The Biggest, Bestest Time Ever!

Gr 3—6—Fans of Calvin and Hobbes will gravitate to this graphic-novel chapter book featuring an inventive kid and his talking dog. Mal has typical social trouble at school, hiding his intelligence and struggling to make his feelings known to a cute girl while trying to avoid the class blowhard. His single mom doesn't seem to be very supportive, sending him to bed without supper, threatening to ground him, and spanking him in the first three chapters, but these travails set him up as an underdog who will prevail in the end. Mal's great ideas are augmented by his miraculous inventions (shrink ray, jet pack, time machine), which take him and his dog, Chad, on exciting adventures to exotic locales, all in service to the overall story line. The great buddy relationship and some sweet moments (look for the pals dancing to the elevator music in the time machine) keep readers emotionally connected.—Paula Willey, Baltimore County Public Library, Towson, MD