When trying to encourage kids to read more, even the most reluctant of readers, fun graphic novels are an excellent way to engage young readers in stories – books don’t need to be page after page of text with the odd random illustration to be classed as reading. Books that combine visual storytelling with bite-sized text creates stories that are engaging for young and reluctant readers alike. The Blue, Barry & Pancakes series is a graphic novel series that children will love. Mount Choco Meltdown is the third instalment in the series… and it’s delicious.
The Blue, Barry & Pancakes series, written and illustrated by Dan Abdo & Jason Patterson, is a graphic novel series for young readers age 5+. This fun series follows a trio of friends; Blue (a worm), Barry (a frog) and Pancakes (a rabbit) and features themes of friendships, diversity, teamwork and creative problem solving.
In Mount Choco Meltdown, the three friends embark on a delicious, and dangerous, quest. Barry has an empty room in his house (it’s a tree house), a trophy room, and he really wants to win something, anything, to put in it so that the room isn’t so bare. When Blue shows them a flyer for a Build-a-Sundae contest it is the perfect opportunity for them to win a prize for the trophy room. Entering the competition they have 1 hour to build a sundae, but after observing some of the other entries being constructed they come to the conclusion that they need to come up with something brilliant. The only thing that will give them a fighting chance is to build their sundae with the world’s best chocolate ice cream – but there is a small problem, the ice cream is hidden in a cave, a cave hidden up a mountain, a cave hidden up a mountain that is guarded by a giant, razor-toothed yeti! Oh, and before they can even get to that hidden cave up the mountain, they need to cross the ferocious Sea of Sea Sickness first.
Can this trio of very different friends with their very different personalities work together to venture across rough seas, climb steep mountains and get the world’s most coveted chocolate ice-cream from the yeti to build the best sundae and win the competition to gain a trophy for Barry’s empty trophy room?
Overall, Blue, Barry & Pancakes: Mount Choco Meltdown is an excellent graphic novel with plenty of fun and adventure all neatly presented in vibrant images. Young page turners, as well as reluctant readers, will just love the adventures of these three very different friends. With its 108 pages it may seem daunting at first for some young readers, especially as there are no chapter breaks, but its short, engaging pages are quick to read and the fantastic comic book visuals bring across the story of friendship and collaboration with ease. Each page is packed with silly humour that will appeal to young readers: rough sea crossings, a statue swallowing sunglasses and creative dance offs – young readers will stay engaged with the story and laugh along with the antics of the characters while they work together to achieve their common goal.
As this loveable trio of animal characters go on an action-adventure to Mount Choco determined obtain the finest chocolate ice cream so they can build the finest ice cream sundae and win the contest and trophy, every twist and turn brims with slapstick humour and heartwarming teamwork, ensuring readers are both giggling and turning pages in eager anticipation.
The characters of Blue, Barry & Pancakes are excellent – each very different (Blue has a cautious, bookish nature, which helps to keep their plans grounded. Barry has an inventive spirit, this propels the adventure forward and as for Pancakes, well Pancakes fearless adventurous optimism smooths over every rough patch). Together they form a perfectly balanced group where their friendship celebrates differences and togetherness – Blue’s analytical mind, Barry’s creativity and Pancakes’ joyful spontaneity come together to solve problems. Young readers will be able to relate to these characters, while learning that true friendship thrives when everyone puts their individual strengths to work while working as a team.
Mount Choco Meltdown is a fun story, the text is in bitesize chucks in the form of speech bubbles but the illustrations in the story panels really make the story. The full-colour illustrations just leap off the page with vibrancy. The colourful characters with their exaggerated expressions convey emotion instantly, while the dynamic layouts of the panels portray the action perfectly with dance-offs and cascading ice-cream splatters. For young readers that don’t engage with text-heavy books, these highly visual pages, packed with energy, provide continuous momentum, where young readers will feel a sense of achievement with every page they complete. A fun and enjoyable way to encourage reading.
Blue, Barry & Pancakes: Mount Choco Meltdown is a delicious blend of action, friendship and creative problem-solving – it’s tailor-made for young and reluctant readers. This quirky tale is simple to read and digest and the comic-style panels are excellent with relatable heroes. A fun story that offers an excellent way to engage in the world of books and reading. It has a funny and heartwarming story, perfect for budding bookworms who crave fun, laughter and a taste of adventure. And as the graphics do the heavy lifting, with enough text to encourage those reading skills, it is a fantastic and fun way to encourage those literacy skills and a love for books.
Rating: 5/5
RRP: £7.99 (Paperback) / £3.99 (Kindle)
For more information, visit www.danandjason.net and rocktheboatbooks.com. Available to buy from Amazon here.
