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Once Upon a Cool Motorcycle Dude

, illustrations by Kevin O'Malley, Carol Heyer, and Scott Goto
Walker Childrens
Fiction, CH Fantasy/Humor/Picture Book
Themes: Fairy Tales, Twists
***+

Description

Once upon a time, a beautiful princess's beautiful ponies were being kidnapped by an evil meanie giant. Then a cool dude on a motorcycle showed up to save the day - or did he? When a brother and sister attempt to write a fairy tale together, things quickly get out of hand.

Review

Another quick read during downtime at work, this has a fun concept. The girl's story starts out sickeningly sappy, the boy's tale counters with swords and volcanoes, but they manage to find common ground somewhere in the middle, learning that cooperation is more fun than competition. It wasn't bad, but the wrap-up lacked punch.

 

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Captain Raptor and the Space Pirates

The Captain Raptor series, Book 2
, illustrations by Patrick O'Brien
Bloomsbury
Fiction, Adventure/Picture Book/Sci-Fi
Themes: Cross-Genre, Dinosaurs and Prehistoric Animals, Pirates, Retro Tales, Robots, Space Stories
****

Description

When nefarious space pirates strike the planet of Jurassica, the world's president knows just who to call: none other than the legendary Captain Raptor! Aboard the Megatooth, Raptor and his intrepid crew set off in hot pursuit of the enemy - but space is dangerous and the pirates are clever. Is this the end for Captain Raptor?

Review

We had more down time at work today due to mechanical issues (a "gremlin break", as I call it), so I read this to pass the time. Just like the cover and title promise, this is a fun mash-up of genres, like Dinotopia meets Buck Rogers, in a wild space adventure with danger, mystery, and treachery on every page. The illustrations, with a graphic novel's layout and a serial's grandiosity - frequently asking "Is this the end for Captain Raptor?" before a turn of the page reveals his fate -, are detailed and spark the imagination, especially for the target audience: kids with a sense of wonder and fun, who gleefully play with their Jurassic Park toys and Transformers action figures at the same time (not giving a dang whether it's canon or logically plausible, so long as adventure is had, so sit down and shut up, you buzzkill adults poking holes in the game). It made for an enjoyable diversion.

 

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