Review By: Anonymous
Published: 2024
Series: Cat on the Run #2
Genre(s): Elementary Graphic Novel, Fiction, Graphic Novel, Adventure, Mystery, Humor
Audience: Grades 3 to 5
Content Warnings: Media sensationalism and scapegoating, violence
Goodreads Link: Cat on the Run in Cucumber Madnes
Publisher’s Summary:
VANISHED! The World’s number one cat video star has disappeared, or has she? As a diabolical mystery unravels around her, Princess Beautiful is plunged into a world where trending is gone, danger lurks everywhere, and cucumbers are no laughing matter. She has jumped out of the frying pan and into Cat on the Run Book Two.
Review:
After Princess Beautiful fled a situation where she claimed to be framed, she disappeared in book one. In book two, she wakes up wondering where she is and who she is with. When she meets Marv, a goat who tells her he is trying to help her and knows she has been framed, she is skeptical at first. They travel to a remote island to see if they can figure out more about her situation, only to discover it is inhabited by cucumbers. Princess Beautiful has a huge fear of cucumbers. Will the cucumbers prevent her from exploring the island? Is this a trap to get her caught? Read to find out the destiny of Princess Beautiful.
Book two in the series continues the cliffhanger from book one, asking, Where did Princess Beautiful go? Princess Beautiful, a popular influencer, is on the run after being blamed for wanting to use nuclear bombs. Everyone is after her. She finds herself tied to a chair in an unknown place. She meets a goat named Marv who claims to have rescued her and shows her a map of their location. As they travel to the island shaped like the scorpion she has been seeing since the incident, they are surrounded by scorpions and cucumbers. Princess Beautiful’s fear of cucumbers makes her frantic. She briefly feels safe until she is tracked through the Pizza Man’s cell phone from book one. This allows her to be found again, and she is once more surrounded.
The reviewer found the book an easy read, though less strong than the first, but still enjoyable. The humor, higher level vocabulary, figurative language, and simple storyline make it engaging for young readers. The character of Marv is a standout, and the reviewer hopes to see more of him. The ending, reminiscent of Men in Black, leaves readers eager for the next installment.
Recommended for fourth grade students, young readers ages seven to ten, and fans of humorous graphic novels. The suspense, illustrations, and easy pacing keep children engaged. Themes include trust, friendship, and teamwork.
The illustrations support understanding and humor. Children would enjoy the series aspect, vocabulary, and adventure. This book can be used in ELA to teach themes, empathy, vocabulary, figurative language, character traits, setting, and perspective. It also connects to geography, science, and fun extensions such as cucumber studies, scorpion research, creating viral style videos, or making game adaptations inspired by the story.
There is not much diversity in the book. The reviewer has read the first in the series and titles from the Bad Guys Club by Blabey.
