Gr 2-5 Geronimo Stilton is backand in a brand-new format. Angleberger, best known for his "Origami Yoda" series, adapts the escapades about the renowned rat reporter into a graphic novel. A horrible stench has invaded New Mouse City, and citizens are leaving in droves. So Geronimo and his old pal private detective Hercule Poirat venture into the smelly sewers of Mouse Island, where they discover a secret society of rats plotting to take over the world. As in the original prose books, emphasized words are set in contrasting, often dramatic typefaces, and the book is filled with rodent-related puns and references to cheese. But Angleberger has put his own stamp on the long-running series. Unlike the sleek, clean-lined cartoons of previous iterations, his artwork is charmingly childlike, with bold outlines and simple, bright backgrounds. The book is filled with laugh-out-loud situations, endearing characters, ridiculous chase scenes, and madcap action. Amid all the fun, readers will find a lesson on the importance of reducing waste and recycling. VERDICT Great galloping Gorgonzola! Angleberger has done it again. Graphic novel lovers, reluctant readers, and fans of Geronimo Stilton will be spellbound by this hilarious tale. Kelley Gile, Cheshire Public Library, CT

Geronimo Stilton is back with an all-new look and all-new . . . stink? New Mouse City stinks, and residents are leaving to escape the overwhelming stench! With everyone gone, Geronimo, publisher of The Rodent's Gazette, decides to put on his investigator hat and do some sleuthing to see what could be the source of the horrendous smell. When he unexpectedly runs into his pal Hercule, they decide to venture into the sewers to solve the mystery. Along the way, they meet the sewer rats and their queen, Trashfur Sparkles XIII, who is up to very nefarious work. Will they be able to figure out the mystery of the stink and escape from the queen's clutches? Angleberger's cartoonish, bubbly artwork is brightly colored with large, precise lettering, perfect for emerging readers. Angleberger also incorporates a lot of nontraditional paneling styles, which, in one instance, literally lead readers along as our heroes traipse through the dreaded sewers. Perfect for fans of mysteries with a lot of fun high jinks.

The ubiquitous rodent journalist returns in a new iteration.Geronimo Stilton, publisher extraordinaire of the Rodent's Gazette, has a new story to investigate: New Mouse City is plagued by a deeply malodorous stink. As the stench intensifies, the residents flee, selling their homes. Stilton, flanked by his banana-loving friend Hercule Poirat, forays into the sewers to locate the fount of the funk. There, the duo encounters rat queen Trashfur Sparkles XIII and her Grand Council. Trashfur, the mastermind behind the nefariously noxious plan, has set her sights on wedding Hercule and marrying Geronimo off to one of her council members; how will Geronimo escape this time? This new graphic-novel series published by Graphix/Scholastic (not to be confused with Papercutz's ongoing Geronimo Stilton, Reporter graphic-novel series) and illustrated by Angleberger (of Origami Yoda fame) utilizes a decidedly more cartoonish style than the Papercutz version, more along the Dav Pilkey aesthetic. Funny and fast-paced, this offering is infused with a generous amount of over-the-top silliness, with occasional breaks to explain jokes to readers (explaining that gorgonzola is a type of cheese, for example). With easy-to-read and varied typefaces and oversized, full-color panels, this should effortlessly appeal to the younger set, making it an obvious choice for those deciding what to read next after Dog Man.A crowd pleaser in an otherwise crowded oeuvre. (Graphic fantasy. 7-10)