Hammy and Gerbee: Mummies at the Museum

Gr 2–5—Like the best dynamic duos, Hammy and Gerbee share many things: both are rodents, both have Miss Capybara as their teacher, and neither can stand their twin classmates, Anna and Hanna. When Miss Capybara hosts a spelling test and Anna bests Hammy, Anna gets to decide the class's surprise field trip. In a masterstroke, Hammy and Gerbee trick her into choosing the science museum. The pair's penchant for tomfoolery pervades the panels—resulting in a lot of self-congratulatory fist bumps and more than a few hairy situations. Yee, known mostly for picture books and early readers, uses spare panels and plenty of white space to create an early graphic novel that's a great introduction to those new to the format. Sections are divided into nine short chapters. Characters speak about the author and literally leave the panels to escape danger, adding a meta-fictive flourish to the humor. From Rodentia to Ratakomen, rodent-related puns riddle the text. Back matter includes some facts about Egypt that add context to the story. The book is only two colors (blue and white), which may deter die-hard color comics devotees, but those who take a chance on this title will be pleased indeed. Fans of Jarrett J. Krosoczka's "Lunch Lady," Drew Brockington's "CatStronauts," and Ashley Spires's "Binky" will enjoy the animal antics and look forward to future installments in the series.