Mellybean and the giant monster
(Graphic Novel)

In this charming comics series starter told in brief chapters, adopted dog Mellybean wants nothing more than to play with her cat siblings, but when they trick Mellybean into burying their owner's shoe, she discovers a portal to a medieval fantasy world. Upon arrival, Melly lands atop Narra, a comically oversize unihorned rabbit who possesses abundant magical powers and "has pretty much had it with humans." From there, Melly runs into a vainglorious, gold- and sports-obsessed king who taxes his people relentlessly. Three orphans implore Melly and Narra to help rescue the orphanage's head from the dungeons, where the king imprisoned her for spending her tax money on the children's food and clothing. The graphic novel may skew slightly younger than its intended audience due to simple plotting and diction, but Melly's infectious enthusiasm ("Oh boy! I'm so good at hiding stuff"), portrayed through straightforward art, makes her a very good dog, indeed. Final art not seen by PW. Ages 8--12. Agent: Gemma Cooper, the Bent Agency. (Oct.)

The characters in this graphic novel are so exhausting that it's endearing. Melly the dog looks exactly the way a cartoon character is supposed to. Small, scruffy, and black, she has bright eyes and a head the same size as her body. She wants to play every game--wrestling, fetch, tug of war--even when everybody else is trying to take a nap. The cats in her house are not fond of her. They're almost relieved when she falls through a hole, Wonderland-style, into another world. The land is ruled by one of the few people with as much energy as Melly, a king who's constantly posing for statues and competing for trophies. Anyone who beats him risks being sent to the dungeon--either the "nicer dungeon," where "you can smell cinnamon buns but not eat them," or the "worst dungeon," with "sad clown paintings." Fortunately for readers, another key character is less frenetic, a jaded monster named Narra who's lost faith in the human race--with good reason. If Eeyore were a gigantic yellow Pokemon, he'd be Narra. The artwork, with its bold colors, actually resembles the Pokemon cartoons, but the characters are even cuddlier. They're defiant enough, though, to appeal to cynical readers, and the story ends with a revolution. (The king is White, but the rebels and the other human characters are racially diverse.) And the jokes are both subversive and hilarious. This story is funny enough to get away with being utterly adorable. (Graphic fantasy. 6-11) Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.