Bound To Stay Bound

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School Library Journal - 01/01/2015 Gr 2–4—Rutabaga is on the prowl for adventure, but not the kind that most knights and warriors yearn for. As an adventure chef, Rutabaga, along with his magical walking kettle, Pot, explores magical lands and looks for rare ingredients and exotic monsters to cook in order to make the most amazing meals possible. He first follows a group of knights on the hunt for a giant and possibly tasty dragon and soon ends up cooking for everyone, from kings and royal pets to barbarians and ghosts. Things hardly ever go as planned, however, and Rutabaga often has to concoct an exquisite dish to solve his problems and help his friends. As the story continues, Rutabaga doesn't really transition between adventures and more or less just wanders off until he happens on his next quest, making this selection feel more like a collection of short comics than an actual book. Still, author Colossal perfectly mixes action and humor, similar in style to "Adventure Time" comics writer Ryan North, only with simple enough language to please the chapter book-reading crowd. And his simple, manga-influenced illustrations will be just as easily accessible. A promising first course in a series that could really take off.—Peter Blenski, Greenfield Public Library, WI - Copyright 2015 Publishers Weekly, Library Journal and/or School Library Journal used with permission.

Booklist - 01/01/2015 Rutabaga loves food so much that he has set out on an adventure to find the rarest, most exotic ingredients to add to his cookbook. When he is plucking mushrooms from a sword, he is interrupted by a troupe of adventurers who are on their way to defeat a dragon, and Rutabaga, eager to try his very first dragon steak, begs to come along. He is clumsy and a bit of a goof, but his food is delicious, so they invite him to join their team. In small panels with blocky figures shaded by benday dots, Colossal playfully tells the story, originally a web comic, of Rutabaga’s madcap adventures, which include a creature who eats only dream food, a cook-off with a crotchety old chef, and some fierce, grizzled warriors. And at every turn, following an enthusiastic “Let’s get cooking!” Rutabaga whips up something tasty. A couple of recipes end the volume, but even Rutabaga’s culinary feats in the comic—bare-bones instructions are included in the panels—could easily inspire young adventure chefs to make some gourmet grub of their own. - Copyright 2015 Booklist.

Bulletin for the Center... - 05/01/2015 Rutabaga is a chef on a mission - he’s tired of ordinary fare and has embarked on a quest to find the most adventurous ingredients he can. Rutabaga joins company with various groups in this graphic novel, flitting from heroic wannabe dragon slayers to a cranky cook who needs to shake up his kitchen, all in the pursuit of honing his craft. Our culinary-minded protagonist is kind and generous if a bit prone to melodrama, and he is surrounded by a mix of clever, obstreperous, and often memorable characters who all nudge Rutabaga toward seeing things beyond his own portable kitchen. The graphic-novel format works well here, pairing vivid retro-toned illustrations with a mostly cheerful, bouncy narration. Rutabaga’s huge eyes capture his range of emotions, and his animated cooking pot somehow manages to be rather expressive, despite a complete lack of facial features. While the medieval setting isn’t used to much effect, it adds a framework of setting for the Vikings, taverns, and kingly legends that pop up in the book. Since the recipes sprinkled throughout the book all look delicious but use at least one fictional ingredient, future chefs will be well pleased that there are a few real recipes at the end of the book. AS - Copyright 2015 The Board of Trustees of the University of Illinois.

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