Pencil & Eraser We have a dull-emma!

K-Gr 2--Classroom life has plenty of challenges, and in this goofy graphic novel, this sentiment extends even to the simplest of school supplies: the familiar, unobtrusive pencil and eraser. With a reader-directed rapport that establishes Pencil as a high-energy jokester and Eraser as a practical foil, the heart of the dilemma is quickly revealed--Pencil's point is dull and she fears being rendered useless to her student-owner Stella. She dons an adventurer's brown, brimmed hat and enlists Eraser in her quest to seek out a functional sharpener. Will Pencil's point be restored before Stella returns and finds her gone? It's not exactly nail-bitingly intense, but the rapport between the pair is intriguing--for every goofy, concerned, sad, or ecstatic expression Pencil makes, Eraser responds with a perpetually neutral, if slightly world-weary, expression. Even when Pencil takes designated "Joke Breaks" in each chapter, Eraser remains, hilariously, unmoved. Nevertheless, their friendship and teamwork persists, encouraging young readers to chuckle and groan their way through this simple and fun story. Alvarado's illustrations move smoothly between conversational and active moments, colored in pleasant primary hues reminiscent of the aesthetics of elementary education. VERDICT Active and funny, Pencil and Eraser's adventures are good for a giggle and cute to boot.--Emilia Packard

Do pencils have lives of their own? Yes, though at times they may seem pointless. Shockingly, Pencil is dull. Not dull as in "uninteresting" but dull as in "needs sharpening." Pencil dramatically imagines owner Stella (represented by a brown hand) rejecting such a useless writing implement. Eraser's terse advice: "Sharpen up." But how will they get from Stella's classroom desk all the way to the sharpener on the teacher's desk? Pencil (briefly sporting a fedora) narrates in the style of an old-fashioned adventure tale. Reserved, laconic Eraser finds the voluble and excited Pencil a bit overwhelming, and, faced with Pencil's multi-step plan, Eraser rubs it out in favor of a simpler idea: They'll use the teacher's chair to climb up (a scene that mostly occurs off the page). Alas! The sharpener is broken. After taking one of several groan-worthy joke breaks, they look for another sharpener. Once more, Pencil has plenty of far-fetched ideas, all of which Eraser dismisses. Will they ever find the coveted sharpener? Very simple drawings depict Pencil as tall and skinny, with fluttery eyelashes; short, stumpy Eraser is pink and white, with cynical half-lidded eyes. The faces are expressive and the typeface clear. While the tale's a bit light on action, the duo's comic interplay is sure to win over readers. A tame adventure tale but a warm buddy story. (drawing instructions) (Early graphic fiction. 5-8) Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.