Review by Booklist Review
Zips and Eeloo are two eccentric aliens from the planet Zooglebeep (not to be confused with the planet Zoogleboop). Although they have only been living on Earth for six days, it seems like "forever," so the two aliens consider themselves experts in all things human. The duo share their expertise in the art of making hummus and walk readers step-by-step through the process; naturally, there are plenty of high jinks. In this early-reader comic, Zips and Eeloo, brightly colored and cartoonish aliens, entertainingly instruct readers through the recipe, which moves the story along at a pleasant pace. The story largely takes place in the same setting with a simplified background, which will be helpful for emerging readers. Lopez's expressive, witty artwork is full of comedic, slapstick energy and really complements the characters and the overall story. In addition to the playful, inviting plot, Zips and Eeloo actually follow some good directions, and a recipe at the end will give kids a chance to try it on their own. Delicious fun.
From Booklist, Copyright (c) American Library Association. Used with permission.
Review by Publisher's Weekly Review
Plucky aliens Zips and Eeloo--who hail from the planet Zooglebeep ("not to be confused with Zoogleboop")--embark on a culinary mission to demystify the art of hummus-making in this zippy graphic novel series launch. Tentacled orange cyclops Zips and green, crab-clawed Eeloo "have been on your blue planet FOR-EVER!" Though they both claim to be "certified human experts in all things human," Zips--who's been on Earth for five seconds longer than Eeloo, having exited their spaceship first--takes the lead in crafting the savory dip. Numerous missteps, bouts of kitchen mayhem, and interruptions from Eeloo try Zips's patience until the two are forced to come together for some problem-solving or risk imperiling their delectable treat. Simple yet energetic dialogue by Boukarim (Hello Goodbye Little Island) combines with deliciously bright artwork from Lopez (LankyBox: Epic Adventure!), making the events of this goofy early reader graphic novel offering practically bounce off the page. It's a warm and madcap meditation on teamwork, patience, and new experiences told through a comestible escapade starring cartoonish pseudo-siblings finding common ground in their love for chickpea paste. A "Very Human Hummus Recipe" concludes. Ages 6--10. (Feb.)
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Review by School Library Journal Review
Gr 2--4--Certified "human experts" Zips and Eeloo, who happen to be aliens, have come to our world to tell us all about their favorite human things. In this first volume, they try to teach us all about hummus, but things go off the rails fairly quickly as the two may not know as much about human culture as they let on, mistaking a bowling ball for a bowl and confusing sugar for salt. Overall, it's certainly a lesson in food literacy, as the two literally go through every step in making the dish, including tricks like pressing the garlic to peel it easier. With the focus so much on the recipe, there's not much room for story, and the gags mostly revolve around small kitchen mishaps. Colorful, large panels will definitely hold readers' attentions, while the first-person, "staring directly at the audience" approach gives a modern feel to the piece that constantly breaks the fourth wall, à la Aaron Blabey's "Bad Guys" series, adding to the humor. VERDICT A decent start to a series about a silly duo.--Peter Blenski
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Review by Kirkus Book Review
An alien duo comically attempt to make hummus. Zips is a tentacled, single-eyed orange extraterrestrial, while pal Eeloo is a cute childlike green creature with crab-pincer hands. Together, they host a self-styled cooking show in which they impart culinary wisdom based on their extensive knowledge of human food, garnered over the course of nearly one week on Earth. Overconfident Zips has come to the table ill-prepared. Realizing how interminably long the dried beans must soak leads to frustration. Managing the machinations of the mysterious food processor tests Zips' dexterity. A missing ingredient requires a risky dash to the grocery store. When the aliens finally complete their concoction, readers will have learned a lot about both of them: Zips' bombastic attitude belies a general lack of knowledge on all things human, while it turns out that Eeloo's pincer hands have many useful applications in the kitchen. Their humorous quest mirrors a caregiver and child experimenting in the kitchen, a location where many readers may have experienced failure, persistence, and, hopefully, a final tasty victory. The structure of the comic is rather rigid, with pages generally composed of four panels of dialogue emphasizing the duo's interplay, but the story is most exciting when they break beyond that, making messes and reacting to challenges with visual gags. A mix of simple comedic ingredients with a few twists as garnish makes for a funny, fast read. (hummus recipe) (Graphic fiction. 6-9) Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
