Note: I received a digital galley through NetGalley. ( )

A cute offering for the youngest of readers. Silly fun and looking at the drawings provides an extra level of engagement. ( )

This is, I believe, Sherry's first venture out of the world of picture books and it's a really funny debut.

Blizz Richards, a yeti, is excited to attend a family reunion with lots of other bigfeet. But oh no! Will nasty cryptozoologist and publicity hound George Vanquist ruin everything? He's already sent Bigfoot Brian into hiding - Can Blizz and his friends coax Brian out and have a fun time despite Vanquist's sneaky ways?

The book is laid out in a blended graphic novel/beginning chapter book style similar to Bad Kitty or some of the new Branches series. Each page is crammed with black and white illustrations, labelled diagrams, maps of caves, and more, while the light plot is popped in almost as an afterthought, holding the pictures together.

The pictures and story are funny, and together they're hilarious, as a couple unexpected players solve the mystery and thwart Dr. Vanquist, making sure the Bigfeet have an awesome vacation.

Verdict: Full of jokes, puns, quirky cryptids, and more, this will appeal to a wide range of readers, not just the beginning chapter book set. It's blurbed by Dav Pilkey and this is one of the few times I'd definitely go on that for a recommendation - Pilkey fans will love this, as will readers of Dragonbreath, Bad Kitty, and and cartoon aficionados. Highly recommended.

ISBN: 9780545556170; Published 2014 by Scholastic; Purchased for the library

www.shelfnotes.com review

Dear Reader,

I Loved the drawings and the fonts. The characters are designed really well. The inside of a Yeti is fantastic (the anatomy of one). This book is informative? (Even for an imaginary creature). I guess I'd say the information given is from folklore and who doesn't love learning about that? The Yeti, that mythical creature (what they call a cryptid – a hidden animal whose existence was never proven), I think it’s time for him to be in the spotlight. Move over gnomes and cats, the Yeti is here to stampede all over you. I wonder if all those Bigfoot shows on T.V. have sparked an interest with the wee little ones? No matter the case, I can see the bigfoot/yeti being the next big thing.

What will this graphic novel for kids include? How about a Yeti cave that resembles the “bat” cave from Batman (chock full of fun gadgets and goodies)? Yep, it’s got that. What about a Yeti family reunion? Definitely. The book even has a little “on the edge of your seat” drama. Don’t want to give it away… that wouldn't be much fun. I can just imagine most kids who read this will become obsessed with “looking for bigfoot”. Although, would that be so bad? It would be a fun outdoor activity!

My favorite character in all of this, Gunthar, (super annoying and loves anything that bothers Alexander the Elf) I adore him. The Author/Illustrator is very talented and has a great idea brewing with this. I can see this becoming a big series (Bad Kitty-esque?). Need a good gift for a kid? Want them to read more? This is pretty perfect.

Happy Reading,
AmberBug
P.S. - This book was sent to me by the publisher for my honest review. ( )