Boogie Knights

From School Library Journal Starred Review. Grade 1–5—There's a shindig brewing at the castle one night, as werewolves, zombies, mummies, and all manner of creepy characters make their way through silent halls to the Madcap Monster Ball. The stronghold's seven sibling knights, posed in full armor in an impressive row, supposedly stand guard, but are actually fast asleep. One by one, each warrior is stirred by the commotion and leaves his post to check out its cause-only to find himself joining in the fun and dancing the night away. Wheeler's rhythmic text is filled with taut rhymes, alliteration, and vivid images. The raucous verses detail the events and spirit of the upbeat party with lively zeal, while the narrative's wordplay makes it worthy of repeated readings. Puns and double entendres abound ("Forced, Sir Ender/just gives in./Lone Sir Vivor/(that's his twin)/feels the music/in his soul,/kicks up his heels…/'Let's rock 'n' roll!'"). Done in charcoal, pencil, and Photoshop, Siegel's sophisticated, graphic-novel-style artwork also demands a second look. There are plenty of visual story lines to follow as a wide-eyed young prince, anxiously clutching a candle and teddy bear, spies on the action, and a smiling portrait princess escapes from her painting to try and befriend the frightened boy. Sepia tones, splashes of color, silhouettes, and outline sketches cleverly underscore the plot elements and keep the pages interesting. Kids will eat this one up and beg for more.—