School Library Journal (Mon Apr 01 00:00:00 CDT 2024)

Gr 1–3— Pocketville is "a quiet little town" and the animal inhabitants "like it that way." When we meet Monti the Mole, he represents the "perfect routine" that they have created in their town and daily lives. One day when a stranger named Leo arrives, Monti and the others aren't sure how to handle "these strangers that never respect our ways." Through the chapter format and digitally rendered frames, readers follow along as Monti learns to find his voice to promote acceptance and understanding to even the loudest Pocketville citizen, Mrs. Sheep. The theme of friendship gets an upgrade in this tale that is rightfully dedicated "to anyone who's ever felt like a stranger." Kantorovitz covers a lot of territory with her characters and message in a format that works well as a beginner graphic novel. A natural color palette of light greens, blues, browns, and peaches is reminiscent of Arnold Lobel's companions, Frog and Toad, and matches well with the frequent unstructured frames that bleed onto the white background. A unique addition of early sketches is included for the back matter. VERDICT A story with a strong moral that represents a wide range of social and cultural talking points. Purchase where there is a need for beginner graphic novels, or for students who love any animal duo.— Danielle Schwessinger

Kirkus Reviews

A friendly mole learns that strangers aren't always so strange.Pocketville, as its welcome sign advertises, is "a quiet little town"-"And we like it that way!" When a new resident, Leo the lizard, moves in, Mrs. Sheep, the baker, starts gossiping about him. Monti the mole is initially annoyed at Leo; the lizard takes Monti's favorite resting spot, buys the last cinnamon rolls, and checks out the library book Monti wanted. But Leo is also kind and willing to share. The two become fast friends, and when Mrs. Sheep gossips about Leo again, Monti speaks up. He also introduces Leo to his friend Harriet's music, and they decide to mount a talent show. Though the villagers are reluctant to take part, Monti performs some savvy ego inflation to get Mrs. Sheep on their side, and soon everyone is following suit. Seasons appear to progress from spring to winter over the course of the book's four chapters. Monti and Leo's friendship radiates warmth throughout. It's clear that kindness and hostility are choices, and this tale shows that the capacity for both exists in everyone, from mild-mannered Monti's brief bouts of irritation to a surprisingly gracious moment courtesy of Mrs. Sheep. With their long snouts, Monti and Leo cut endearing figures in Kantorovitz's rounded, spare cartoonish art. Most pages contain two to four panels, making the characters' exploits as easy to process as the relatively short sentences.New neighbors, attitudes, and ideas are worth embracing in this community-minded tale. (character sketches) (Graphic fiction. 7-9)

Publishers Weekly (Fri Oct 06 00:00:00 CDT 2023)

In this early reader graphic novel told in four quickly moving chapters, Kantorovitz (Sylvie) introduces Monti, a quiet, self-effacing mole who lives in the close-knit community of Pocketville. One day, Monti is outraged to find someone sitting on his special rock. Following a period of self-doubt—and a genial greeting from the stranger (“This is such a beautiful rock. Won’t you sit down?”)—Monti befriends newly arrived resident Leo, a small, cheerful crocodile. When the baker, Mrs. Sheep, vilifies Leo (“These strangers. They never respect our ways”), spreading suspicions among her customers, Monti weighs speaking up, then acts: “Mrs. Sheep. Leo is very nice. Please do not talk that way.” As Leo, Monti, and their friend Carl Crow plan a Pocketville talent show, Monti continues to deftly handle Mrs. Sheep’s curmudgeonly ways while staying courteous and true to himself, and even sweet-talking Mrs. Sheep into participating. Thanks to Monti and Leo’s ability to see others’ gifts, the talent show is a great success. Digital panel drawings portray Pocketville’s anthropomorphized animal inhabitants with simple lines and soft colors. Sweet and genuine, Kantorovitz’s story models community building without a hint of preachiness. Ages 7–9. (Apr.)