As I turned pages, I quickly became ten years old again. I fell in love with HD, Jr.’s scrambled world and his tough guy patter. I loved the way the book proceeds just like a “real” private eye movie would. Our fearless hero follows the trail, discovers possible villains, and gets embroiled between the cops and the bad guys. Not only that, but so much of the fairy tale world every kids becomes acquainted with while growing up get splashed onto every page.
The art is rich and vibrant at times, but drawn so simply that many young readers might find themselves encouraged to pick up a pencil and try their hands at drawing the characters. The illustrations add a depth to the prose story that’s invaluable for beginning readers.
Fans of Dav Pilkey’s Captain Underpants series and Kirk Scroggs’s Wiley and Grampa’s Creature Features will love this series because it feels familiar yet will take them into a new and familiar world. The first two books in the Humpty Dumpty, Jr: Hardboiled Detective just hit the bookshelves on October 1. The third book won’t be out until May ’09, but I’m already looking forward to it!
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