Desk Stories

June 13, 2011
In this follow-up to Backpack Stories (2009), the reliably absurd O'Malley focuses his talentsânot least of which is the ability to generate groan-inducing jokes page after pageâon that timeless symbol of class oppression: the school desk. "The modern desk, so hard, so unforgiving, so extraordinarily uncomfortable," says the not-very-authoritative Dr. I.C. Clearly, who kicks off the book with a dubious overview of desk history. "The only thing that could make it better is summer vacation!" Like its predecessor, this outing is divided into short chapters, each reflecting a different aesthetic and a multitude of cultural references (the final story, involving a barrette and a wad of evil-minded used bubble gum, spoofs The Incredible Shrinking Man, with a little Journey to the Center of the Earth thrown in for good measure). Many stories also have a faint air of tongue-in-cheek menace, making them ideal read-aloud material for budding Rod Serlings or melodrama villains. "Now I will swallow you whole," proclaims the nefarious, relentlessly pursuing desk in the second nightmarish story. "This is your destiny! HA HA HA!" Well played, O'Malley, well played. Ages 7â9.

August 1, 2011

Gr 3-6-In this follow-up to Backpack Stories (Albert Whitman, 2009), the desk-its past, future, and the horror it sometimes holds-is the subject of six punchy tales told in distinct sequential art. One selection is done in loose freehand with soft pencils; one is cross-hatched, inked, and colored; a couple are digital; one sports retro dot-matrix coloring; while the first combines nearly all those techniques. "History Man" is back with a survey of desk lore, including the spiked medieval desk to ensure that no one ever falls asleep in class, and the "lose the desk" beanbag movement of the 1960s. "Trapped" relates the nightmare of a young boy shackled to and chased by the desk. "It Came from Within" delivers a furry surprise (and a good punch line) to Sara, the perfect kid who is always prepared. "Desktec" is a daydream vision of what a desk could be (flat-screen TV, all-terrain four-wheel drive) if the right people were designing it. Then there are "Desktime Jokes" and the saga of "Sue Smallton: The Incredible Shrinking Supergirl," who dares to rescue and return a borrowed barrette from the depths of her stuffed-to-the-brim desk. Told with countless one-liners from the superhero and horror genres, this book is an extremely satisfying read for young people who are dealing with bragging, nagging kids and less-than-engaging lessons, and seeking some old-school comic relief.-Sara Lissa Paulson, American Sign Language and English Lower School PS 347, New York City

Copyright 2011 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

August 1, 2011
Grades 1-3 Author and illustrator O'Malley repeats the formula that worked so well in Backpack Stories (2009) in this humorous picture-book tribute to school desks. Presented in a graphic-novel format, six fanciful, silly stories incorporate situations that any child who has endured a tedious class will appreciate, from a hamster set loose on an obnoxious classmate (I'm the best) to a talking desk that intones, You are my prisoner! The comic-panel visuals emphasize the episodic nature of the stories and allow O'Malley to use different artistic styles depending on each entry's mood, from dark and foreboding to bright and joke cracking. Though some stories may reinforce students' feelings that they're being held hostage in school, this lighthearted offering will likely produce cheers rather than jeers and makes a great choice for reluctant readers.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2011, American Library Association.)