Review by Booklist Review
Punk-rock skunks Kit and Buzz are BSFs best skunks forever. They meet up every day to cruise the neighborhood candy-stripe-haired Kit on her skateboard and Buzz on his bike, acid-green mohawk stabbing the breeze. They check out the local music shop, play on the playground, and, most important, rock out. Kit pounds the drums (Crash! Bam! Boom!), while Buzz wails on his guitar (Wahh! Wahh! Ren!) under the watchful eyes of the Ratmoans and DescendAnts, whose posters plaster the walls. But when a massive fight breaks out during band practice, the BSFs' friendship looks like it might be kaput. After a few lackluster attempts at rocking solo, both skunks pack up their instruments. Later, when Buzz runs into Kit, they decide to give things another shot and live to rock another day. The alternative setting keeps this story of friendship and reconciliation fresh. Though kids won't get the punk-rock references, they'll love viewing the bright, cartoonish illustrations and seeing characters that don't run with the typical playground crowd.--Smith, Julia Copyright 2016 Booklist
From Booklist, Copyright (c) American Library Association. Used with permission.
Review by Publisher's Weekly Review
The hippest kids in the neighborhood, Kit and Buzz are BSFs ("best skunks forever") and bandmates. A fight about their next song creates a massive rift, and each skunk swears never to rock out together again. Their playmates, a trio of rabbits, are shocked: in one scene, the bunnies stare at an empty, fading hopscotch court that Buzz had previously spray-painted (using his skunk sprayer, of course) like fans who believe the music has died. But the two skunks quickly discover that going solo is no fun, and while neither says "I'm sorry," they realize they need to get the band back together. Stephen Shaskan's (The Three Triceratops Tuff) cartooning has lots of energy and a 1960s rock poster palette. Trisha Speed Shaskan's (the Other Side of the Story series) text is a little too earnest, and underneath the characters' mildly outré hairdos, punk-rock wardrobes, and repeated exclamations of "Dig it!" and "Rock on!" lies a conventional story about the ebb and flow of a friendship. Ages 4-8. Author's agent: Sara Crowe, Harvey Klinger. Illustrator's agent: Teresa Kietlinski, Prospect Agency. (Feb.) © Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved.
(c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved
Review by School Library Journal Review
PreS-Gr 2-It's all about rhythm and rhyme for the punk skunks. Kit and Buzz are BSFs-Best Skunks Forever-and they fill their town with their rockin' beats and jams. Ever the artistic duo, they always find a way to jam out in harmony-until one day, when they can't quite agree what they'll write their next song about. After a not so harmonious argument, Kit goes solo on her drums but realizes it's all wrong, so she gives up and sets out to sell her drums at Moe's, the local music shop. Buzz tries hummin' and strummin' on his strings, but it's just not right, so he heads out to sell his prized guitar. When he arrives at Moe's, he is surprised to see Kit there. They rekindle their musical spirit and find a way to rock out once more. With a "crash! bam! boom!" and a "wahh! wahh! ren!" and fresh new lyrics to boot, the skunks put on a concert for all their friends and finally find friendship and harmony again. With plenty of onomatopoeia and alliteration, this title will get readers up out of their seats and rocking. Bright, neon-inspired cartoons lend themselves to the rockin' and rhythmic text. VERDICT A vibrant, fun, and memorable read for independent readers as well as group sharing.-Natalie Braham, Denver Public Library © Copyright 2016. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
(c) Copyright Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Review by Horn Book Review
After skunk friends and bandmates Kit and Buzz fight over what to sing, they cease to rock together and are miserable. The novelty of punk-rock-playing skunks in a kids' book is undercut by the workmanlike plotting and too-easy resolution. The cartoonish digital art--featuring punky skunks sporting combat boots, leather jackets, and neon-striped Mohawks--plays up the genre's cheesiness. (c) Copyright 2016. The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
(c) Copyright The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Review by Kirkus Book Review
BSFs, best skunks forever! Maybe. Kit, a pink-and-white-haired girl skunk, and Buzz, a boy skunk with green, spiky hair, spend every day together. Kit on her skateboard and Buzz on his bike, they zoom through urban streets and play in the park. "And best of allthey rocked out. / Kit drummed. / CRASH! / BAM! / BOOM! / BOOM! /Buzz strummed. / WAHH! / WAHH! / REN! / REN!" One day they disagree on what to write a song about. The next day they don't get together. Both become so sad they decide to sell their instruments. When they meet outside Mole's new and used music store, they find BSFs can rock on even through disagreements. This debut by a husband and wife team is a passable tale of music and friendship full of onomatopoeic phrases. The bright, digital cartoon illustrations are exuberant and inviting and help to (but don't quite) lift this above the pack of similar fare. Some visual jokes (Kit's "ABCD" T-shirt and band posters for "Shrewsie Shrew" and the likes) may make parents giggle, but the target audience probably won't notice. Strangely, Buzz sprays paint out his backside rather than stench, which may raise a few eyebrows, and although Kit's pretty fierce, does she really need to be color-coded pink? Not a stinker, but no hit record either. (Picture book. 4-6) Copyright Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
