Go Pig or Go Home

Gr 2-4–Batpig, aka Gary Yorkshire, is back in this third graphic novel in the series from author/illustrator Harrell, split into two stories. First, Gary cuts corners with magic powder when preparing for a test and ends up cheating with the help of Sharkraham Lincoln. When an evil squidclown later appears on the roof of Gary’s school and begins a reign of benign devastation, it’s up to Batpig to save the day and undo the effects of his academic dishonesty. In the second story, Gary, along with fish Carl and bat Brook, are off to Camp Moldy Snout, where Carl accidentally angers lake monster Grumbles when he pollutes the lake with bug spray made from pork by-products. While saving the day, Batpig accidentally reveals his identity, which leads to a personal crisis over anonymity versus celebrity. This briskly paced middle grade graphic novel is a great pick for those who enjoy extreme silliness and anthropomorphic animals. Quirky character designs, dark linework, and an overabundance of text result in illustrations that burst with as much enthusiasm as Gary has for Pop-Tarts.