  | Bawk-ness monster Author: Goetter, Sara | |
| Price: $20.98 | ||
Summary:
Penny swears when she was little, a creature called the Bawk-ness Monster--half sea-serpent, half chicken--saved her from drowning. Now, years later, she's moving to a new city. Before she goes she needs the help of her best friends, Luc and K to help her see "Bessie" one more time to prove what happened was real. While trying to find Bessie, they stumble into a whole new problem--cryptids are being kidnapped by an evil collector and only they can save them! In graphic novel format.
| Added Entry - Personal Name: | Riess, Natalie |
Reviews:
Kirkus Reviews (05/01/23)
School Library Journal (06/01/23)
Booklist (05/15/23)
Full Text Reviews:
Booklist - 05/15/2023 Humor and high jinks overflow in this second graphic novel by comics collaborators Riess and Goetter. Tween Penny longs to see Bessie, a half sea serpent, half chicken who saved her from drowning years ago, just once more before she moves away. A carefully plotted expedition to Lake Bockamixon is submerged when she and two intrepid pals are imprisoned in an underwater laboratory. Penny’s hypervigilant mom is swept into the lab’s holding tank on top of the now captured Bawk-ness Monster. The inventive trio employs one wacky plot after another to rescue a gaggle of other hybrid critters (including BigTaur and the Yeticorn) before navigating an escape from the clutches of the evil cryptid collector. With comics-style characters cavorting like action heroes in semirealistic settings, the art establishes its own distinctive hybrid quality. Awash in silly asides, with the antics and kooky gadgetry of a 007 flick, this watery romp lands its affirmation that living authentically is possible for everyone—even cryptids. Witty, informative back matter about the collaborators’ process and tools will inspire young comics creators. - Copyright 2023 Booklist.
School Library Journal - 06/01/2023 Gr 3–5—In this first entry in a new series, middle schooler Penny prepares to move from her hometown and enlists the help of her friends, Luc and K, to track down a cryptid who saved her life. Bessie, Penny's nickname for the Bawk-ness Monster, has the lower body of a sea serpent and the upper body of a chicken; she rescued Penny from drowning years before. Penny's overprotective mother won't let her out of her sight, so the three friends hope for a distraction during a camping trip so that Penny can see Bawk-ness. Trouble strikes when the group and Bawk-ness are captured by cryptid broker Alvida Scales, a sublimely villainous meanie, whose underwater lair contains a veritable cryptid zoo. Bright colors, bold illustrations, and frenetic energy match fast-paced dialogue, and the cryptids are a delightful mix of mashups, giving readers characters like the Bigtaur (half Bigfoot, half centaur) and the Yeticorn (half Yeti, half unicorn). Laugh-out-loud gags run throughout, with tender moments emphasizing relationships between characters. A flashback gives context for Luc's exploration of gender identity. Most human characters present as white; K has brown skin. Back matter includes an illustrated look at the process of creating a graphic novel. VERDICT A chaotically fun series opener that grabs readers from the first pages.—Rosemary Kiladitis - Copyright 2023 Publishers Weekly, Library Journal and/or School Library Journal used with permission.
