Coverly brings his popular syndicated cartoon, Speed Bump, into the realm of illustrated chapter books with this lively series opener. True to its roots, a cartoon sequence precedes the first chapter and sets the stage for comic misadventure. Being Early Bird's little brother is frustrating for young Speed Bump, whose tiny wings and habit of sleeping in make him unlikely to catch any worms at all. But when the night crawlers band together to fight back, Speed Bump and his friend Slingshot's slingshot save the day. Throughout, art dominates the page, and different typography is used for narrative text and speech bubbles. Coverly's drawings are full of visual jokes, and the narrative is packed with playful language: one entire chapter, "Hatching a Plan," is chock-full of bird-related puns, and Slingshot practices his French ese words are quickly translated hopes of impressing a hen he met in New Orleans. Clever, imaginative, and precisely targeted to its audience (there's even a poop joke), this new series is sure to please.

Bird Speed Bump longs to be smarter and faster like his brother, Early Bird (he always gets the worm), until he and pal Slingshot manage to foil an evil plot against Early Bird. This graphic novel/chapter book hybrid explores themes of loyalty, fear, and self-confidence. With plenty of avian gags, the overall vibe is silly; the slapstick illustrations reward careful observation.

Gr 1-3 This first chapter book series from Coverly, an internationally syndicated cartoonist whose "Speed Bump" cartoons appear in more than 400 newspapers, and the winner of the prestigious Reuben Award for Best Cartoonist, focuses on the travails of a bird named Speed Bump. Speed Bump's brother is the illustrious Early Bird, the one who always gets the worm. This isn't Speed Bump's only problem. He has a hard time waking up, his wings are tiny, his tail feathers are short, and his head is larger than his body. Fortunately, he has a great friend, Slingshot, who knows how to brighten Speed Bump's days. Together they have a life-changing adventure deep in the nighttime forest. Filled with subtle irony, wordplay, and gentle pokes at life, the text is accompanied by appealingly large, cartoon-style, black-and-white line drawings. VERDICT This story will have students laughing out loud and reluctant readers asking for the sequel. Paula Huddy, The Blake School-Highcroft Campus, Wayzata, MN