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Reviewed by:
  • Mr. Ball Makes a To-Do List by Michael Townsend
  • Thaddeus Andracki
Townsend, Michael. Mr. Ball Makes a To-Do List; written and illus. by Michael Townsend. Blue Apple, 2014. 80p. (Jump into Chapters Books) ISBN 978-1-60905-365-9 $12.99     R Gr. 1–3.

Conquering to-do lists is difficult for most people, but Mr. Ball—a Pacman-esque yellow circle with arms, legs, and a giant mouth—seems to have a particularly difficult time finishing anything that he starts. After a day of predictably failing to paint his house or buy tissues, he decides a to-do list might be simpler if he limits it to eating meals and giving lots of hugs, but a series of slapstick events leads him to being sprayed by a skunk, at which point his friends must help de-stink him. With oversized, block-printed hand lettering and much sparser text, this early graphic novel aims for a younger audience than the author’s Kit Feeny: On the Move (BCCB 11/09). Frenzied energy carries the day in both over-the-top physical comedy and smaller details that careful eyes will find hilarious: Mr. Ball’s cat, Ms. Kitty Cow, follows him around, shouting “MOO-OW” every time he’s obliviously looking for someone to hug. The book’s structure of large panels, bigger than average trim size, and clearly differentiated sections (“THE INTRO STARTS HERE”) help novice readers feel less intimidated. This will make a silly leg-up for kids just starting chapter books, and since it looks like Mr. Ball will be bouncing back, this series would be a nice addition to younger classrooms unafraid of the graphic novel. [End Page 423]

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