cover image Potterwookiee

Potterwookiee

Obert Skye. Holt/Ottaviano, $12.99 (256p) ISBN 978-0-8050-9451-0

As the title suggests, this second entry in Skye's humorous Creature in My Closet series features a mashup of J.K. Rowling's Harry Potter and Chewbacca the Wookiee from Star Wars. When a small, furry creature with a lightning bolt scar and a striped scarf emerges from 12-year-old Rob's bedroom closet, he knows exactly what to do, thanks to the experience he gained in Wonkenstein (2011), which saw the arrival of a Willy Wonka/Frankenstein hybrid. Rob heads to the library, and by reading Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone and a Star Wars title, as well as enlisting the help of his not-always-helpful friends, Rob tries to stand up to a bully, win a cooking contest, and earn the respect of his crush. Speaking of hybrids, Skye captures all the silly action in the winning text-plus-cartoons format popularized by the Diary of a Wimpy Kid books. Rob's dry commentary on his family, school, and social life is sure to provoke laughs. Next up: a third outing starring "Pinocula," teased at book's end. Ages 9%E2%80%9312. (Sept.)