Ricky Ricotta has a whole new look in this repackaged edition. The intrepid mouse still vanquishes neighborhood bullies, but now the slight plot is accompanied by original full-color digital artwork by Santat. With several "flip-o-rama" animation pages and comic-book sequences embedded in the story, reluctant readers will appreciate a chapter book that is easy to get through.

Gr 1-3 Ricky Ricotta is a little guy who is always picked on. That is, until Dr. Stinky McNasty's plot to destroy the city by a giant, evil robot goes awry. The evil robot would rather be Ricky's friend than cause mass destruction. This reboot of the original title of the same name (Scholastic, 2000) includes all-new, full-color illustrations by Santat. Paired with Pilkey's minimal text, these images offer a new generation of readers a fun introduction to chapter books. The story includes Flip-O-Ramas (two-page flip book-style animations) that will make the story truly come alive. There are also several graphic novel-style pages that will attract hesitant readers. Newly independent readers and Pilkey fans alike will not be disappointed by this humorous ride. Kris Hickey, Columbus Metropolitan Library, OH

Poor little Ricky Ricotta st a nerdy, bespectacled mouse with no friends. But when his dad says, "Someday something BIG will happen and you will find a friend," he is right. One day, a giant robot, controlled by evil Dr. Stinky, attacks the city, but the robot has a change of heart when he sees the terrified townsmice. When Dr. Stinky punishes the robot for his disobedience, Ricky is the one to save him, and their friendship is cemented. Pilkey first published this series in 2000, but in preparation for new installments, Scholastic is rereleasing the stories with brand-new full-color illustrations on glossy pages from prolific artist Santat (Crankenstein, 2013). Aimed at a younger audience than the wildly popular Captain Underpants books, this series opener has all the classic Pilkey hallmarks: comic book panels, superhero action, and flip-o-rama, which here depicts the battle between Mighty Robot and the supersize class lizard infected with "Hate Potion to enact Dr. Stinky's revenge. Brace yourselves, there's more on the way. HIGH-DEMAND BACKSTORY: Pilkey's publisher is pulling out all the stops for this series. Expect to see Ricky Ricotta TV spots any day now.

New, all-color illustrations on shiny paper add gloss to this reboot of a Captain Underpants also-ran. The plotline remains the same: Small, bullied mouse gains a huge metal friend after rescuing it from its creator, mad scientist Dr. Stinky McNasty. Said friend goes on to subdue the bullies, star in the best classroom show and tell ever, and battle McNasty's next effort, a giant lizard. The battle is portrayed partly in Pilkey's trademark Flip-O-Rama (though with Santat's illustrations) and partly in newly crafted pages of minicomics. Overall, though Ricky and the robot look about the same as they did in the 2000 original (illustrated in a thick-lined, cartoony style by Martin Ontiveros), Santat portrays them in a more lapidary way, with shiny eyes and gleaming highlights. He also adds more background detail, makes the bullies bigger but not so mean of aspect, and exchanges McNasty's nerdy goggles for an eye patch to give the bad guy a more dashingly villainous air. This last is disappointing: When will we stop using images of disability as signifiers of evil? The drawing instructions at the back of the original edition have been dropped. An uninspired retread, still with only hints of the wit and silly humor that light up Pilkey's other series. (Fantasy. 6-9)