Gr 6-9-Issues five through eight of a light and engaging comic book are brought together in a collection that will appeal to those who haven't met the title character heretofore, as well as to those who are already her fans. Virginia, the daughter of a college professor, owner of a pet dog, and human compatriot to a clever and, to most, invisible gremlin, is not your average American kid. She has electric powers that allow her to change traffic lights but also invite some to view her as a bit of a freak. In the stories collected here, Virginia ranges in age from grade school student through beginning college coed. This round of adventures includes a messy bit of detective work involving kidnapped girls, conjoined twins, and a wicked but handsome doctor; and a tale about Gremlin having to rescue a cohort from a fate worse than death-transmutation into a human. The cast of characters is upscale and multiethnic. Romance-except for the would-be human gremlin's-is absent, making these tales as attractive to prepubescent kids of either gender as it is to older girls. Facial expressions and body postures are fluid and evocative, while the verbal text is easy to read.-Francisca Goldsmith, Berkeley Public Library, CA Copyright 2002 Cahners Business Information.

Virginia seems like a typical teen at the outset of this black-and-white graphic novel, the second compilation of the adventures of the Electric Girl. Light-haired and spunky, with a faithful dog and family members that love her, she seems average until--ZAP!--her shocking secrets are revealed. It seems she can release bursts of electricity at will. That would be a wonderful trick, were it not for pesky Oogleeoog, a troublesome gremlin invisible to everyone but Virginia. His only calling in the universe seems to be getting Virginia into crazy situations--for example, babysitting the neighborhood psycho child. Readers will giggle as Oogleeoog creates chaos and commiserate with Virginia as she scrambles through the wake of his mischief. The simple, good-natured text and lively comic book-style illustrations make this a quick, fun read, even for reluctant readers.