Angel Catbird, Vol. 2: To Castle Catula

Gr 7 Up—This volume continues the bizarre tale of Strig, a man who accidentally turned into an owl/cat/man hybrid. His allies, cats and birds—who don't usually get along—are forced to support one another to defeat a mad scientist who wants rats to take over the world. The narrative is injected with comedy, with various characters making sarcastic asides and the mad scientist frequently making exclamations such as "SQUEE-HEE-HEE!!!" The narrative is reminiscent of a classic superhero comic, with a mix of action, humor, and a ridiculous world domination plot. As in the previous volume, the artwork is filled with color and life and will attract plenty of readers. However, the inclusion of information and website links related to topics such as cat declawing and bird extinctions, usually connected to a relevant plot point, is distracting and tends to interrupt the narrative, making the book feel less like a story and more like a lesson.