School-Tripped

May 1, 2019
When Babymouse's class goes on a trip to the city museum, things go hilariously awry. In her third middle school adventure, the larger-than-life and full-of-big-ideas Babymouse is overjoyed to hear about the upcoming field trip to the art museum. Before her permission slip is even signed, Babymouse is already daydreaming scenarios that see her art framed among the masterpieces. True to character, Babymouse is quickly distracted and does not even make it out of the museum gift shop before ill-advisedly following frenemy Felicia and her cronies as they set out to skip the trip and explore the big city. Babymouse and her friend Penny soon lose Felicia in the urban hustle and bustle--but they find a lost kitten. They devote the rest of their day to reuniting the adorable kitty with its owner for a promised reward. Predictably, Babymouse and Penny have one outrageous and exciting experience after another as they navigate the vast and unfamiliar city without any technological assistance (Babymouse drops and breaks her phone...again). Will the friends be able to maneuver the metropolis, return the kitten, and make it back before their bus leaves? Told through a fizzy mix of black-and-white comic panels and illustrations alongside prose, this installment has a delightful throwback feel, showing kids that they can be independent and self-reliant without smartphones and/or the internet. Fun, fun, fun. (Graphic/fiction hybrid. 7-10)

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