Comics Squad: Recess!

Babymouse and Lunch Lady are among a few familiar faces (along with plenty of new ones) in this very funny collection of eight comics shorts from the Holms, Krosoczka, Gene Luen Yang, Raina Telgemeier, Dave Roman, Ursula Vernon, and more. The stories generally embrace a school or recess theme, though in wildly different ways. Eric Wight’s talking cupcake, Jiminy Sprinkles, has a playground run-in with some surly vegetables (“They think they’re so much cooler than everyone else because they’re vitamin-fortified”), while Dan Santat explores homework-sharing and first love in a story that also features an embarrassing and very public vomiting incident. Among the many moments that will keep readers in stitches: Babymouse having her whiskers zapped off by the god Zeus (“You dare insult a mean girl??” he bellows); knockoff versions of President Obama, Iron Man, and Nintendo’s Princess Peach competing in an RPG-style game of kickball; and Petey the cat turning the world’s citizens “rilly dumb” in a hilariously inane Dog Man story from Dav Pilkey. The orange two-color artwork lets the artists’ distinctive styles shine; readers can only hope more such collaborations are on the way. Ages 7–10. (July)