Review - Piranhas Don't Eat Bananas

Piranhas Don't Eat Bananas
by Aaron Blabey
Date: 2015
Publisher: Scholastic Press
Reading level: C
Book type: picture book
Pages: 24
Format: e-book
Source: library

Find out what piranhas eat -- and don't eat! -- in this new, irresistibly funny picture book from Aaron Blabey, the bestselling creator of Pig the Pug!

Everyone knows that piranhas don't eat bananas -- except for Brian. This little fish loves to munch not only on bananas, but on fruit of all kinds! Brian's piranha friends think he's crazy. Piranhas don't eat bananas -- their sharp teeth are for eating meat! And there's a scrumptious pair of feet dangling in the water nearby...

Rich with author-illustrator Aaron Blabey's hysterical text and unforgettably wacky illustrations, Piranhas Don't Eat Bananas is a hilarious story about trying new things -- no matter how strange they seem!

(synopsis from Goodreads)

Poor Brian. Life's not easy when you're a frugivore... and a piranha. In funny rhyme, Piranhas Don't Eat Bananas details a conversation between Brian and his friends as he tries to convince them that fruit is awesome... and they try to remind him that body parts are delicious.

I first encountered Aaron Blabey's work in The Bad Guys series of chapter books, which also feature a piranha. But I loved seeing these fish in full colour. Kids will love the silly rhymes, and there's plenty of bum talk (without getting too crass).

Overall, this was a pleasant surprise. If you're looking for amusing picture books in rhyme, you might want to check this one out. (As a bonus, you might learn a little something about piranhas and bananas, too!)

Quotable moment:

Premise: 4/5
Meter: 4/5
Writing: 3/5
Illustrations: 4/5
Originality: 5/5

Enjoyment: 4/5

Overall: 4 out of 5

Review - The Bad Guys in Intergalactic Gas

The Bad Guys in Intergalactic Gas (The Bad Guys #5)
by Aaron Blabey
Date: 2017
Publisher: Scholastic Press
Reading level: C
Book type: graphic novel
Pages: 144
Format: e-book
Source: library

The bad news? The world is ending. The good news? The Bad Guys are back to save it! Sure, they might have to ‘borrow’ a rocket...And there might be something nasty in one of the spacesuits...And Mr Piranha might have eaten too many bean burritos...But seriously, how BAD can it be? How bad?! SUPER BAD. It’s one small step for the Sort-Of-International-League-Of-Good-Guys-Guys. It’s one giant leap for The Bad Guys.

(synopsis from Goodreads)

This installment sees the Bad Guys on the moon, trying to stop Dr. Marmalade's evil plans. There's quite a bit of fart humour in this one (as if you didn't see that coming, with all the talk of bean burritos), but I found it pretty entertaining. There's some nice character development with Mr. Snake, as well. And, of course, there's a cliffhanger ending. I guess we're going to be dealing with aliens next.

Will the Bad Guys prevail? I guess I'll just have to keep reading to find out.

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

Enjoyment: 4/5

Overall Rating: 3.63 out of 5 ladybugs

Review - The Bad Guys in Attack of the Zittens

The Bad Guys in Attack of the Zittens (The Bad Guys #4)
by Aaron Blabey
Date: 2016
Publisher: Scholastic Press
Reading level: C
Book type: graphic novel
Pages: 144
Format: e-book
Source: library

It's a zombie kitten apocalypse!

Can the Bad Guys save the world from evil Dr. Marmalade's meowing monsters?!? They'll need help from foxy Agent Fox, a swampy secret zombie antidote, and the feistiest, toothiest, hungriest granny around. Get ready to watch the fur fly!

(synopsis from Goodreads)

These books are so goofy. This time, the Bad Guys are trying to stop Dr. Marmalade's army of zombie kittens. Luckily, they have help from an alligator with allergies. Unluckily (for Mr. Snake, anyway), she has a hankering for snake meat.

I think I enjoyed this one a little more than the last installment. We still ended on a cliffhanger and Dr. Marmalade is still in the wind, but the Bad Guys are on it.

Next stop? The moon...

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

Enjoyment: 3/5

Overall Rating: 3.25 out of 5 ladybugs

Review - The Bad Guys in The Furball Strikes Back

The Bad Guys in The Furball Strikes Back (The Bad Guys #3)
by Aaron Blabey
Date: 2016
Publisher: Scholastic Press
Reading level: C
Book type: graphic novel
Pages: 144
Format: e-book
Source: library

The Bad Guys are about to have a very BAD day!

