The Unlucky Kid

February 19, 2024
“That is one unlucky kid,” remarks more than one observer on the travails of protagonist Quin in this three-chapter graphic novel by Holt (The Red Jacket). A beach outing with a large box of French fries makes Quin a magnet for a horde of ravenous gulls (“Fries! Fries! Fries!”). He then finds himself on the receiving end of a 50-foot wave that hurtles him back to his front porch. His “brilliant” two-phase plan (elaborately detailed on graph paper) for extracting a loose tooth results in his inadvertent attachment to a high-flying kite, and a fishing expedition goes awry when the escaping fish drags Quin into the sky—and the path of angry hornets—until the line snaps and he’s deposited in a hollow tree trunk filled with small, miffed animals. Holt choreographs the outlandish mishaps with plenty of physical verve and bright color; the characters, including Quin’s mother, younger sister, good friend, and pet kitty, all have big googly eyes and exclamation point–studded dialogue that amplify the antics. Yet, no matter how unbenevolent the world, Quin is neither a sad sack nor a Candide, remaining as durable and resilient as his propensity to become airborne. Human characters have brown skin. Ages 6–9. Agent: Rachel Orr, Prospect Agency.

March 15, 2024
Does anyone have worse luck than Quin? As the various scenarios depicted in the three stories within this graphic novel demonstrate, things tend to go from bad to worse for the curly-haired young boy. Despite his best intentions and a kind heart, somehow even a day at the beach goes south after he offers a fry to a seagull; word of his generosity spreads, and he's soon surrounded by hungry gulls. In the second story, Quin's sister's elaborate attempts to help him yank out a loose tooth result in mayhem. In the final entry, Quin has a painful encounter with hornets during a fishing trip. Quin's laugh-out-loud exclamations add to the hilarity--"Holy Fowl Breath!" "Holy Buttered Yum!" "Holy Head Yank!"--as do the frequent sight gags and gross-out humor. Digital cartoon panels relate Quin's mishaps with aplomb, adding to the kid appeal, while his orange cat Kitty's spot-on observations heighten the amusement. Though the situations are over-the-top, Quin's bad luck will resonate with young people--after all, who among us hasn't had a run of bad luck? Readers will appreciate that Quin's family always has his back and even seems to anticipate his unluckiness. Quin and his family are brown-skinned. Featuring wacky humor and a relatable protagonist, this one's sure to fly off shelves. (Graphic fiction. 6-9)

COPYRIGHT(2024) Kirkus Reviews, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

April 15, 2024
Grades 1-3 Quin is the unluckiest kid on the planet. A simple trip to the beach with tasty french fries has him swarmed by a plague of hungry seagulls and clobbered by a 50-foot rogue wave. His plan to pull a loose tooth--involving his sister, stinky cat food, and an eager dog--ends up with him tied to a tree and then flying through the air, colliding face-first with a kite. And a fishing trip with his neighbor Jose results in him ski jumping over a massively hairy man while pursued by a vicious hornet's nest. This three-in-one graphic novel for emerging readers is light on the plot and heavy on the slapstick. While there are no noticeable resolutions, the stories are each bookended by rim-shot jokes from the family's sarcastic cat. The digital artwork is deliberately and strategically unappealing--even grotesque--and there are several unexpected views (like one from the inside of Quin's mouth) that are clever. While the brutality of Quin's bashings might not be for everyone, this will have an appeal for readers who like over-the-top physical humor.

COPYRIGHT(2024) Booklist, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

June 1, 2024

Gr 1-3-Quin is an unlucky kid with incredible resiliency, as he demonstrates in three humorous stories about regular life events, such as losing a tooth. A cast of main characters is introduced on the first splash page, which includes Mom, Kitty (a cat), Sissy, Jose, and Quin, who is flying above them as if released from a canon. Colorful art panels are clean, and the text is large and spaced nicely for younger readers. Digital art incorporates a bright palette with expressive detail for characters' faces. Quin's first adventure takes him to the beach, where he is overwhelmed by seagulls who want his fries. One splash shows a tiny Quin, with seagulls massed in the foreground. In another panel, he exclaims, "Holy Hitchcock." Quin frequently uses "holy" and a noun when faced with a predicament, and these create laughable moments between adults and children. A master planner, Quin devises methods for pulling his tooth in the second story, and later, for his plans for a fishing trip. Although his schemes fail because he is one unlucky kid, they demonstrate his ingenuity and creativity. Alliteration assists with dialogue flow, although young readers on their own may not understand some language, such as the idiom "let's slow down them horses." VERDICT Recommended for libraries serving young children.-Rachel Zuffa

Copyright 2024 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

July 1, 2024
This comic for newly independent readers introduces Quin, the titular unlucky kid, in three short stories. In the first, Quin heads to the beach, where he bikes off a dune, is attacked by gulls, trips on a fence, and is hit by a rogue wave. Despite his penchant for plotting and creating detailed diagrams before taking action, this is how things go for Quin in the other stories as well: one in which he ropes his sister into a scheme to pull out his loose tooth (a dog, a cat, and a kite are involved) and another in which he goes fishing with his friend Jose (watch out for hornets). Holt draws his characters with exaggerated features -- huge heads, googly eyes, and prominent noses contrasted with sticklike arms and legs -- signaling and supporting the goofy tone. He controls the pace by varying the number and size of the panels on each page, guiding the narrative in and out of chaos. Quin's disaffected cat, Kitty, provides wry commentary throughout ("This kid is going to need a lot more protection than that"; "Great is not the word I would use"), adding to the humor. Quin's affable, can-do attitude in the face of his plans continually going sideways will win him fans. Adrienne L. Pettinelli

(Copyright 2024 by The Horn Book, Incorporated, Boston. All rights reserved.)

July 1, 2024
This comic for newly independent readers introduces Quin, the titular unlucky kid, in three short stories. In the first, Quin heads to the beach, where he bikes off a dune, is attacked by gulls, trips on a fence, and is hit by a rogue wave. Despite his penchant for plotting and creating detailed diagrams before taking action, this is how things go for Quin in the other stories as well: one in which he ropes his sister into a scheme to pull out his loose tooth (a dog, a cat, and a kite are involved) and another in which he goes fishing with his friend Jose (watch out for hornets). Holt draws his characters with exaggerated features -- huge heads, googly eyes, and prominent noses contrasted with sticklike arms and legs -- signaling and supporting the goofy tone. He controls the pace by varying the number and size of the panels on each page, guiding the narrative in and out of chaos. Quin's disaffected cat, Kitty, provides wry commentary throughout ("This kid is going to need a lot more protection than that"; "Great is not the word I would use"), adding to the humor. Quin's affable, can-do attitude in the face of his plans continually going sideways will win him fans.

(Copyright 2024 by The Horn Book, Incorporated, Boston. All rights reserved.)