A white girl has taken out all her toys and throws a tantrum when her mother asks her to clean up. But her laments are put into perspective when a green baby shows up - a giant green baby - who proceeds to pick up people, rummage through houses, and treat the town as a giant toy box. When the giant, whose name is Jack, is told by his picnicking parents to pick up his toys, Molly is horrified to discover that, just like her own complaints, Jack leaves behind a giant mess!
Molly quickly becomes a stern reminder of duty, insisting the giant pick up the zoo animals, people, cars, and airplanes he has been playing with. When the giant departs, leaving behind a confused mess of partially-picked up people, houses, and vehicles, Molly is reunited with her mother but finds that her playroom is still a mess!
The layout is closer to a traditional early reader, the book being approximately 9x6, but the illustrations are closer to a picture book than a comic. Full-page illustrations are occasionally interrupted by a few strategically placed panels and speech bubbles, with a large but light font, are scattered throughout.
I do find it frustrating that, unlike the original I like to read titles, there is no leveling information. I had to guess and it's hard to say what level reader who be able to handle these. The text is simple and the sentences short, but the crowded illustrations and the need for visual literacy may make these more challenging.
Verdict: Despite a few drawbacks, comics for younger readers are a big deal right now and I think kids will enjoy picking these up along with Scholastic's Acorn titles and other early reader comics.
ISBN: 9780823446391; Published April 2021 by Holiday House; Purchased for the library
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