Rick & Rack and the Great Outdoors (review)

Abstract

Reviewed by: Rick & Rack and the Great Outdoors Hope Morrison Long, Ethan. Rick & Rack and the Great Outdoors; written and illus. by Ethan Long. Blue Apple, 2010. 36p. (Balloon Toons) ISBN 978-1-60905-034-4 $10.99 R Gr. 1-3. This is one of the debut volumes from Blue Apple's Balloon Toons series, which boasts comic-style early readers for the very young. Author/illustrator Long (Tickle the Duck, BCCB 2/06) introduces Rick (a raccoon) and Rack (a deer), two friends with vastly different ideas on what constitutes a good time. In the first of the three short stories, Rack convinces Rick to try fishing, with humorous results. In the second, the two go hiking and discover mysterious tracks in the mountains. In the third, Rick and Rack attempt to go canoeing, with limited success. There's a Frog and Toad feel to the friendly banter between the two pals, as Rack enthusiastically attempts to share his love for the great outdoors with his less than enthused buddy; despite the brevity of text, the dry humor carries very well (during the fishing lesson, Rack explains, "'Then you drop your line in the water.' 'That's it?' 'Well, then comes the fun part. You wait'"). The expressive illustrations offer plenty of textual support, and the layout is clean and the palette tightly focused within each story; the result is an accessible narrative that's a straightforward and uncomplicated introduction to graphic novels for young readers. Copyright © 2010 The Board of Trustees of the University of Illinois