Shark and Bot (Shark and Bot #1)

When they first meet up on a suburban playground, lonely Bot and new-kid-in-town Shark, who totes a stuffed bear, seem unlikely to become friends—in fact, Bot generates a graph showing how slim the odds are. But they bond over a mutual love of a fictive graphic novel series called Glo-Nuts (about doughnuts mixed with mutant DNA), and together, they win over a gang of playground bullies with some impressive dance moves, forming a more inclusive crew. With this graphic novel series starter, Yanish creates a sweet spot of genial, straightforward compositions and highly polished comic rhythms. While the bully plot feels stale and even misguided (why should Shark and Bot have to prove anything to use a public playground?), there’s a lot of fun in the duo’s geeking out and cracking wise. Interactive material appears throughout, such as tips for replicating the “Shark-Bot” dance and drawing the starring odd couple. Ages 5–8. [em](Sept.) [/em]