Gillbert

Gillbert, the merman prince of the underwater kingdom of Alanticus, loves meeting new people and going on adventures. When fiery alien invaders attack their ocean world and try to take over Alanticus for themselves, Gillbert's friends and family must find a way to resolve their problems and make sure everyone is happy and dancing by the end, even the alien invaders. Baltazar's pacing is rather fast so fast that even some of the main characters seem surprised with how quickly the conflict is resolved. Though the story is straightforward, and some of the plot elements and characters aren't entirely fleshed out, Baltazar's light, breezy tone as well as the bright colors and doodle-like character design will surely be a delight for young readers, especially those just making their way into reading comics. Hopefully, future installments will focus more on Gillbert, as the day here is saved, oddly, without any help from the title character. A pleasant, cheerful reading experience.--Peter Blenski Copyright 2019 Booklist