Blippo & Beep

Odd couple robot pals Blippo and Beep explore humor in this easy-to-read graphic novel by Weeks (Soof) and Ellis (Wolfie Monster and the Big Bad Pizza Battle). When Beep, who's short, round, and magenta, asks tall, bespectacled, blue Blippo, "Hey, Blippo, do you want to hear a joke?" it soon becomes clear that literal-minded Blippo doesn't know the time-honored knock-knock joke formula. Exasperated, Beep directs responses, while earnest Blippo replies organically ("But I know who's there. It's you, Beep!"). In the second section, Blippo reciprocates, enthusiastically trying out a self-made joke, but Beep again takes on the role of world-weary instructor ("That joke is NOT funny... Funny jokes make me laugh!"), leading Blippo to take another tack. And in the third section, the friends finally appreciate camaraderie when Blippo stumbles upon a winning joke formula. Set against a plain white backdrop, uncluttered, flatly colored line art focuses attention on the bots' antics and expressions (a belly screen that displays faces, punctuation, and more emphasizes Blippo's feelings), while simple plotting emphasizes joke-paced rapport. Readers might not appreciate Beep's curmudgeonly insistence on a prescribed road to jokes, but Blippo's gently humorous, improvisational approach may win over budding young comics. Publishing simultaneously: I Feel Funny. Ages 5--7. Agent: Holly McGhee, Pippin Properties. (Apr.)