Sparks!

January 15, 2018
After escaping a laboratory, two cats—super-intelligent August and her brave pal Charlie—hide out in a robotic dog suit, which they use to save people from harm. Charlie’s desire to be acknowledged for their heroic deeds runs counter to August’s desire to be left alone, and a determined reporter, who dubs the “dog” Sparks, is determined to figure out what’s behind the high-profile rescues. Tension comes to a head when Princess, a devious infant seeking world domination through animal mind control, sets her eyes on Sparks as the perfect general for her army. Boothby and Matsumoto are veteran creators of comics based on The Simpsons, something that’s reflected in the gonzo plot, the sheer density of jokes, and the clean lines and outsize reactions in the cartooning. Oddball side characters include a talking litter box that assists August and Charlie (“I hear and obey. Also, if you want to poop in me—”) and an overactive squirrel named Steve-O, another escapee from the lab where the cats met. It’s an off-the-wall and very funny adventure with an entertaining odd-couple friendship at its core. Ages 7–10.

January 1, 2018

Gr 2-5-Two cats moonlight as a mechanical superhero dog named Sparks in this goofy sci-fi graphic novel. Charlie, the pilot, is a fearless outdoor cat. August, the inventor, is a cat who's terrified to go outside after a traumatic past in a laboratory. In the guise of Sparks, Charlie, and August accomplish such feats as rescuing a baby from a well and extinguishing a burning building with pee. But the intrepid canine always disappears afterward so that no one will know Sparks's true identity. When an alien named Princess-disguised as a human baby-arrives on Earth to test out a device that can control all the animals on the planet, Charlie and August (and Sparks, of course) have their heroic work cut out for them. But once they are separated by a tricky double agent, can August dare to step outside and save the day? Divided into 11 chapters, the art is full color, with large panels that are easy to follow. The bold, simple character design allows for exaggerated, hilarious facial expressions. The walking, talking litter box is a shining star of a character, providing occasional dance parties and limitless potty humor. Though most of the plot focuses on animal or alien characters, there is a welcome diversity of supporting human characters. Cat and dog lovers alike will laugh their way to the end of this offering. VERDICT Recommended for all children's comics collections.-Alec Chunn, Eugene Public Library, OR

Copyright 2018 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

Starred review from February 15, 2018
Grades 2-5 *Starred Review* An intelligent litter box is the narrator of this madcap pet adventure starring two hero cats in a dog costume, but don't brush it off as just more juvenile potty humor (though, to be honest, there's some of that, too). In between manic kitty anticsrescuing a family from a burning building and supercharging a school bus engine to flee an approaching tornado!there's a generous helping of emotional depth. The two feline protagonists, Charlie and August, met while escaping the lab of Princess, an alien (disguised as an adorable baby) hell-bent on world domination, and they have some emotional baggage. Supergenius August is terrified of going outside, since that's where she was captured; Speedy dog-suit pilot Charlie just wants some recognition for their heroism. When their personalities clash, their demise seems inevitableor is it? Boothby's background as a comedy writer shows in the tight timing, clever banter, and over-the-top dialogue, while Matsumoto's archly funny cartoonsbuoyant, colorful artwork filled with speedy action, riotous sight gags, and animated character designsperfectly complement the script. Ideal for elementary-school readers, this is a natural choice for anyone who loved Dav Pilkey's Dog Man series or Drew Brockington's CatStronauts books.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2018, American Library Association.)