Feasts of Fury

January 19, 2015
Once readers get used to the idea of a nearly bald roving chef who saves the day by cooking delicious food for the warriors in his medievalesque fantasy world, they’ll read through his exploits voraciously. Accompanied by dragon-fighting friends Winn, Manny, and Beef, and his walking cauldron, Pot, Rutabaga wanders the land, “searching for strange and magical ingredients,” inventing dishes like Roasted Mud Leech and Ghost Mushroom Salad. In episodic escapades. He tracks the monster Korkanis by identifying the Pyka’s Palm seeds in its droppings and challenges a crabby one-eyed cook to a cook-off. (“You’re going down, old man,” Rutabaga snaps, although his bowling-ball head takes the sting out of his tough-guy talk.) Newcomer Colossal’s stories bubble with inspiration, laughs, and even a few poignant moments. Readers will rejoice to know that more books are on the way, although it will be a while before they’re willing to try Rutabaga’s recipes: “1) First off, Korkanis meat is tough! Get out your meat mallet... 2) and just go to town on it!” Ages 8–12. Agent: Charlie Olsen, InkWell Management.

March 15, 2016
Traveling chef Rutabaga and his magical cooking-pot companion, Pot, continue to journey the world in search of new ingredients. When the going gets tough, the tough get cooking in this sequel to Rutabaga the Adventure Chef (2015). Though Rutabaga is now a veteran traveler, his friendliness and naivete still land him in plenty of exciting scrapes, including encounters with giant spiders, a clever thief, and malicious gubblins. Fortunately, he's able to cook his way out of most of his pinches, thanks to his inventive use of ingredients and menus. Though there are a few references to the first book, the narrative is episodic, and it's not necessary to have read the first book to follow the story. Some readers may be disappointed, however, by the continued lack of character and plot development. Rutabaga's goofy artlessness is funny at first, but it grows repetitive as the story goes on. Similarly, the straightforward, cartoonish illustrations are a little dull over the course of a novel-length work. Suggest this graphic novel to fans of comic strips and other short-form works; readers searching for longer, plot-heavy series are unlikely to find it to their tastes. Amusing but bland, this graphic novel works better as a snack than as a meal. (Graphic adventure. 8-11)

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May 1, 2016

Gr 2-5-Rutabaga has returned for another round of adventure, excitement, and food. Exploring abandoned castles and haunted forests, Rutabaga and his pet pot scour the land for the rarest ingredients possible to make the most unique dishes imaginable. Once again, he is in over his head; this time, the young chef tries to assist everyone from a troupe of actors putting on a play about a poisoned meal to a befuddled old man who can't remember how his favorite recipe is made. Overall, the individual stories that comprise the book feel more tied together than in the previous installment, resulting in a more complete narrative. Colossal's anime-inspired artwork continues to serve up action and laughs, while his simple language and fast pace make this a perfect recommendation for reluctant readers. Kid-friendly recipes at the end, inspired by Rutabaga's adventures, are a nice touch that will certainly motivate some children to venture into the kitchen.

Copyright 2016 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

March 15, 2016
Grades 2-5 Colossal's round-headed, jug-eared chef is back for more adventures in the second installment in the boisterous comic series. Accompanied by his trusty cauldron, Pot, and his backpack kitchen, Rutabaga begins by exploring a decrepit castle for a secret ingredient, which turns out to be a vicious, bloodthirsty spider (which makes a barf-inducing soup). One especially great story wordlessly follows Pot on a journey alone, as it gets into some heroic adventuring by itself. Elsewhere, Ru gets caught up with a melodramatic band of actors, then a crafty thief, and, finally, some mischievous gubblins, whose massive appetites lead to their downfall. All the while, Ru serves up tasty treats while Colossal delivers big laughs with his signature blocky, exaggerated figures, warmly colored small panels, and cartoonish visual jokes. The episodic format is the perfect match for Colossal's brand of quick-fire humor and comical reactions, and Ru's occasionally daft gullibility puts him in some direbut hilarioussituations. Fans of the first installmentand there are manywill be eager to dig into this one.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2016, American Library Association.)

July 1, 2016
The intrepid young chef is back on the road with sidekick Pot, a sentient cauldron, to continue scouring the land for exotic ingredients. This outing features encounters with a confused hiker, a bandit princess, and a band of "gubblins" planning a coup of the Kingdom of Highmore. Silliness and absurdity abound in this second graphic novel with colorful anime-looking art. Kid-friendly recipes are included.

(Copyright 2016 by The Horn Book, Incorporated, Boston. All rights reserved.)