Lemon Bird: Can Help!

Gr 1-4--Lemon Bird desperately wants to learn how to fly. While practicing one day, she comes across a sad, orange Pupkin entangled in garden vines and frees him. The duo then meet up with other pupkins and make their way back to the farmhouse. In the middle of the night, mischievous Pupkin wakes Lemon Bird up for some late night shenanigans that result in them falling asleep amidst the vegetable harvest in the farmer's truck bed. When they wake up, they are dismayed to learn that they are in town and without a ride! Now Lemon Bird and Pupkin must find their way home--helping others and making friends along the way. This short graphic novel is a plot-driven, accessible first foray into fantasy, thanks in part to the dominant role of the adorable, highly expressive fruit animals. The simple but appealing storyline has a heartwarming message emphasizing themes of positivity and persistence. Young readers will relate to Lemon Bird's frustration and repeated efforts at trying to master a desperately desired skill. Because the plot revolves around an animal's point of view, the worldbuilding details are conveyed largely through the vibrantly colored visuals rather than through text. The action lines and sound effects within the varied page layouts are visually engaging and help to move the story along at a brisk pace. Additional materials include "How to Draw Lemon Bird" instructions, fruit animals examples, and a short bonus comic. VERDICT Sure to be a hit among young readers starting to get into graphic novels, especially fans of Pea, Bee, & Jay and Owly. Recommended purchase for public and school libraries.--Pearl Derlaga

At once surreal and sugary, Ganucheau's (Zodiac Starforce) early chapter book comic doubles down on kawaii and kindness. While practicing aerial maneuvers, non-aerodynamic Lemon Bird, an oblong yellow creature whose peel serves as wings, crash-lands and heroically frees a pumpkin-puppy mash-up--an orange pupkin--from a tangle of vines. When the two mischievously sneak aboard a vegetable truck and fall asleep in a carrot crate, they awaken at a faraway farm stand and must find their way home in time for pupkin adoption day. Along the way, the two pause to assist others by planting a garden, hanging laundry, and doing other good deeds. Sound effects, such as Pupkin's sad "awoooo" and the "whhhzzzzz... fwah" of Lemon Bird catapulting to the rescue, punctuate saturated digital art in a hypernatural palette: a neon-yellow-dappled forest shadowed in deep evergreen reveals a strawberry-hued rabbit, and lofty sunset-pink clouds float in blue-and-yellow skies. Meanwhile, minimal dialogue keeps the pace up (humans, portrayed with varying skin tones and fanciful hair colors, speak in strings of stars and symbols) in this action-intensive story for early readers. Like the gummy candy they resemble, the hybrid animal-fruits possess a comforting sweetness and a fizzy pop style. Ages 4-8. Agent: Charlie Olsen, InkWell Management. (Aug.)