Review by Booklist Review
Bad bunny Jack originally a monkey but recast shortly before his first outing's publication really lowers the behavioral bar in this second level-one book. For destroying books, Jack and Rex the dog both earn one-way tickets into space . . . where they crash into the saucer of three-eyed, four-armed Zip. Zip has just planted a proprietary flag, which Jack feeds to Rex so he can plant one of his own. Jack licks his snacks instead of sharing them, while Rex eats a tool that Zip needs to fix the saucer. But when the duo is menaced by a big red moon monster, Zip beams them aboard and takes them back to Earth. Does Earth want them? Zip says, Zoom beep deep kaboom.' That means Take him back or I'll zap the whole Earth.' Oh well, OK then. Emergent readers with a taste for transgressive high jinks, at least, will welcome Jack back. Pizzoli's very simple, brightly colored cartoon figures (capped by a drawing lesson at the end) play nicely with Barnett's pithy narrative.--John Peters Copyright 2010 Booklist
From Booklist, Copyright (c) American Library Association. Used with permission.
Review by Horn Book Review
Jack at Bat by Mac Barnett; illus. by Greg PizzoliPrimary Viking 80 pp.Jack Blasts Off!by Mac Barnett; illus. by Greg PizzoliPrimary Viking 80 pp.Jack Goes Westby Mac Barnett; illus. by Greg PizzoliPrimary Viking 80 pp. gWe first meet Jack, a baseball-capped rabbit, as he waves hello, munches on snacks, andswipes a womans purse?! This initial encounter in Hi, Jack! sets the tone for the first four installments of Barnett and Pizzolis easy-reader series: a roller coaster of sour and sweet moments for Jack, his dog friend Rex, and the nameless Lady. (Once he returns her purse. And her lipstick.) Jack makes trouble wherever he goes, from the baseball field (Jack at Bat) to outer space (Jack Blasts Off!), and the direct-address narration instructs him to mend his ways (in a not-always-constructive manner: Jack, you are bad. You are a bad Jack. A bad, bad Jack). Barnett makes creative use of a limited and largely decodable vocabulary for comedic effect, which invites beginners to read with expression and confidence. Pizzolis illustrations, full of bold outlines and saturated colors, amplify the energy and dynamism in each story line. The text and illustrations work in tandem, sharing the weight of the narrative and blurring the lines between the picture book and easy reader genres while conforming to the physical specifications of the latter. This series promises an energetic romp through the good, the bad, and the bunny. Grace McKinneyJanuary/February 2020 p.85(c) Copyright 2020. The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
(c) Copyright The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
