Pucker Power: The Super-powered Superpug

Gr 2–4—In this follow up to The Powers: The Not-So-Super-Super Heroes (Trafalgar Square, 2014), the Powers are back. This time, their dog, Pucker, meets the love of his life, a fancy French poodle with rich owners, the Parfaits. The poodle is dognapped, and while the Parfaits simply want to pay the ransom, the Powers want to lend a superpowered hand. But Pucker has a surprise—a power of his own. Through many mishaps and zany adventures, it all lands right in the end. With over-the-top antics and obvious gags, this title has the slapstick feel of Saturday morning cartoons. Charming black-and-white drawings are scattered throughout, adding to the appeal. Unfortunately, some of the British slang might be lost on the youngest readers or pose a barrier to those still struggling with literacy. Additionally, there are a lot of characters (most of whom have names that start with "P"), which might be an additional burden placed on newly independent readers.