The Flying Beaver Brothers and the Evil Penguin Plan

MAXWELL EATON III is a fine arts graduate of St. Lawrence University. He is the author/illustrator of Two Dumb Ducks and the Max and Pinky series. He enjoys drawing, hiking, skiing, reading, taking roadtrips, and not getting haircuts.

A group of evil penguins steals Ace’s surfboard just before the big surfing competition. Together with his brother, Bub, the beaver must not only rescue his surfboard but also stop the penguins from hatching an evil plan and destroying the whole island. The first title in Eaton’s new series makes excellent use of deceptively simple art and snappy sound effects; in the opening sequence, readers will almost be able to feel the wind whistling past. Young readers will love the cartoonish characters, rendered in a three-color palette that is popular in Jennifer L. Holm and Matthew Holm’s Babymouse and Squish graphic novels. They’ll also enjoy the silly puns and the wacky visual humor, such as how the penguin’s submarine resembles a refrigerator. With more action than dialogue, this is an especially good pick for reluctant readers. The environmental message is on the subtle side, but kids will be eager for more beaver action, so libraries should look for volume 2 (The Flying Beaver Brothers and the Fishy Business), being released at the same time. Grades 2-4. --Snow Wildsmith