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Ninja!
Ninja! illus. by Arree Chung. 40p. Holt. Jun. 2014. Tr $16.99. ISBN 9780805099119.
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K-Gr 2—Readers riding high on the ninja craze will find this treatise on how to be a successful one quite enlightening. For instance, ninjas need special equipment—a thick stick, silent footwear, sticky gloves, etc. A ninja sneaks, creeps, and is fast on his feet. He will face danger (look out, family pets), show courage, and, most importantly, master the art of SURPRISE! Readers follow the main character through comic-book-style panels as he moves with stealthlike precision, covertly navigating each room and the furniture, to fulfill his mission of capturing his prize: his sister's snack. Silent as a spider, this cartoonish little guy is regaled in makeshift black ninja fashion (where is Dad's necktie?), with only his wide eyes (and several teeth) visible to his enemies. Acrylic paints and mixed media enhance the comic-strip portrayal of a modern ninja on his quest. Heavy, dark tones are enhanced with bursts of color, such as brightly hued, fiery dragon images in keeping with the theme. Oversize heads and exaggerated expressions round out the laugh-out-loud fun. Prospective ninjas, take notice!—Carol Connor, Cincinnati Public Schools, OHMaxwell is a creative--and hungry!--young ninja. Chung's humorous and vibrant illustrations and simple text achieve the right pacing for Maxwell's singular mission: chocolate chip cookies. Maxwell's maneuvers are captured in digitally manipulated acrylic paintings with collage, through comic-style panels and double-page spreads rich with details both real and imagined. Readers will applaud Maxwell's over-the-top ninja antics.
Maxwell, a creative--and hungry!--young ninja, will inspire legions of nascent warriors with this tale of an epic snack-time quest. Chung's humorous and vibrant illustrations and simple text achieve the right pacing for Maxwell's singular mission: chocolate chip cookies. A good ninja is a prepared ninja, and Maxwell is well accessorized: a thick stick (pool cue), silent footwear (slip-on sneakers), gloves (rubber ones from the kitchen), rope (jump rope), etc. With a confident "I AM A NINJA!" leap, he sneaks, creeps, tumbles, and climbs his way through obstacles (that are not actual impediments) to the kitchen, where, under the watchful gaze of his toddler sister, he steals her cookies and, in a remarkably well-executed finale, a cup of milk. Maxwell's maneuvers are captured in digitally manipulated acrylic paintings with collage, through comic-style panels and double-page spreads rich with details both real and imagined. A mischievous dragon oversees the snack grab and guides our ninja's stealthiest moves--then sticks around to celebrate. Readers will applaud Maxwell's over-the-top ninja antics and giggle as he takes his unsuspecting family by surprise. Pair this with DaCosta and Young's Nighttime Ninja (rev. 11/12) for additional proof that the way of the ninja is easily integrated into daily life. pamela yosca
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