Boogie Knights (Richard Jackson Books (Atheneum Hardcover))

Place: the castle Time: late Event: the Madcap Monster Ball, the rockin'-est knee-knockin'-est beboppin'-est party of them all. It's impossible to sleep through. Just ask the prince Or his off-the-wall princess Or any of their seven (count 'em, seven) Boogie Knights.

From School Library Journal

Starred Review. Grade 1–5—There's a shindig brewing at the castle one night, as werewolves, zombies, mummies, and all manner of creepy characters make their way through silent halls to the Madcap Monster Ball. The stronghold's seven sibling knights, posed in full armor in an impressive row, supposedly stand guard, but are actually fast asleep. One by one, each warrior is stirred by the commotion and leaves his post to check out its cause-only to find himself joining in the fun and dancing the night away. Wheeler's rhythmic text is filled with taut rhymes, alliteration, and vivid images. The raucous verses detail the events and spirit of the upbeat party with lively zeal, while the narrative's wordplay makes it worthy of repeated readings. Puns and double entendres abound ("Forced, Sir Ender/just gives in./Lone Sir Vivor/(that's his twin)/feels the music/in his soul,/kicks up his heels…/'Let's rock 'n' roll!'"). Done in charcoal, pencil, and Photoshop, Siegel's sophisticated, graphic-novel-style artwork also demands a second look. There are plenty of visual story lines to follow as a wide-eyed young prince, anxiously clutching a candle and teddy bear, spies on the action, and a smiling portrait princess escapes from her painting to try and befriend the frightened boy. Sepia tones, splashes of color, silhouettes, and outline sketches cleverly underscore the plot elements and keep the pages interesting. Kids will eat this one up and beg for more.—Joy Fleishhacker, School Library Journal Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

From Booklist

*Starred Review* Monsters galore show up at a spooky castle for a whimsical Madcap Monster Ball. There are werewolves hustling, zombies bustling, mummies doing the mamba, and wicked witches, the waltz. Upstairs seven knights with unusual names are awakened at various times and join in the fun. At the same time, a young prince investigates the commotion. A wild and crazy time is had by all with the final spread picturing the knights back in their places dreaming of next year’s ball. The prince is asleep in his bed. The cartoon illustrations perfectly catch all of the high-flying whimsy with small figures dancing and whirling across each double-page spread. When the ball begins, the illustrations are monochrome, but when the seven knights join in, the style changes and more color is added. To enhance the surreal and chaotic nature of the story, many art styles are used on each page, but it all works fantastically well. Readers will want to return so as not to miss any of the amusing details. Great for Halloween or any time spirits need a lift. Grades K-3. --Randall Enos

About the Author

Lisa Wheeler has written many books for children, including The Pet Project, illustrated by Zachariah OHora; Spinster Goose, illustrated by Sophie Blackall; and People Don’t Bite People and People Share with People, both illustrated by Molly Idle. She lives with her family in Addison, Michigan. Visit her online at LisaWheelerBooks.com.Mark Siegel is the author and illustrator of several award-winning picture books and graphic novels, including Tiny Dancer, To Dance, Moving House, and Sailor Twain. His latest project is the collaborative graphic novel series 5 Worlds, an epic science fiction story for young readers. In addition to writing and illustrating, Mark is also the founder and creative and editorial director of First Second Books, Macmillan’s graphic novel house. The Siegels live in Tarrytown, New York. Visit Mark at MarkSiegelBooks.com.

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