Burger! - Softcover

Gr 2-5-In this graphic novel, Clementine Smith, a vocal vegetarian, is suspicious when a burger joint mysteriously appears near the town dump and serves free food. The girl discovers that the place is a facade created by Jeff, an alien chef who has been in the service of a demanding gourmand for over 100 years. If Jeff can find a new recipe to tempt his master's taste buds, Gluttor will set him free. Following a recipe for "Forked Beast Burger," Jeff plans to fatten and then capture a human and boil the victim in oil. Clem saves a burger-devouring classmate from the deep fryer, convinces Jeff that Earth-dwellers are capable of feelings of friendship, and helps him prepare an alternative dish of bicycle burger with mashed mattress and a side of sauteed rags. Gluttor is pleased with the meal and allows Jeff to return to his home planet. With childlike humor, the comic-book format is right on target for beginning chapter-book and reluctant readers. The black-and-white framed illustrations set the mood, depict amusing aliens, and portray the action developed through the characters' snappy dialogue. A female protagonist and themes of problem resolution are icing on the cake. Young comic-book fans, both vegetarians and carnivores, will devour this title.-Shawn Brommer, Southern Tier Library System, Painted Post, NY

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