish them to be is gently insistent and touching. Set against a bygone backdrop completely lacking in any nods to contemporary technology, Lamb and Paroline's catchy three-color illustrations establish the retro-styled ambiance. Although the theme of acceptance permeates, readers should note that it does not address this in any racial context, as nearly all of the characters appear to be white. A heartfelt tale of acceptance, tolerance, and grief. (Graphic fiction. 7-10)

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July 1, 2017

Gr 2-5-Foundling Mickey had a very happy, if somewhat unusual, childhood. A loving couple who raised bloodhounds adopted him and taught him to think of the dogs as his siblings and to develop his own sense of smell to an extraordinary degree. When Mickey's parents unexpectedly die, he is sent to live with his mother's estranged sister and her husband, a childless older couple who hate dogs and don't understand Mickey. Now Mickey must cope not only with his grief but also the expectations of his new family, who demand he behave like a conventional boy. The artwork effectively conveys the book's 1950s setting. Illustrations outlined in ink on single-color panels with an occasional swirl of pink to indicate various scents immerse readers in Mickey's world. The characters are distinct and expressive, and the action flows well. VERDICT Children who have experienced loss will relate to this warm and slightly fantastical tale. A solid choice for most graphic novel collections.-Kelley Gile, Cheshire Public Library, CT

Copyright 2017 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

June 1, 2017
Grades 2-5 The child of dog-crazy bloodhound breeders, young Mickey grows up thinking the family's dogs are his brothers and sisters. Trained, along with his siblings, to track by scent, Mickey's special ability leads to trouble with his teachers and classmates. On the night of the big talent show, when Mickey is a surprise hit, his parents are killed in a car accident. Mickey is sent to live with his aunt and uncle, an unpleasant, dog-hating, childless couple who refuse to accept Mickey's sense of self as anything but abnormal. With Mickey wracked with grief and his uncle furious at the disruption of his comfortable life, the two seem stuck on a course of misery until an event occurs that forces them to work things out. Yorinks' sensitive story is matched by exceptionally expressive artwork. Set in what appears to be mid-twentieth century America, the clever color scheme of a wash of only one or two colors per page gives the pen-and-ink illustrations a sentimental feel that perfectly fits this story of grief and acceptance.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2017, American Library Association.)