Bitty and Bub, best buds

PreS-Gr 1--Trasler crafts a collection of five humorous short stories in graphic novel format, perfect for beginning and reluctant readers. Bitty, a know-it-all bunny, and Bub, a squirrel with big feelings, are two friends who are playful and a little silly. The friends find themselves in situations where they often misunderstand each other or disagree, ending with a funny resolution. In one story, the two argue over whether they've spotted a bird or plane until the bird poops on Bub's head, which will be a crowd favorite for this audience. The stories vary in length, giving practicing readers a break for some shorter entries between longer stories. Trasler's text is simple and repeats phrases, as Bitty and Bub often echo one another. The few short sentences on each page are expanded upon by the art, adding dimension to the plot. The digitally created art has a playful, bold tone in muted jewel tones. Readers will enjoy exploring the small details throughout the background art and the fantastic display of facial expressions that complement the characters. There is opportunity here for more stories featuring this pair. VERDICT This collection of short comics is perfect for emerging readers who like humorous friendship series like "Elephant and Piggie," and Tina Kügler's "Fox Tails."--Taylor Skorski

Adventures abound in this first of a beginner book series. Aimed at the earliest of readers, these endearing comics center on Bitty, a gray rabbit clad in a red-and-white-striped shirt, and Bub, a squirrel with a penchant for purple. Five stories of varying lengths pack in drama, pathos, and humor using minimal words and sentences. The tales involve a race with a surprise ending, a discovery of cookies in the woods, a pet rock (or is it a turtle?), and more. The vocabulary never gets any more complicated thancherry (as when Bub worries that Bitty has taken all the cherry chip cookies, only to find that Bitty has saved one), and Trasler is careful to keep sentences short and to the point. Even the simplest of sequences will maintain young readers' visual interest with subtle details, like changes to the colored backgrounds during more leisurely paced sequences. The storytelling itself never gets too complex, either, as when Bitty and Bub argue that something in the sky is either a bird or plane (a question answered when Bub is eventually splattered with bird poop). Characters are drawn as simply as they speak, remaining colorful and emotional from beginning to end. Reading comprehension gets a leg up with this charming new series.(Early reader. 5-7) Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.