Evil Emperor Penguin

March 15, 2017
In this graphic charmer, an evil penguin, his octopus sidekick, and a cuddly minion take on a diabolical feline. Nestled in a remote hideaway in Antarctica, the red-caped, -spaghetti ring--loving Evil Emperor Penguin works tirelessly on his plans for world domination. Aided by his monocled octopus sidekick, Number 8, and his adorably red-cheeked and fuzzy-enough-to-cuddle -top minion,- Eugene, he invents doomsday devices that never quite deliver. EEP soon meets his ultimate adversary, Evil Cat, a feline with a handlebar mustache, a tiny top hat, and a nefarious agenda. EEP, staying true to his evil persona, doesn't treat Eugene kindly, and after a comic mishap, Eugene decides to serve Evil Cat. Will the Evil Penguin get his minion back from under Evil Cat's claws? With its sprightly tone and unfaltering cheerfulness, Anderson's graphic offering seamlessly moves from rainbows and unicorns to the occasional well-timed fart joke. Shown through a cinematic lens and possessing an animated sensibility, her animal cast will instantly captivate readers. Between the book's look and its goofily offbeat sense of humor, it should be difficult for many young readers to get through without dissolving into a fit of giggles. With a tried-and-true formula of a not-quite-too-evil leader and lovably bumbling minion, this will undoubtedly appeal to fans of the Despicable Me franchise. A fantastically fun cartoon romp. (Graphic fantasy. 7-11)

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April 15, 2017
Grades 2-5 Deep in his underground lair, a new supervillain emergesEvil Emperor Penguin! Along with his butler, Number 8, and his minion, Eugene, the grouchy penguin will stop at nothing to conquer the world! Although his ambition is grand, the episodic chapters and straightforward layouts are charmingly simple. Each episode is usually about three pages long, and they typically involve the dictatorial penguin coming up with an elaborate plot to take over the world, only to have it foiled easily. Though they do start to get a little formulaic, the short stories ultimately connect into one overarching narrative, which makes this a great choice for reluctant readers or kids with short attention spans. Anderson's small panels are nicely varied, and her animated, full-color art often resembles cartoons. Eugene, a tiny yeti, is a particularly charming character. Emperor Penguin gets into a lot of silly, sometimes gross situations, but his grumpy determination to take over the world never varies. Hand this to kids who can't get enough Captain Underpants.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2017, American Library Association.)

January 1, 2018
The title character and his henchmen, Number 8 (a sharply dressed octopus) and Eugene (a diminutive abominable-snowman clone), engage in various plots to take over the world. Their plans fail in spectacularly silly ways due to their collective ineptitude. This graphic novel uses bright colors and copious panels (some cramped) to emphasize the silly nature of the group's "evil" deeds.

(Copyright 2018 by The Horn Book, Incorporated, Boston. All rights reserved.)