ALA Booklist (Mon Oct 01 00:00:00 CDT 2018)

Billy Stuart, a young raccoon, is the leader of the Zintrepids, a scouting group made up of various animals. Billy is stunned when he receives a letter from his grandpa Virgil, an explorer, saying he has stumbled onto the secret of time travel and wants Billy to see him off on his next adventure. Unfortunately, his grandpa is leaving from Belcher's Cavern the same time that the Zintrepids are going hiking. Being a bit sneaky, Billy leads his troop through the forest to the cave to complete both missions at the same time. What he isn't prepared for is getting lost, facing a gigantic bat demon, and discovering that he just might have traveled in time with his friends . . . but to where (and when)? Move over, Geronimo Stilton! With a similar format (certain words bigger and in color) along with humorous sidebars from the author, jokes and puzzles, and some pages in comic-book style, this French Canadian import should have broad appeal for kids who love illustrated novels. Future adventures are surely forthcoming.

Kirkus Reviews

In this Canadian import, translated from the French, a young raccoon named Billy Stuart sets out on an adventure through time. Kilt-wearing Billy lives in the town of Cavendish, where he begrudgingly walks his neighbors' poodle, FrouFrou. Billy also leads the Zintrepids, a scout troop of five animals (well, six, if you include FrouFrou). One day, a letter from Billy's grandfather arrives, inviting Billy to join him at a newly discovered passageway through time in Belcher's Cavern. But there's a snag: Billy's grandfather's journey is the same day Billy has a forest hike with his scout troop! Can he complete the hike and also see his grandfather? Told mostly in first person from Billy's perspective, the narrative sets some words apart in bolded, brightly colored type to add emphasis. Numerous yellow sticky notes (from author Bergeron, who claims to have met Billy) corroborate the story's events. Sampar's full-color cartoon illustrations add a cinematic quality, especially in the text's occasional comic-book panels. Simple vocabulary, ample leading, and supporting spot illustrations make this a good transitional chapter book. Still, the overall narrative structure juggles too much and sacrifices plot for the sake of its own cleverness. Some puzzle games are included between chapters—though they are not referenced in the plot. The ending suggests future adventures for the Zintrepids.An interesting series opener that gets lost on its own trail. (puzzle solutions) (Graphic/fiction hybrid. 6-10)

School Library Journal (Sat Sep 01 00:00:00 CDT 2018)

Gr 2-5 Billy Stuart, a raccoon, is the grandson of globe-trotting adventurer extraordinaire Virgil Stuart, who has found a secret passageway to time travel. In this first book in the series, packed with riddles, saucy sidebars, mini-comics, and illustrations, Billy ventures to Belcher's Cavern with his fellow scouts, the Zintrepidsincluding a fox, skunk, weasel, and chameleonto see his relative off on the biggest adventure of his life. Billy and his friends brave the great outdoorsblack bears, thunderstorms, a flood, dead ends, stalactites, and a daemon-batto bid farewell to Virgil. Following his clues and cave markings, the friends just miss Grandpa, but inadvertently embark on an exploit of their own. "Troop, we areelsewhere. Where and when? I don't know. But under our feet, there is a whole new world to discover." Readers will impatiently await future titles to see where the Zintrepids land next. VERDICT Jon Scieszka's "Time Warp Trio" meets "Geronimo Stilton" in this full-color hybrid, which should appeal to reluctant readers and avid readers alike. Barbara Auerbach, Formerly at New York City Public Schools