Super Amoeba (Squish #1)

For a single-celled organism, Squish the amoeba leads an awfully complicated existence. His two best friends--Pod, a bowtie-wearing amoeba nerd, and Peggy, a pathologically cheerful paramecium--are a constant thorn in his side; he just can't seem to make it to school in time; and Lynwood the school bully wants to swallow him whole. When yet another bout of tardiness lands the whole group in detention, Squish is faced with a full-blown moral dilemma: in order to save Peggy from becoming Lynwood's next between-meal snack, he has to let the big bully copy his next science test. Can even our precocious protozoan hero get himself out of this one? The Holms strike a breezy, goofy tone right out of the gate, and Squish is a likably put-upon lead character, but beyond him the book doesn't offer much; his pals are annoying and the villain has as many dimensions as he has cells (that is, one). Add to that a disappointing two-color palette, and the whole undertaking seems flatter than a microscope slide. Squish may be an amorphous blob, but he needs to whip his supporting cast into shape for issue two. Ages 7-10. (May)

Gr 2-4--The creators of "Babymouse" (Random) return with the more boy-centric Squish. He lives in a world that is a microscopic facsimile of our own. The only difference is that everyone is an amoeba, including his best friends, nerdy Pod and relentlessly chipper Peggy. Squish faces a dilemma when the school bully wants to copy off his science test. The menacing amoeba even threatens to eat Peggy if he doesn't get his way. Squish fantasizes about dealing with the problem like Super Amoeba, the hero of his favorite comic book, who always has the "courage to do what's right." While the conclusion is a bit abrupt, it will likely generate laughs and leave readers ready for the next installment. Characters are mostly types, with a clear focus on laughs and moving the plot along. The loose, inky cartoon illustrations are bathed in shades of lime green. Panel layouts are simple and clear, ensuring first-time graphic-novel readers a smooth ride. Likable and entertaining, Super Amoeba will be super popular.--Travis Jonker, Dorr Elementary School, MI