Saturday, July 1, 2017

Hilo: The Great Big Boom by Judd Winick (review)







Hilo:The Great Big Boom 
by Judd Winick


Calvin and Hobbes meets Big Nate meets Bone in HILO-the hilarious, action-packed New York Times Bestselling GRAPHIC NOVEL SERIES kids AND critics love! "A Total BLAST," says the Miami Herald!

Hilo may look like an ordinary kid, but he’s DEFINITELY not! When we last saw Hilo, DJ, and Gina, Gina had been sucked into a mysterious portal to who knows where! But friends don’t let friends disappear into NOWHERE! It’s up to D.J. and Hilo to follow her. Will there be danger? YES! Will there be amazing surprises? OF COURSE! Will Gina end up being the one to save them? DEFINITELY! The trio will have to battle bad guys and face disgusting food, an angry mom, powerful magic, and more! Will they survive . . . and make it back to Earth before the portal closes again?!



Amazon link


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My review:

4.5 out of 5 stars




Hilo:The Great Big Boom is a fantasy story for kids that is the third book in the ‘Hilo’ series, and follows the trio of youngsters—D.J., Hilo, and eventually Gina, on their quest to rescue Gina and recover Hilo’s memories. The dangers they encounter are both physical and emotional, and their friend Polly continues to aid them, whether she is present or not. Their journey takes them on dangerous quests, requiring the help of unusual allies and old friends, but the ultimate payoff is a wonderful and unexpected surprise.

  

This fun graphic book for children is full of creativity and imaginative situations. The friendship between Hilo, D.J., and Gina is beautiful to see, and Hilo’s unexpected attributes and drawbacks give this story that unique characteristic to keep one’s attention and emotions involved. I love the twists that make the story get more and more wacky but provide a unique flavor (like the killer hamster, lol), not to mention the international flavor of some of the insults that are bandied about. This is a fun and action-packed story, but it’s important to remember that it is part of a series, since things end on a bit of a cliffhanger. I was able to read this as a stand-alone since I haven’t read the previous stories, but I think I would have had even more fun learning about the events that got these intrepid kids this far. Polly’s family is a crackup, and learning more about Hilo’s history makes one even fonder of him. My guess is that there will be plenty more adventures to keep us entertained.


A copy of this title was provided to me for review, a version of which was submitted to Night Owl Reviews



Other titles in the series:


                                   

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