The extincts

Magoon's (Linus the Yellow Pencil) high-octane graphic novel debut kicks off a series starring four animal heroes who don't realize that their respective species are extinct. A bird named Martie rejects the very notion: "Ha... oh no, no. I'm a passenger pigeon. We're not extinct. We're just rare." Martie and her associates--a pun-slinging woolly mammoth named Lug, a Russian-born saber-toothed tiger named Scratch, and a Spanish-speaking Collins's poison frog named Quito--embark on covert operations to retrieve megafauna artifacts. They navigate using an AI called Gaia, deter foes with nonlethal weapons such as paintball "squid ink pods," and receive marching orders from the mysterious Dr. Z, who resembles a bearded polar explorer and appears via hologram. They're tasked to retrieve a Siberian unicorn horn, rumored to have healing powers, from thawing permafrost in the Batagaika Pit, an real-life expanding crater in Siberia. Magoon crafts explosive panels in icy blue, radium green, and atomic pink as the Extincts wisecrack through close scrapes. Paleontology enthusiasts and environmentalists will be stoked for the sequel. Back matter includes megafauna facts, climate change info, and an Ice Age science trick. Ages 8--12. Agent: Paul Rodeen, Rodeen Literary. (Mar.)

Gr 4--7--This book opens with a scene straight out of a spy movie, but readers will be pleasantly surprised to find the main characters are all animals--animals that had already been declared extinct. As events unfolds, readers learn that these animals were brought together by a scientists determined to save the world and are sent on a mission to uncover the horn of a Siberian Unicorn. The mission is thwarted at every turn, and while the surprise twists might be a bit predictable, they are still very entertaining. While this first volume feels like a setup for future books (as is indicated at the end of the story), readers who enjoy a good adventure will have a good time. The creators intersperse a lot of scientific facts throughout, and the book's back matter includes facts about the extinct animals and other information. Muted colors fit the work's tone but also darken the books. In the last few spreads, the artwork is light and airy, which truly complements the narrative with all its twists and turns. VERDICT Fun characters, a fast-paced adventure, and plenty of science facts make this a wonderful addition to libraries looking for more action-packed graphic novels that are not superhero titles.--Esther Keller