Kirkus
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His 21 froglets’ messy bedrooms have caused harried papa Flippy the fish to cancel today’s Cat Kid Comic Club meeting. “It’s the WORST DAY of ALL TIME!” That doesn’t stop the fun in this fourth entry in Pilkey’s nth-degree zany series. Breathless reporter Sarah Hatoff is on hand to admire Wendy and Raine’s wholly fictitious biography of their father; Summer and Starla’s autumnally themed haiku-and-photographs sequence; Gilbert and Curly’s Frogzilla comic; and more. These minicomics are, per established pattern, interspersed with scenes of the froglets explaining their processes, cleaning (creatively), and, in the case of self-appointed director and agent Melvin and Naomi (respectively), trying to find their better selves. The volume’s theme allows readers to contemplate both creative collaboration and sweet Poppy’s gentle demonstrations of how small acts can have great impacts. As before, Pilkey deftly balances quiet life lessons with sheer loopiness for a winning, kid-friendly romp. The formula allows him to showcase solid technical advice and different modes of storytelling within a frame that advances a family story—and he makes it look easy. Human characters are rare; Hatoff presents White and the cameraman, Black, and human comics characters are depicted as racially diverse. Wise, funny, and whiplash-inducing: Pilkey delivers again. (notes & fun facts) (Graphic fiction. 8-12) Copyright © Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.