Super Amoeba (Squish Series #1)

by Jennifer L. Holm, Matt Holm, Jennifer L. Holm (Illustrator), Matt Holm (Illustrator)

Overview

Introducing SQUISH—a new graphic novel series about a comic book-loving, twinkie-eating grade school AMOEBA trying to find his place in the world (or at least trying to make it through a school day). Inspired by his favorite comic book hero, SUPER AMOEBA!, Squish has to navigate school (bullies! detention! Principal Planaria!), family (dad: Hates to wear a tie. Secretly listens to heavy metal in the car), and friends (Peggy-rainbows! happy all the time! and Pod . . . who's . . . well, you just have to meet him). Can Squish save the world—and his friends—from the forces of evil lurking in the hallways? Find out in Squish: Super Amoeba—saving the world, one cell at a time!

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780375843891
Publisher:	Random House Children's Books
Publication date:	05/10/2011
Series:	Squish Series , #1
Pages:	96
Sales rank:	88,119
Product dimensions:	5.50(w) x 7.00(h) x 0.30(d)
Lexile:	GN230L (what's this?)
Age Range:	7 - 10 Years

About the Author

Brother-and-sister team MATTHEW "InkBoy" HOLM and JENNIFER "WriterGirl" HOLM are the dashing duo behind the award-winning Babymouse series. In addition to fighting the forces of evil, Jennifer is the New York Times bestselling author of several acclaimed novels, including three Newbery Honor winners, Our Only May Amelia, Penny from Heaven and Turtle in Paradise. Matthew Holm is a graphic designer and freelance writer.

Editorial Reviews

For a single-celled organism, Squish the amoeba leads an awfully complicated existence. His two best friends—Pod, a bowtie-wearing amoeba nerd, and Peggy, a pathologically cheerful paramecium—are a constant thorn in his side; he just can't seem to make it to school in time; and Lynwood the school bully wants to swallow him whole. When yet another bout of tardiness lands the whole group in detention, Squish is faced with a full-blown moral dilemma: in order to save Peggy from becoming Lynwood's next between-meal snack, he has to let the big bully copy his next science test. Can even our precocious protozoan hero get himself out of this one? The Holms strike a breezy, goofy tone right out of the gate, and Squish is a likably put-upon lead character, but beyond him the book doesn't offer much; his pals are annoying and the villain has as many dimensions as he has cells (that is, one). Add to that a disappointing two-color palette, and the whole undertaking seems flatter than a microscope slide. Squish may be an amorphous blob, but he needs to whip his supporting cast into shape for issue two. Ages 7–10. (May)

Publishers Weekly

New York Times:
"An energetic, good-hearted escapade, one that young readers will enjoy."

Starred Review, Kirkus Reviews:
* "Hilarious. If ever a new series deserved to go viral, this one does."
 
The Bulletin:
"A perfect mix of writing that is simple enough for early readers but still remarkably snarky, clever, and entertaining. Kids will soak up the humor, tidbits of science instruction, and adventure."

From the Publisher

Gr 2–4—The creators of "Babymouse" (Random) return with the more boy-centric Squish. He lives in a world that is a microscopic facsimile of our own. The only difference is that everyone is an amoeba, including his best friends, nerdy Pod and relentlessly chipper Peggy. Squish faces a dilemma when the school bully wants to copy off his science test. The menacing amoeba even threatens to eat Peggy if he doesn't get his way. Squish fantasizes about dealing with the problem like Super Amoeba, the hero of his favorite comic book, who always has the "courage to do what's right." While the conclusion is a bit abrupt, it will likely generate laughs and leave readers ready for the next installment. Characters are mostly types, with a clear focus on laughs and moving the plot along. The loose, inky cartoon illustrations are bathed in shades of lime green. Panel layouts are simple and clear, ensuring first-time graphic-novel readers a smooth ride. Likable and entertaining, Super Amoeba will be super popular.—Travis Jonker, Dorr Elementary School, MI

School Library Journal

Squish certainly looks like his name. He is really just a blob of one cell. He lives with his parents and loves to read a book called The Adventures of Super Amoeba. The hero in the story always says, "Do What's Right." In school, Squish tries to do what is right, but his mettle is tested. A bully tells Squish that he will eat his friend Peggy if Squish doesn't let him copy the answers to a test the next day, and the amoeba agrees to let him cheat. Then he gets assigned detention. After school, he asks his parents what to do; they tell him to do the right thing. What a problem he has! Will he be able to do the right thing and still prevent the bully from eating his friend? The authors distinguish what Squish reads in his book from real life through the use of color versus black and white. This helps readers separate the two. However, many of the pages are so full that I found the story confusing. I had to reread much of what was being said. I do like graphic novels and believe the genre is great for reluctant readers. The illustrations are great, and the book is appealing to both boys and girls. The author includes science information about how to grow mold, as well as a page showing how to draw Squish. I am not a big fan of this book, because too much is going on at the same time. Reviewer: Kathie M. Josephs

Children's Literature - Kathie M. Josephs

The hilarious misadventures of a hapless young everylad who happens to be an amoeba. Countering the (perceived, at least) girliness of their Babymouse series, the talented Holms turn to the microbial world for new graphic material. Like his revered comics hero, Super Amoeba, blobby Squish is determined to "do what's right." This turns out to be relatively easy when it's his mooching buddy Pod suckering him into switching lunches or his relentlessly cheery classmate Peggy the paramecium (her every utterance trailed by a line of exclamation points!!!!!) begging him to come over after school to meet her new slime mold Fluffy. It's a lot harder when brutish bully Lynwood callously envelops and begins to digest the seemingly doomed Peggy for a snack. The siblings draw it Babymouse-style in thick lined cartoon panels with garish green highlights and dialogue balloons. Plenty of helpful arrows point out significant anatomical details ("Pseudopods") or offer snarky side comments. The episode zips along to a climactic ugly (but just) surprise for Lynwood, then closes with an easily doable prank/science project involving a moistened slice of bread. If ever a new series deserved to go viral, this one does.(Graphic novel. 7-9)

Kirkus Reviews