Review by Scott Tingley, September 01, 2009
Things I learned from reading Johnny Boo & the Happy Apples:
1. Eating too much ice cream makes your muscles floopy.
2. Eating apples makes you strong.
3. Apples come from trees.
4. Wednesdays are SCARY.
5. Ice Cream Monsters are not to be trusted – no matter what day of the week it is.
6. Monsters have magic tummies, but it is undetermined whether they have satelite or basic cable.
7. Johnny Boo & the Happy Apples is a comic story written and drawn by a professional cartoonist (James Kochalka) in a way that makes it read like it was actually written by a very clever six year old. No self-respecting grownup would ever create a book as awesomely silly and fun this.
8. My own kids (4 ½ and 2 ½ ) thought it was silly (which means good).
9. I (Scott Tingley) am actually quoted (from a review I did on book 1) on the promotional literature provided by the publisher – on the same sheet of paper as a quote from BOOKLIST and from DJ Lance Rock from Yo Gabba Gabba. Very nice - that's a keeper.
10. Johnny Boo & the Happy Apples (Book 3), out now, is a full color hardcover comic (6”x9”), costs 9.95 (a good price compared to other kid's storybooks) and is published by Top Shelf Productions (publisher of great kids graphic novels/comics like: SpiralBound, Grampa and Julie: Shark Hunters and Owly).
Things I already knew about Johnny Boo:
1. Boys in my grade three class last year really liked Johnny Boo (book 1): The Best Little Ghost in the World.
2. They liked the short story in 2008's Top Shelf Free Comic Book Day issue
3. They will like this one as well.
4. This newest book (book 3) and the other two are perfect for about ages 4-9. My little girl wasn't crazy about the Ice Cream Monster loosing his cool and eating Johnny Boo and his pet ghost Squiggle, but since it all ends silly she was okay with it. Some 9yr olds might feel too cool for the cartoony art, but the cool kids in my grade three class liked it – so there.
5. James Kochalka is awesome. My class wrote to him a couple years ago and he wrote back. Very nice indeed.
6. It costs $9.95 (US), it's ISBN # is 978-1-60309-041-4, and you can see a preview and order it HERE.
Note: Johnny Boo says “what the heck?” once. Thought you might want to know.
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