Graphic novels open doors to reading by combining vivid visuals with bite-sized text, creating stories that are approachable for young and reluctant readers alike. The blend of comic book-style art and dialogue helps early readers lose themselves in the fun of books, decoding language effortlessly with the dynamic panels sparking imagination and keeping young readers attention. At What’s Good To Read, we love anything that champions literacy and children reading more, which graphic novels do with ease (some of my earliest memories of reading are comic books) – they help boost reading skills, boost confidence in reading, foster visual literacy and offer diverse storytelling styles that invite every child into the world of books – and more importantly, encourage children to pick up books and read, read and read some more! And the Blue, Barry & Pancakes series is one such graphic novel series that children will love.
The Blue, Barry & Pancakes series by Dan Abdo & Jason Patterson, from Rock the Boat Books, is a graphic novel series for young readers age 5+. The series follows a trio of friends; Blue (a worm), Barry (a frog) and Pancakes (a rabbit) and has themes of friendships that embrace differences, teamwork and creative problem solving. Mount Choco Meltdown is the third instalment in the series.
In Mount Choco Meltdown, this trio of friends embark on a delicious, and dangerous, quest. Barry has an empty trophy room and really wants to win something to put in it. With the support of his friends, they enter a Build-a-Sundae contest but when they observe some of the entries being constructed they know they have to come up with something brilliant. This sees them decide that their sundae needs to have the world’s best ice cream – the only problem with that is that is in a cave, up a mountain and guarded by a giant, razor-toothed yeti! Oh, and before they can even get that far, they need to cross the Sea of Sea Sickness first.
Can this trio of very different friends work together to venture across rough seas, climb steep mountains and get the chocolate from the yeti to build the best sundae with the best ice cream? Well, I’m not going to give you that answer. All I can tell you is to read the book, you won’t be disappointed with their adventures.
Overall, Blue, Barry & Pancakes: Mount Choco Meltdown is an excellent fun book that young, and reluctant, readers will enjoy picking up and reading. It’s 108 pages may seem daunting at first for some young readers, but its short, engaging pages are quick to read with excellent comic book visuals that portray a fun story of friendship. Packed with silly humour that will appeal to young readers: rough sea crossings, a statue swallowing sunglasses and creative dance offs, readers will stay engaged with the story and laugh along with the antics of the characters while they work together to achieve their common goal.
As this loveable trio of characters, all very different, diverse and very individual, adventure to Mount Choco, determined to win the sundae contest with the world’s finest chocolate ice cream, every twist and turn brims with slapstick humour and heartwarming teamwork, ensuring readers are both giggling and turning pages in eager anticipation.
Blue, Barry & Pancakes are very diverse characters but they form a perfectly balanced group. Blue has a cautious, bookish nature, which helps to keep their plans grounded. Barry has an inventive spirit, this propels the adventure forward and as for Pancakes, well Pancakes fearless adventurous optimism smooths over every rough patch. Together their friendship celebrates differences and togetherness – Blue’s analytical mind, Barry’s creativity and Pancakes’ joyful spontaneity come together to solve problems. Young readers will be able to relate to these characters, seeing themselves reflected in the distinct personalities, while learning that true friendship thrives when everyone’s strengths shine and work together.
While this is a fun and adventurous tale, it is a graphic novel so I really do need to mention the illustrations that make up the bulk of the story. The full-colour illustrations leap off the page with vibrancy. They tell the story just as much as the text that is made up of speech bubbles. The characters with their exaggerated expressions convey emotion instantly, while the dynamic layouts of the panels portray the action perfectly with dance-offs and cascading ice-cream splatters. For children who might shy away from text-heavy books, these highly visual pages, packed with energy, provide continuous momentum, where young readers will feel a sense of achievement with every page they complete. A fun and enjoyable way to encourage reading.
Blue, Barry & Pancakes: Mount Choco Meltdown is a delicious blend of action, friendship and creative problem-solving – it’s tailor-made for young and reluctant readers. This quirky tale is easy to read, the visuals are excellent and the relatable heroes offer an excellent way to engage in the world of books and reading. It has a funny and heartwarming story, perfect for budding bookworms who crave fun, laughter and a taste of adventure where the graphics do the heavy lifting while there is enough text to encourage those reading skills (and fingers crosses, garnering a love for books, whatever their form).
Rating: 5/5
RRP: £7.99 (Paperback) / £3.99 (Kindle)
For more information, visit www.danandjason.net. Available to buy from Amazon here.
