Beast Friends Forever

September 27, 2010
This kickoff volume of the Beast Friends Forever series is a screwball comedy from brothers Nate and Vince Evans (the Humpty Dumpty Jr., Hardboiled Detective books). When Zeke and Hannah's father, who's stationed on an aircraft carrier in the Bermuda Triangle, sends them a box filled with candy, it arrives empty. A shadowy shape lurking behind the kids presages their discovery of an impish beast that has stowed away. An escapee from an island that's been commandeered by trolls, Otto takes up residence under Zeke's bed and wows the siblings with his "tricksy tricks," which include transforming objects into fantastical creatures, one of which helps Otto best the school bully. Most of the story is written as a heavily illustrated chapter book, though it jumps into graphic novel format when the action escalates; the hyperbolic line art helps move the story along briskly. Adding to the inanity is ample potty talk and insult-hurling ("booger-brain" is oft-used), and Otto's lingo—a combination of pirate-speak and nonsense (he calls the marauding trolls "slimy pickle-noses" and "hairy skunk-sniffers")—should bring on giggles. Ages 7–10.

March 1, 2011

Gr 3-5-Nine-year-old Zeke and his younger sister Hannah's adventures begin when they receive a large box from their dad. It is empty except for a bunch of candy wrappers. Then all the sugary foods at home disappear. Zeke finds the culprit living in his shoe-a tiny monster from the Bermuda Triangle whom they name Otto. He can change size, and he can also make inanimate objects exchange shapes. This book is a combination beginning chapter book and graphic novel, and it is very fast paced. There are made-up words and many a "POOF!" and "BAM!" Neither the story nor most of the vocabulary is challenging, and there is lots of graphic support with a line drawing on almost every page. There is also some name-calling and potty humor. An additional purchase.-Elaine Lesh Morgan, formerly at Multnomah County Library, Portland, OR

Copyright 2011 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

November 1, 2010
Grades 2-4 This well-plotted and fanciful opener promises a series that early chapter-book readers will appreciate. Nine-year-old Zeke and his little sister, Hannah, start having all manner of trouble after a package arrives from their father, who is stationed overseas. It turns out, after some preliminary investigation and humorous mini mysteries, that the source of the problem is Otto, a smelly but essentially sweet little monster who saved himself from drowning by hitching a ride on their fathers aircraft carrier. Set in the kids house, school, and neighborhood, the tale unfolds with a few nicely handled subplots, including one about a bully who is eventually bested by the beast. Its likely that the nasty fellow will need to be reconquered again in future episodes, adding a dynamic that readers will enjoy anticipating in addition to sillier high jinks from Otto. Bouncy cartoon illustrations and a few passages in comic-strip format punctuate the brief chapters, but the narrative is seamless despite these multiple storytelling approaches. A good start to the Beast Friends Forever series.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2010, American Library Association.)