The secret spiral of Swamp Kid

Russell Wainwright is just like any kid he hates gym, he prefers to draw rather than listen in class, and ... he has a carrot for a finger? With the help of his friends, Russell, aka Swamp Kid, documents his struggles with school and his alarmingly green appearance and learns how to control his burgeoning odd powers in an effort to become more like the superhero Swamp Thing, with whom he might have a mysterious connection. The diary genre is certainly nothing new, but Scroggs's attention to detail sets it apart from its contemporaries. Everything from the water stains to the pencil shading on the drawings makes it feel like a genuine notebook, which adds a sense of immediacy and helps the reader feel that much more invested in Russell's story. Scroggs's choice to use a variety of artwork styles, from simple sketches to the more complicated full-color drawings, expertly shows not only a hero trying to find his place but a child trying to find his voice. An excellent and inviting foray into the superhero genre.--Peter Blenski Copyright 2019 Booklist

Swamp Kid enters the DC Universe in this humorous adventure/mystery.Part plant, part humanoid, middle schooler Russell Weinwright, aka Swamp Kid, shares his origin story through his illustrated journal, which moves between handwritten text and comics-style sequencing. Uncertain of his beginnings, other than that he was found near the swamp as a baby, Russell questions his ancestry after he begins to discover superpowers and mysterious men in dark suits and glasses start following him. He and his friendsCharlotte, a white girl who is smart and fearless, and Preston, a black videographer always trying to get a good storyset out to learn more about how to harness his superpowers and what the men in black are looking for. The blend of storytelling media and punny humor carry moments of needed exposition, keeping the pacing of the story from feeling bogged down with details, and hilarious plays on words will land with the target audience. In addition to Russell, who is vines and cellulose, his classmates and teachers are fairly diverse, and his adoptive parents are an interracial couple: a black Christian mother and a white Jewish father.A comedic win with appeal for fans of Tom Angleberger and DC's Teen Titans Go!(Graphic/science-fiction hybrid. 7-11) Copyright Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.