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Reviewed by:
  • Plankton Is Pushy by Jonathan Fenske
  • Melanie Kirkwood
Fenske, Jonathan Plankton Is Pushy; written and illus. by Jonathan Fenske. Scholastic, 2017 [38p]
ISBN 978-1-338-09896-9 $14.99
Reviewed from galleys         R 3-5 yrs

Plankton wishes to be greeted, or at least acknowledged by Mister Mussel, so he makes many attempts to get Mister Mussel's attention. He speaks loudly ("HELLO MISTER MUSSEL!"); he speaks slowly ("Hellooo … therrre … "); he even gives Mister Mussel suggested scripts ("'Hi!' or 'What's up, Plankton?'"), just in case "hello" isn't quite his style. After maintaining a stoic and unwavering face page after page, Mister Mussel suddenly shifts his eyes, signaling to alert viewers an impending plot development. With a large "SNAP!" Plankton is gobbled whole with a single word from Mister Mussel: "¡Delicioso!"—which satisfies the smug Plankton, who crows from inside the mussel, "I KNEW you could talk!" Listeners will be eager to see just how far Plankton can push Mister Mussel before something happens, and they will giggle not only at Plankton's dramatic personality but also at Mister Mussel as he carries out his unexpected master plan. It's not clear if Mr. Mussel's language preference played a role in his lack of response, but that's a point for audiences to discuss as they parse the details once they know what's coming. Vast oceanic frames are created from cool greens and blues, while use of bold lines and digital illustration fashions cartoon characters with emotive details. Streamlined text limited to speech balloons gives this appeal to early readers as well, and whether with others or alone, kids will want revisit this book, enjoying time and time again the surprise ending while also developing an attention to detail and the possibilities of interpretation.

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