See the Sea Monster Here! Kraken Me Up by Jeffery Ebbeler

"BRING IN YOUR PETS!" ENTONES THE MASTER OF CEREMONIES.

Kids with all kind of critters have come together for the competition. There's a pretty pig, a hen nesting in her owner's hair, a lovable llama, and a . . .

KRAKEN!

(GULP!)

Never mind that he is BIG! One kid recognizes what he IS. A Kraken is a sea monster from the deepest deeps of the oceans of the world!

"A KRAKEN CAN EAT A SHIP!" YELLS THE KID WITH THE LLAMA.

His owner defends her pet:

"HE'S NOT MEAN! HE IS SHY."

The girl tells how she met him beside the sea and how they became friends.

But the other exhibitors in the Pet Show are not convinced. Izzie the Kraken is not allowed to compete. He's banished to the nearest body of water, a farm pond, into which he barely fits!

"FIND A WAY TO MAKE THEM SMILE," THE GIRL WHISPERS INTO HIS, ER, EAR, (OR WHATEVER THAT IS!)

BLAH-ZOOP! Kraken rares back and sprays his purple ink all over the kids, their parents, and the M.C.! For a moment they all are too astonished and amazed to move, so Kraken demonstrates the possibilities of face-painting with octopus ink on his own face. Suddenly, the kids see the potential of their situation.

Soon everyone is finger-painting each other with purple ink and giggling. But then the sea monster begins to cough.

HACK! HACK!

"THAT KRAKEN IS HACKIN,'" SAYS ONE PURPLE-PAINTED KID.

And Kracken hacks up a sailing ship, complete with cannons, cutlasses, captain, swabies, and all! The kid with the llama has to take credit for his prediction.

"I TOLD YOU THEY EAT SHIPS!" HE BRAGS.

And the crusty old ship's captain climbs out of the ship's quarters at last.

"YAR!

"WE BE IN THAT BELLY FOR FIFTY YEARS!!"style="color: #cc0000; font-family: Oswald;

"IT'S ABOUT TIME WE HAD SOME FUN."

Kraken has cracked up the whole crew, and it's the most memorable day ever at the Pet Show, in comic author-illustrator Jeffery Ebbeler's latest graphic comic book, Kraken Me Up (I Like to Read Comics) (Holiday House, 2021). Jeffery Ebbeler's graphic storybook puts all his comic artwork experience to bear on this one with as jolly a tall ship tall tale as a kid can imagine.

Says School Library Journal, "Girl and kraken are winners in any collection, especially where graphic novels for emerging readers are needed."