Bink & Gollie

Think Pippi Longstocking meets The Big Bang Theory, and you'll have a good idea of the mood and quirky heroines of this first entry in what promises to be a wholly original chapter book series. Gollie is reed thin, geeky, and archly judgmental; Bink is petite and down to earth. Like all best friends, they know each other too well and can't live without one another, and in three short adventures, they squabble about novelty socks ("The problem with Gollie," Bink observes, "is that it's either Gollie's way or the highway. My socks and I have chosen the highway"), personal boundaries, and pets ("I must inform you that you are giving a home to a truly unremarkable fish," says Gollie). The plots serve mostly as a framework for DiCamillo and McGhee's sharp, distinctly ungirly dialogue that makes every page feel like a breath of fresh air. And true to his background as an animator for Pixar and Disney, Fucile makes his inklike digital illustrations crackle with energy and sly humor—it's not surprising that the man who helped create The Incredibles' Edna Mode has made these two prickly personalities irresistible. Ages 6–9. (Sept.)