Breaking Down

Gr 8 Up—Breaking Down is the completely unauthorized parody of Stephenie Meyer's "Twilight" series and the films that go with it. It begins by lampooning the events of the first three books before getting down to business. Even readers unfamiliar with the series will be able to grasp the high points of the story and what is being parodied; they don't need to know the details or every nuance as the book is funny and clever on its own, with all of the characters defined and consistent in their silliness. The artwork seems to get much of its inspiration from the cast of the movies and is inconsistent at times, especially with Bleh, the parodied version of Bella. On the plus side, Parker spices up the backgrounds of the panels with funny visuals, many of which will make readers laugh out loud.—Erick Knapp, Davis Library, Plano, TX