Let's Get Cracking!

November 11, 2013
Newcomer Marko dives headlong into superhero comedy in this hilarious kickoff to the Kung Pow Chicken series (part of the publisher’s Branches line), named for the alter ego of second-grader Gordon Blue, a rotund chicken. Freewheeling full-page illustrations and sequential panels push the book into graphic novel territory and assume much of the storytelling duty. After Gordon and his younger brother, Benedict, accidentally fall into a vat of toxic sludge at their scientist uncle’s lab (“Maybe we won’t tell your mom about this...” quips Uncle Quack), superpowers manifest in both birds. Their “birdy senses” tingle when danger is near, and it certainly appears to be present at the Fowl Fall Festival when the chickens in attendance suddenly (and explosively) begin to lose their feathers. Puns, one-liners, and goofy superpowered action are in abundant supply over the story’s eight chapters—along with plenty of “kapows,” “zoings,” and villainous laughter—as Kung Pow Chicken and his sidekick Egg Drop investigate. Just the thing for beginning readers eying the Captain Underpants shelf. Ages 5–7. Agent: Adriann Ranta, Wolf Literary Services.

March 1, 2014

Gr 1-3-Gordon Blue and his younger egg brother, Benedict, gain superpowers after taking an accidental dive into giant vat of toxic sludge while visiting Uncle Quack's laboratory. Gordon, aka Kung Pow Chicken, and Benedict get an opportunity to put their powers to the test. A crowd of chickens at the Fowl Fall Festival is suddenly featherless, and glowing cookies found near the scene are suspected to be linked to the crime. Granny Goosebumps, selling sweaters to the featherless victims, is scheming for a way to raise enough money to move to Florida, but Kung Pow Chicken and his faithful sidekick, Egg Drop, step in to save the day. The story is heavily illustrated and the cartoon style pairs nicely with the story's overall feel. Dialogue appears in speech bubbles, and the frequent poultry plays on words are sure to elicit giggles from young readers. This first offering in a series will have broad appeal among independent readers who have outgrown easy readers but are not yet ready for books relying more on text than illustration.-Matthew C. Winner, Ducketts Lane Elementary School, Elkridge, MD

Copyright 2014 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

July 1, 2014
Second-grade chick Gordon Blue and his younger (not-yet-fully-hatched) brother Benny are accidentally dipped into a vat of toxic sludge that transforms them into superheroes. In these openers, the pair must save Fowladelphia from two different villains. Jam-packed with poultry puns, this transitional series uses language appropriately challenging for emerging readers while retaining a comfort level with a hybrid of traditional and comic full-color illustrations.

(Copyright 2014 by The Horn Book, Incorporated, Boston. All rights reserved.)