I like cheese!

This retro-style early reader comic, a series kickoff from Yoon (Kiki & Jax), centers on the lunchtime bond of pals Kat and Mouse. While bow-sporting Kat brings an elaborate sandwich each day, and varied seating to boot, reliable Mouse carries the same lunch box, sits on the same log, and eats the same thing: cheese. The bespectacled rodent is wild about the stuff, describing one meal as "sweet and savory, but still mild, with a hint of nuttiness." But Kat's variable feasts leave Mouse wondering whether the cat ever gets bored with Mouse's staples--or with Mouse. Acknowledging their differences, Kat suggests they take a beat and try having lunch apart. Happily, distance makes the heart grow fonder (Kat, who enjoys a hot dog upon a rocking horse, has "the worst, most boring-est lunch EVER," while Mouse cries into a wedge of blue), and Mouse soon concocts a cheese-sandwich mash-up that pleases them both. An easy-to-follow plot leaves plenty of space for early readers to decipher the punny text ("PURR-fection" describes Kat's stack of BLTs), while pop art vibes drive the visuals in this straightforward work. Ages 5--7. Agent: Jamie Weiss Chilton, Andrea Brown Literary. (Sept.)

K-Gr 2--Kat and Mouse have lunch together each day. Kat likes fancy sandwiches and plenty of ambience, while Mouse sits on the same log and eats cheese. Noting their vast differences, they decide to eat lunch apart. But they miss each other, of course, so Kat makes a lunch for two that brings the best of both worlds together. Mostly spot illustrations have thick black outlines and bold, solid colors. Kat's myriad props and displays communicate her vivacity. For each sandwich she brings, there is a dramatic-but-unsurprising reveal of its name, which adds wry humor. Add this to the stack of delightful early readers about friend pairs; it's an excellent picture of how compromise can repair a relationship. VERDICT Just like a sandwich someone else makes, this series opener is delicious.--Rachel Owens

Lunch dates get a little sweeter when two friends bring the art of compromise to their menus. Kat (a blue feline) and Mouse (a darker blue rodent) are getting together for lunch. Kat has packed "the most delicious sandwich! It has BACON, LETTUCE, and TOMATO." Kat dubs this feast "the BLT." Mouse has brought a delectable meal, too. "Only the BEST food there is! CHEESE!" Over the next few days, the pair again meet to share mealtimes. Kat totes increasingly elaborate picnic setups and sandwiches, while Mouse packs a modest, star-speckled lunchbox of flavorful cheeses. Sensitive to Kat's perception of this apparent monotony, Mouse worries: "Maybe I'm boring." After a trial lunch apart proves "AWFUL" for Kat and makes Mouse's blue cheese taste "bluer than usual," the pair agree that their happy mix of habits makes for a healthy friendship. Brightly colored digital art with thick outlines frames the gentle-faced, cartoonish characters on visually clean backgrounds in a variety of page layouts; some pages are divided into graphic novel--esque panels. Beginning readers will find the minimal text helpful; it appears in a bold font within clearly attributed and color-coded speech bubbles (pink for Kat, green for Mouse). This cheery series starter shares the tender social-emotional lessons of similar titles starring animal pals, like Mo Willems' Elephant and Piggie series or Ben Clanton's Narwhal and Jelly tales. A satisfying choice for picky readers.(Early reader. 5-7) Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.