Mr. Wolf and his bad buddies have messed with the wrong guinea pig--one who is secretly an evil mad scientist. And the nasty little furball wants revenge! Will they survive? Will they be heroes? And will they ever stop trying to eat each other?!?

It's time for the Bad Guys to spring into action!

(synopsis from Goodreads)

This is funny, but incomplete. Unlike the previous two books in the series, this one doesn't really have a full plot. A new character is introduced, the villain escapes, and the Bad Guys have another new problem to deal with.

The funny touches are all there, complete with snark and bathroom humour. But this book feels kind of rushed and light on plot, at least compared to the previous installments.

Luckily, I've already got the next book, The Bad Guys in Attack of the Zittens, so I can keep reading and find out if this story arc gets resolved.

Plot: 2/5
Characters: 3/5
Pace: 3/5
Writing & Editing: 4/5
Illustration: 3/5
Originality: 4/5

Enjoyment: 3/5

Overall Rating: 3.13 out of 5 ladybugs

Review - The Bad Guys in Mission Unpluckable

The Bad Guys in Mission Unpluckable (The Bad Guys #2)
by Aaron Blabey
Date: 2015
Publisher: Scholastic Press
Reading level: C
Book type: graphic novel
Pages: 144
Format: e-book
Source: library

The Bad Guys next mission? Rescue 10,000 chickens from a high-tech cage farm. But they are up against sizzling lasers, one feisty tarantula, and their very own Mr. Snake...who's also known as "The Chicken Swallower." What could possibly go wrong?

Get ready to laugh up your lunch with the baddest bunch of do-gooders in town!

(synopsis from Goodreads)

I read the first book in this series last year, and since I enjoyed it, I thought I'd continue and try the next one. It's still pretty funny, with a good plot and entertaining characters (including a tarantula that makes Mr. Shark really nervous).

In this installment, the Bad Guys decide to give PETA a run for their money and break into a chicken farm to free the 10,000 chickens that are being held there. With the help of their new friend, Legs, they disable the security systems and break into the place... all while wearing onesies (yes, even the piranha). But, of course, things don't go quite according to plan, since Mr. Snake really loves to eat meet chickens. I wasn't sure if we were in for a sad or happy ending for a while there.

But the resolution is funny, and there's a bit of a silly (in a good way) cliffhanger ending that leads into the next book in the series. These books are a fun little diversion. They're easy, quick reads that will probably have appeal for kids who want a little more of a challenge than a 32-page picture book.

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

Enjoyment: 3/5

Overall Rating: 3.5 out of 5 ladybugs

Review - The Bad Guys

The Bad Guys (The Bad Guys #1)
by Aaron Blabey
Date: 2015
Publisher: Scholastic
Reading level: C
Book type: graphic novel
Pages: 144
Format: e-book
Source: library

They sound like bad guys, they look like bad guys... and they even smell like bad guys. But Mr. Wolf, Mr. Piranha, Mr. Snake, and Mr. Shark are about to change all of that...

Mr. Wolf has a daring plan for the Bad Guys' first good mission. They are going to break two hundred dogs out of the Maximum Security City Dog Pound. Will Operation Dog Pound go smoothly? Will the Bad Guys become the Good Guys? And will Mr. Snake please stop swallowing Mr. Piranha?!

(synopsis from Goodreads)

Okay... well, that was... interesting.

I think it was a little younger than I was expecting. Most of the graphic novels I've read so far have been for middle graders, but this one is really aimed at younger kids. You've got some funny characters, some potty humour, and a basic story. What's not to like? I mean, if you're eight years old...

An overly exuberant wolf decides he wants to go straight, and he takes some of his bad-guy friends along for the ride. There's Mr. Snake, who likes to swallow things. There's Mr. Piranha, who likes to bite things (and who I heard in my head as Cheech Marin for some reason). Lastly, there's Mr. Shark, who is... well, a big bad shark. They're not as enthused about this do-gooder project as the wolf, but they go along with his plans, anyway.

I wasn't that crazy about the plot, but by the time the book was over, I was kind of wanting more. Some parts were kind of funny (like the dog jail, and the way all the dogs kept thinking Mr. Piranha was a sardine). Of course, there had to be some fart jokes thrown in there. And, for some reason, Mr. Piranha has a tongue that looks like a pair of testicles. I have no idea why, and kids might not even notice, but it was kind of a WTF moment for me when I saw that.

This is apparently the first book in a series. I doubt I'll be reading the rest. But I can see how this would be a great series for reluctant young readers.

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

Enjoyment: 3/5

Overall Rating: 3.5 out of 5 ladybugs