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Full Text Reviews:

School Library Journal - 02/01/2020 Gr 1–3—Like countless lovably naive children's book characters before him, such as Ben Claton's Narwhal and Sam Garton's Otter, Baloney the pig may not always know what's going on, but he approaches every adventure with enthusiasm. His best friend Peanut D. Horse is a stalwart if slightly dim-witted companion, while patient Bizz E. Bee serves as a much-needed voice of reason. Rounding out the quartet is the aptly named Krabbit, the crabby rabbit, who usually chimes in with an eye roll and a huffy "Whatever!" An endearing hero, Baloney will elicit giggles from readers. Putting on a magic show for his pals, Baloney makes a carrot disappear by asking his audience to close their eyes and then gobbling it up. Next, fearful of the wading pool, Baloney makes excuse after excuse, before finally donning goggles, swimmies, and an inner tube. Dialogue is simple yet brims with humor, and the speech bubbles are colored to match the character who is speaking (Baloney's are orange, like him; Peanut's are blue)—a helpful feature for those new to reading comic panels. Set against white backdrops, Pizzoli's cartoons have a spare, childlike style, reminiscent of Mo Willems's "Pigeon" stories. Readers won't want Baloney's adventures to end; fortunately, the book ends with directions on how to draw each of the characters so that fans can create their own stories. VERDICT Baloney and friends are the perfect next step for fans of Gerald and Piggie who are transitioning to chapter books.—Suzanne Costner, Fairview Elementary School, Maryville, TN - Copyright 2020 Publishers Weekly, Library Journal and/or School Library Journal used with permission.

Booklist - 03/15/2020 Baloney is—if you couldn’t guess—a pig, and though he’s headlining this book, he’s happy to make room for a few friends, including the empathic Peanut (horse), the sensible Bizz (bee), and the grumpy Krabbit (scowling rabbit). Through multiple stories and mini-comics, they tackle magic shows, swimming, stealing cookies, courage, and the cure for sadness (friendship, of course) with a wild exuberance that will draw young readers right in. The breathlessness of the stories is given form in brightly colored, big-eyed characters, who are always either moving or emoting and who exude clear, accessible personalities. Pizzoli has managed to bring his picture-book energy into comics form with a zing, and he’s done one better by composing pages of large panels with just one or two word balloons each, making this the rare comic that serves as a fun and easy read-aloud. A sure bet for Elephant and Piggie fans who are ready for the next step up or want to make the move to comics. - Copyright 2020 Booklist.