Blip!

K-Gr 2—Full of easy sight words, with a few panels per page, this graphic novel will appeal to beginning readers and budding comic book fans. Audiences will identify with the lonely robot as he eagerly searches for companionship. The book opens when the robot crashes his spaceship and is set adrift on a strange planet. Hearing a bang, he goes in search of the sound. On his journey he meets a psychedelic cat, a raging dragon, and an imitative bird. The robot attempts to talk to them but can utter only the word blip. Sadly, he is misunderstood time and time again. The robot's adventures take him underwater, through a mushroom forest and video game-like mazes. His pursuit eventually leads him to a newfound friend. The few words in this text are often alliterative (bleep, blip, and bang), and the colorful pages are filled with action and emotion. As with all Toon books, there are tips for parents and teachers on how to read comics with kids.