  | Monti and Leo : a newcomer in Pocketville (Monti And Leo) Author: Kantorovitz, Sylvie | |
| Price: $22.38 | ||
Summary:
Pocketville is a small town, set in its ways, and the arrival of a stranger causes a stir. Monti the mole is stunned one morning to find Leo the crocodile hogging his special reading rock. When Monti visits the bakery and the library, he learns that the last cinnamon roll has been purchased, and the book he was waiting for has been checked out. What's a fastidious mole to do? When Monti confronts Leo, the newcomer turns out to be agreeable in the extreme. In graphic novel format.
Reviews:
Kirkus Reviews (03/01/24)
School Library Journal (00/04/24)
Booklist (05/15/24)
The Hornbook (00/03/24)
Full Text Reviews:
School Library Journal - 04/01/2024 Gr 1–3—Pocketville is "a quiet little town" and the animal inhabitants "like it that way." When we meet Monti the Mole, he represents the "perfect routine" that they have created in their town and daily lives. One day when a stranger named Leo arrives, Monti and the others aren't sure how to handle "these strangers that never respect our ways." Through the chapter format and digitally rendered frames, readers follow along as Monti learns to find his voice to promote acceptance and understanding to even the loudest Pocketville citizen, Mrs. Sheep. The theme of friendship gets an upgrade in this tale that is rightfully dedicated "to anyone who's ever felt like a stranger." Kantorovitz covers a lot of territory with her characters and message in a format that works well as a beginner graphic novel. A natural color palette of light greens, blues, browns, and peaches is reminiscent of Arnold Lobel's companions, Frog and Toad, and matches well with the frequent unstructured frames that bleed onto the white background. A unique addition of early sketches is included for the back matter. VERDICT A story with a strong moral that represents a wide range of social and cultural talking points. Purchase where there is a need for beginner graphic novels, or for students who love any animal duo.—Danielle Schwessinger - Copyright 2024 Publishers Weekly, Library Journal and/or School Library Journal used with permission.
