Melly the puppy wants to play with his three cat siblings - but they’re just ready for a nice, long nap. So they play a little trick, locking Melly outside while claiming they’re playing “hide the shoe.” Only, when Melly begins to dig the perfect hiding place, she discovers a gateway into another realm - one full of giant magical bunnies, wicked kings, and adventures galore.
Reminiscent of Rob Harrell’s Monster on the Hill and Alexis Fajardo’s Kid Beowulf, this first title in the Mellybean series introduces readers to Melly (affectionately dubbed Mellybean), her cat siblings, Narra the giant rabbit-unicorn, and a small cast of other characters. While the overarching messages - that even the smallest among us can make a big difference, that good always triumphs over evil, and (of course) that adopting always trumps shopping - occasionally come across as a bit heavy-handed, young readers are going to love Melly’s boundless enthusiasm and unrelenting, somewhat naive positivity. Plus, Narra and the cats offer a nice balance to Melly’s more exuberant qualities.
Overall, a zany and fun graphic novel for young fans of comics, animals, and silly adventure tales.