Lyric McKerrigan, Secret Librarian

Gr 1-3--The nefarious Doctor Glockenspiel has escaped from the Depository for the Criminally Naughty, and unless he is paid one billion trillion dollars, he will set loose an army of giant moths to devour the world's books! Enter Lyric McKerrigan, secret librarian, who foils Doctor Glockenspiel's plans at every turn with perfectly selected tomes slipped to exactly the right people at exactly the right time. Thanks to Lyric's clever disguises, cunning readers' advisory tactics, and persuasive storytelling talents, Doctor Glockenspiel is returned to his cell, where, of course, the secret librarian has left him a few books to occupy his time. The story is told in spare text, and it is Brosgol's winning graphic-style illustrations that really steal the show. Done in ink with color in Adobe Photoshop, the art is effervescent, with bold lines, bright colors, expressive faces, and several well-placed visual gags to reward attentive readers. VERDICT Sure to delight budding comic fans, crime fighters, and bibliophiles alike.--Lauren Strohecker, McKinley Elementary School, Elkins Park, PA

What if there were a superhero who could give people in trouble the very book they need most? Weinstein (Hyacinth and the Secrets Beneath) spins this winning concept out with cheeky hilarity, starting with the evil Doctor Glockenspiel's threat to set an army of giant moths loose on the world's books if he doesn't get "one billion trillion dollars." After Glockenspiel's henchmen capture the world's best secret agents, a mysterious plumber slips the ill-used henchmen a book called Your Boss Can't Do That, and an imprisoned hero finds a copy of How to Pick Locks in a bowl handed to her by a jailkeeper sporting suspiciously dark shades. But who could be supplying these books? Lyric McKerrigan, of course! Caldecott Honor-winning artist Brosgol (Leave Me Alone!) draws heroes and evildoers with wit: the henchmen are portly white men in three-piece suits, while the heroes are a diverse bunch, each with their own splendid sense of style. Against a palette that ranges from hot oranges to celestial blues, Lyric McKerrigan, with her pink bangs and lime green leggings, saves the day by dint of book recommendation. Ages 4-7. (Sept.)