Review Detail

A humorous mystery! Banana Fox and the Secret Sour Society by James Kochalka is the first in a graphic novel series for kids featuring the yellow, banana smoothie loving fox and his sidekick Flashlight. In this installment, Banana Fox is asked to solve the mystery of a missing turtle. The evidence is limited but quickly points to his nemesis Sour Grapes, but how can that be if he is in jail?

I really enjoyed this one. Banana Fox is a retired detective hero. After putting his nemesis in jail, B.F., as his friends know him, is working in a smoothie shop, enjoying all the paid smoothies he can get and about to attend the first meeting of the Banana Fox Fan Club when he meets a fellow detective he mistakenly calls Flashlight. B.F. is a quirky character who is quick to jump to conclusions when the evidence is pointing elsewhere. Children will laugh at his antics and pick up on the fact that the real detective is Flashlight.

The paneling for this graphic novel is spot on. Easy to read, bold lettering and action packed panels move the story along while keeping the reader engaged. Broken up into short chapters, this makes it appealing to both newly independent and early readers alike. The illustrations are bright and colorful, adding to the story rather than distracting from it.

Final Thought: A laugh out loud mystery, Banana Fox and the Secret Sour Society will leave kids begging for one more chapter as they discover whodunit and new friendships.