Bound To Stay Bound

Bulletin for the Center... - 12/01/2005 A new hero emerges in these graphic novels about the resolute mouse, Babymouse, who faces the average third-grade set of problems with an audacious sense of humor and a vivid imagination. In Babymouse: Queen of the World!, she’s underwhelmed by her mundane grade-school existence, where the highlights are “an overdue library book and a locker that stuck.” Initially sure that the popular crowd, especially Felicia Furrypants, represents the thrills she craves, she ultimately realizes that her best friend, Wilson, and their usual Friday night monster movie are all she needs for a great life. In Babymouse: Our Hero, the two main challenges are fractions and dodgeball. Concluding that math class is like a prison sentence and “Prisoner #587 3/4 had been sentenced for life,” Babymouse envisions herself being found guilty of not showing her work, sitting in her cell scratching equations into the cinderblock walls, and planning a daring escape through a tunnel that unfortunately lands her back in class. Her abhorrence of dodgeball, however, presents an obstacle that even Babymouse can’t daydream her way through. Although she does save the day after Wilson is downed, Babymouse’s moment of heroism is interrupted by the realization that vanquished bullies are rarely gracious losers. The artwork is simple and accessible; the black lines are sturdy yet energetic, and pink accents indicate Babymouse’s frequent daydream sequences and add touches of color. The sometimes sarcastic and always informative contrast between the understated narrative captions and the high-energy speech bubbles of the characters helps establish the separation between the way life appears to adults and the way it actually feels to children. Graphic novels for the early elementary set are rare, and this humorous and adventurous series will be snapped up. - Copyright 2005 The Board of Trustees of the University of Illinois.

Booklist - 12/01/2005 This energetic comic by a brother-sister team (Jennifer's Our Only May Amelia was a Newbery Honor Book) introduces Babymouse, a young rodent possessed of an admirably gender-bending array of interests and plagued by typical school traumas. The main confrontation takes place on the harrowing battlefield known as the dodgeball court, the site of an earlier trauma for Babymouse. At the end of a furious match, arrogant class idol Felicia Furrypaws (a cat, of course) gets a satisfying comeuppance and Babymouse faces her fears. Free-wheeling pink-toned illustrations admirably catch all the action. - Copyright 2005 Booklist.