Squish: Super Amoeba by Jennifer and Matthew Holm

A new super hero is on the scene! It's Squish! Defender of amoebas everywhere! At least in his imagination. I hear Squish was the product of Babymouse's mad science, but he's definitely a character on his own. Squish, his genius best friend Pod and sort of best friend the utterly optimistic Peggy!!! make their way through a day at school, facing typical school problems like boredom, weird lunches, and bullies...who want to engulf you and digest you! Can Squish think of a way to save the oblivious Peggy from the terrifying Lynwood? Can he be Super Amoeba when he's needed most? Parents looking for a "lesson" in how to deal with bullies won't find it here. Squish spends most of the book confused, scared, and trying to placate Lynwood and keep him from eating Peggy - in other words, totally realistic behavior. Kids will snicker over the jokes, see some of themselves in the characters, and basically have a blast! In a departure from the tastefully pink Babymouse, Squish is all greens and whites, a fitting choice for the amoebas and molds that slide and lurch through the story.

Verdict: I didn't find this story as appealing as the Babymouse; it felt rather loosely structured and the solving of the bully problem certainly wasn't...well, expected to say the least. But kids will love the silly humor and weird characters. A must have, of course, buy in library bound and prepare for constant checkouts

ISBN: 9780375843891; Published May 2011 by Random; ARC provided by publisher at ALA Midwinter 2011; Purchased for the library