Mal and Chad: The Biggest, Bestest Time Ever!

Malcolm (better known as "Mal") is an elementary school supergenius who has taught his dog, Chad, to talk and regularly makes inventions that grownup scientists wish they could create. However, no one seems aware of Mal's abilities (or the fact the dog can speak), so he keeps his time machine and mini-mega-morpher a secret between himself and his loyal canine friend. The charm and humor come from Mal's adventurous streak: when the teacher assigns her students an essay on what they want to be when they grow up, Mal takes it very literally, as he shrinks himself and swims in the dishwater to see if he might want to be a scuba diver. From there he considers becoming an archeologist and goes back in time millions of years thanks to his time-travel machine, adventuring with dinosaurs. McCranie's art is loose, but his characters are expressive and fun. The amusing situations and snappy back and forth between Mal and Chad—"I am not a crypuppy!"—make this a winner. Ages 9–12. (May)