Mosquitos Can’t Bite Ninjas

Mosquitoes are sneaky, quick, persistent—and no match for debut talent Novak’s kid ninja. Moving calmly and stealthily through a summery park landscape, her young warrior skillfully dodges the bites that afflict lesser mortals, then catches its insect nemesis with chopsticks made from twigs while maintaining a perfect lotus pose. The ninja has the upper hand when it comes to character, too: unlike mosquitos, “Ninjas don’t bite people,” notes Novak, as her ninja instructs a younger sibling. “They learn not to when they’re baby ninjas.” This is more of an extended skit than a story (at one point, the mosquito looks directly at readers and shushes them as it moves in for the bite), and mosquito bites may be no laughing matter to many parents these days. Still, Novak’s minimalist text shows admirable restraint, and her ninja is a comically commanding character, with expressive, saucer eyes (the only feature not wrapped in black) reminiscent of a silent film star. Flat, saturated colors and large-scale cartooning give the book the feel of an oversize comic. Ages 2–5. Agent: Jennifer Rofé, Andrea Brown Literary. (Mar.)