The Unkindness of Ravens

July 15, 2013
Can Rufus and Penny keep the totem safe from a tricky flock of ravens? Ten-year-old Rufus is overjoyed to be back at Grammy's, in the deep of the woods. He and his animal guide, a flying squirrel named Sidney, set off to find his friend Penny as soon as they arrive. When they can't find her, Rufus uses the totem he found on his last trip to transform into Bigfoot Boy, a tall, red, hairy sasquatch. With his heightened senses, he finds her easily, and she tells him she's looking for a totem of her own. Unknown to the friends, a flock of ravens has spied the totem and decided they want its power. The ravens trap Sidney to use as bait, but the friends don't fall for raven tricks, but how long can they keep the totem safe from the ravens? Canadian Torres starts off his second Bigfoot Boy adventure with a history of the totem and later ties it to Rufus's family, but this prologue and the villains (ravens rather than wolves) are the only features that distinguish this volume from the first. Hicks' glossy, colorful, action-packed panels will keep pages turning more than the near-repeat that is this tale. That said, fans will devour this and holler (with anticipation) at the wide-open end. Those unfamiliar with the series should definitely begin with Book 1. Feels a bit like filler, but still so much fun. (Graphic fantasy. 9-12)

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January 1, 2014

Gr 4-7-Rufus is on a weekend visit to his grandma's house in the country. His spirit animal, a squirrel named Sidney, is along for the ride. The story opens with a short recap of Into the Woods (Kids Can, 2012): in an attempt to stop the destruction of a forest, Rufus calls upon Thunderbird for the power to stop the giant trucks. Thunderbird tells Rufus to carve a totem, which he soon learns will turn him into a Sasquatch. Readers are occasionally directed to the first title, which is an effective technique to explain things to children unfamiliar with that book, but the story does not suffer if they miss those references. All is going well for Rufus and his friend Penny as they explore the woods, until ravens begin to appear in trees overhead. They are plotting to steal Rufus's totem, but they have the same goal as he does: to protect the forest. Though the ravens know they cannot take the totem by force, they are confident they can outwit Rufus, Penny, and Sidney. This leads to an adventurous battle over the totem. Hicks's illustrations are done in bold, black lines and rich colors and are sometimes reminiscent of Native Canadian art styles. The story's adventure, magic, and characters will appeal to many readers.-Liz Zylstra, County of Prince Edward Public Library, Picton, Ontario

Copyright 2014 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

September 15, 2013
Grades 3-5 Rufus is back at Grammy's house for the weekend, and he can't wait to spend time with his friend Penny. To track Penny through the woods more easily, Rufus uses his magic totem to transform into Bigfoot Boy, not noticing the two ravens observing him from the branch of a nearby tree. Using Rufus' squirrel friend Sidney as bait, the birds trick him into giving them the totem, and he has to return to his home in the city before he is able to get the totem back. Volume 2 doesn't do much beyond set things up for a big showdown between Rufus, Penny, and the ravens (and possibly the wolves from volume 1) in the next installment. But both Torres' storytelling and Hicks' artwork remain strong, and readers are handed enough action and suspense to keep them interested in finding out what happens when volume 3 is released.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2013, American Library Association.)