Review - Two for One

Two for One (Bink & Gollie #2)
by Kate DiCamillo & Alison McGhee
illustrated by Tony Fucile
Date: 2012
Publisher: Candlewick
Reading level: C
Book type: graphic novel
Pages: 96
Format: e-book
Source: library

The state fair is in town, and now Bink and Gollie — utter opposites and best friends extraordinaire — must use teamwork and their gray matter while navigating its many wonders. Will the energetic Bink win the world's largest donut in the Whack-a-Duck game? Will the artistic Gollie wow the crowd in the talent show? As the undaunted duo steps into the mysterious tent of fortune-teller Madame Prunely, one prediction is crystal clear: this unlikely pair will always be the closest of pals. Get ready for more laughs in this wry, warmhearted sequel to the New York Times Book Review Best Illustrated Book Bink and Gollie, written by the award-winning, best-selling Kate DiCamillo and Alison McGhee and featuring the exuberant visual humor of illustrator Tony Fucile.

(synopsis from Goodreads)

I read the other two Bink & Gollie books earlier this year, since they were the only ones the library had. I requested Two for One last week, and now the library has the full series... so people can read the books in order. That said, there's really no need to read them in order, since the stories are all self-contained. There are little touches here and there (like that rainbow sock from the first book) that continue throughout the series, but knowing the origins of those things isn't necessary for enjoying the rest of the books.

In this installment, Bink and Gollie go to the fair. There didn't seem to be quite as much witty dialogue in this one as in the other two, although the pictures pick up the storytelling slack. The first story, where Bink tries to win a giant donut by playing Whack-a-Duck, is pretty funny. The poor Whack-a-Duck man! But the girls show their kindness in a heartwarming way, turning what could've been a tragedy into a sweet episode.

The last story involves Bink and Gollie visiting a fortune teller. It's a cute ending that wraps up everything that happened that day, and reaffirms the girls' friendship.

As always, the illustrations are great. The expressions on the girls' faces are priceless, and I love how their clothes reflect their personalities (without them always wearing the exact same thing, as characters in comics sometimes do).

While it wasn't my favourite of the series (that honour goes to the first book), I still really liked it. I wish this trilogy had been around when I was a kid. And I wish there were more books about Bink and Gollie's adventures as best friends!

Quotable moment:

"What's next?" said Bink. "The Ferris wheel? The Big Daddy Octopus? The Bump-a-ramabumper cars?"

"Destiny," said Gollie.

"Destiny?" said Bink. "Is it a ride?"

"In a manner of speaking," said Gollie.

Plot: 3/5
Characters: 5/5
Pace: 5/5
Writing & Editing: 5/5
Illustration: 4/5
Originality: 5/5

Enjoyment: 4/5

Overall Rating: 4.38 out of 5 ladybugs