Officer Clawsome

In the underwater metropolis of Caper Cove, if you break the law, you get the claw. Top-notch lobster cop Officer Clawsome and his starfish sidekick, Stariana, keep the peace on the streets (even if every time they capture Catburglarfish, it ends with an accidental fireworks-factory explosion). But when Electric Eel escapes from prison, mafia bigwigs Masked Mussel and Chowderhead are in talks at Clam Casino (a den for the criminal elite), and the town's beloved kelpcake factory vanishes into thin air, Officer Clawsome can't help but feel they're all connected--and he's just the crustacean for the job. This story is a delight from start to finish, and every character--from the crab police chief, Captain Badmood, to a key-witness goldfish with a 10-second memory--is highly original and deliciously funny. There are well-planted nods to 007 and mafia films, a wonderful twist ending, a 25-page WWE fight sequence, and enough full-spread KABOOM scenes to detonate a country. And the humorous story is supported admirably by its colorful cartoon artwork, which uses digital illustrations with innovative angles, terrific shading and depth, and all the mood and swagger of a Bond film with the color palette of a SpongeBob episode.

Bad guys feel the pinch when lobster policeman Officer Clawsome and his conveniently badge-shaped starfish sidekick, Stariana, are on the job. "You break the law…you get the claw!" Exchanging wisecracks as they go ("Looks like we're in a real pickle!" "No big dill"), a hot pursuit through a crowded market turns out to be only the opening exploit for two hard-shelled heroes as the escape of fiendish techno-wizard Electric Eel from prison sparks a veritable crime spree in watery Caper Cove. Readers who like their nonstop cop capers punctuated by massive explosions and mighty wallops will find plenty of both as the cocky crime fighters face off, usually violently, against both criminal masterminds and gangs of goofy goons. Meanwhile they're busy getting to the sandy bottom of mysteries ranging from a rash of shark sightings to the disappearance of Kelpy's--source of the best kelpcakes in town--and proving that no crook (not to mention kelpcake) is safe from the long pincer of the law. Along with being as easy to read as the pithy dialogue, the bright, cleanly drawn scenes are stocked with hard-boiled marine characters of diverse color and species sporting theatrical grimaces, googly eyes, and human dress. Benthic buddies have a blast, and readers will too. (Graphic fantasy. 7-9) Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.