The Mischievians Hardcover – Picture Book, October 22, 2013

Description

From Booklist Using the model of Joyce’s The Fantastic Flying Books of Mr. Morris Lessmore (2012), which has its own iPad app and animated short, the name of the game for new imprint Moonbot Booksis media interactivity. But it all starts with the book. The premise of Moonbot’s debut is simple and kid friendly: how can we explain the things that annoy us? For instance, where do missing socks go? Well, it’s certainly not your fault one disappears; blame the Sock Stalker, one of many Mischievians, “an ancient race of mischief-makers.” The book’s setup is brief, as two kids find themselves in Dr. Zooper’s laboratory, where they’re introduced to an encyclopedia explaining the Mischievians. From there the book becomes a Q&A, as the kids make queries (“Where do blisters come from?”) and Dr. Zooper responds. Kids may tire of the lengthy question-and-answer sessions, but the illustrations of the various Mischievians, courtesy of Moonbot Studios, are amusing. As with the introduction, the book concludes abruptly. Not the most cohesive story line, but the concept is likely to win fans. HIGH-DEMAND BACKSTORY: The brainchild of Joyce, and a joint venture between a major publisher and an artists’ studio, this should get a ton of press. Grades 2-4. --Ann Kelley Read more About the Author William Joyce does a lot of stuff but children’s books are his true bailiwick (The Guardians series, Dinosaur Bob series, George Shrinks, and the #1 New York Times bestselling The Fantastic Flying Books of Mr. Morris Lessmore, which is also his Academy Award–winning short film, to name a few). He lives in Shreveport, Louisiana. Talk to William Joyce and see upcoming work at @HeyBillJoyce on Twitter and Instagram.William Joyce does a lot of stuff but children’s books are his true bailiwick (The Guardians series, Dinosaur Bob series, George Shrinks, and the #1 New York Times bestselling The Fantastic Flying Books of Mr. Morris Lessmore, which is also his Academy Award–winning short film, to name a few). He lives in Shreveport, Louisiana. Talk to William Joyce and see upcoming work at @HeyBillJoyce on Twitter and Instagram. Read more