Cucumber Madness!

June 15, 2024
A fugitive feline finds herself at the center of international hijinks. When we last left internet superstar and unintentional enemy of the state Princess Beautiful, she'd mysteriously disappeared after accidentally destroying a high-security prison. As this second installment begins, Princess Beautiful is tied to a chair--the work of a bespectacled goat named Marv who declares himself, somewhat conveniently, to be a literal scapegoat. People assume he's a bad guy, but, he assures her, that's a lie. Still, if he's really a good guy, why is our hero tied up in a dark room, on the edge of a cliff, in the mountains of Eastern Europe? Great question! Blabey's graphic novel plunges readers ever deeper into the tangled web of Princess Beautiful's predicament. As Marv shuttles her to a scorpion-shaped archipelago in the Caribbean, her so-called friends rat her out to an overeager rodent detective, and Catrick Cash, her potential paramour, seeks her out for his own particular purposes. The narrative focuses on unveiling the villain who's framing our furry protagonist and places less emphasis on the sending up of mass media and internet culture so central to the first volume. The two threads weave back together, however, in the story's dramatic denouement, setting up a scenario for world domination to be further explored in the series' next volume. Blabey's spare black-and-white art is punctuated with pops of red; once more, he delivers both satirical jabs and exaggerated, cartoonish antics. Classic comic timing and kooky characters continue to captivate. (Graphic fiction. 7-12)

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December 1, 2024

Gr 3-5-Princess Beautiful, a famous internet cat, finds herself entangled in international crime in this latest installment of the series. The story opens with Princess Beautiful tied to a chair alongside a goat named Marv, who claims to be a literal scapegoat. Marv knows she's innocent and offers to help-if only she could trust him. Together, they must uncover who is framing her and what their true motives are. The plot leads to a world domination-themed cliff-hanger, ensuring readers will need the next graphic novel to find out what happens. The otherwise black-and-white illustrations are accented with red, drawing attention to the main character. Children will appreciate the playful tone of this mystery, especially if they have read the first book in the series. While the first half lags slightly, the story remains a quick read, and the ending will leave readers eager for more. VERDICT A solid addition where the series is already popular and graphic novels are in demand.

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