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Meisel, Paul

Boom!

40 pp. | Holiday | June, 2023 | Trade ISBN 9780823448579 $14.99
(2) K-3 I Like to Read: Comics series. Meisel (See Me Play, rev. 7/19; and others) is an accomplished creator of early-reader picture books; in his first comic for beginning readers, Dog and Cat are napping when the sky darkens and the first rumble of thunder wakes them. Dog reacts with wide-eyed fear; insouciant Cat plays with a mouse toy. As the thunder grows louder, Dog tries several hiding spots--behind the couch, under a cushion, in a closet--but can't find a place that feels safe. Cat, meanwhile, keeps playing. (When Dog screams, "HIDE! HIDE!" Cat calmly replies, "I found my duck.") The pen-and-ink illustrations are expressive and humorous, and Meisel captures the body language of animals--particularly Dog, who we see shake, cower, and become increasingly undone. The book uses three types of lettering: one for narration, another for speech bubbles, and a third for sound effects in the illustrations. The narration text is a lighter blue in yellow text boxes (potentially harder for new readers to spot); however, the words ("Dog is scared") aren't telling anything the illustrations aren't making clear, so children of all reading abilities will be able to follow the story. In the end, Dog falls asleep and dreams about chasing the storm away, and upon waking, it's gone. Dog feels like a superhero, Cat continues to be unconcerned, and readers will be amused.
Reviewer: Adrienne L. Pettinelli | Horn Book Magazine Issue: July, 2023

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