BC Mambo

(Stone Rabbit 1)

by
Erik Craddock

Random House, January 2009, 96 pp.
ISBN: 978-0-375-84360-0

Genre: Early Chapter
Subgenres: Graphic Novel / Adventure
Reviewed: 3/21/2010

Reviewed by: Conan Tigard

Book Cover

Graphic Novel Page

Synopsis

Stone Rabbit is at home is an is very unhappy when his alarm clock goes off Monday morning. While flossing something out of his teeth, he knocks over a bottle of Uncle Jerry's Super Sticky BBQ Sauce onto the bathroom floor. After Stone Rabbit peels the sticky sauce off of the floor, a huge hole appears. Like Alice falling down to Wonderland, Stone Rabbit is sucked down the hole back in time to the Neolithic world of Pangaea, a supercontinent that existed over 200 million years ago.

Running away from dinosaurs and other scary creatures, Stone Rabbit end up being worshipped by a group of primitive rabbits. One of the children rabbits describes to Stone Rabbit, in symbols, a creature that is terrorizing the village. Stone Rabbit, knowing he will regret his decision, decides to see what he can do to help.

Stone Rabbits finds himself confronting a huge creature that seems to be on stilts and in a costume. After being captured, the Neanderthal in the costume steps out and reveals that he is using the primitive rabbits as his slaves to build a chain of restaurants called Willie's Big Burger Hut. He has also invented money that he will use to gain the power he desires.

Stone Rabbit realizes that he must put an end to this fiasco and free the primitive rabbit slaves. But when the Neanderthal's army of windup soldiers comes after him, Stone Rabbit must outwit them all if he is going to survive his trip back in time.

BC Mambo is the first book in the Stone Rabbit series and is written and drawn by Erik Craddock. Stone Rabbit is a graphic novel about a quick-tempered (yet quick-witted) young rabbit, whose experiences can best be described as a raging rollercoaster of epic proportions. This book is intended for early chapter readers ages 7 to 10.

Review

BC Mambo is an extremely fast-paced book about a young rabbit sucked back in time to the supercontinent of Pangaea. Here, he must rescue the primitive rabbits from a Neanderthal set on world domination. Okay, I know the story is weird, but that is what makes it so fun. Kids will love it.

The story is beautifully drawn by Erik Craddock. The coloring is terrific and and the pages look gorgeous. As for the story, the fast-pace and the extreme action will keep kids wanting more and more. What also makes the reading a little difficult is the fact that the primitive rabbits do not speak in words. They speak in symbols. It takes a little while to figure out what they are trying to say, but once you do, everything is all good.

The storyline is fun and early chapter readers will read BC Mambo over and over again. There is enough action and adventure in this book to set a child's action-meter to full and keep it there for a while.

One nice thing about this book is a list of terms used in the story. On the back, inside cover is the list with not only the pronunciation of each word, but a definition of of each so early chapter readers can learn more about some of these strange words that they may never have heard or seen before.

The only issue I had with BC Mambo is having a Neanderthal back in time 200 million years ago. Humanoids never lived with dinosaurs no matter how much this is portrayed in books and movies. The only reason I bring this up is that the author states on his website that this series not only entertains, but it also educates.

Overall, BC Mambo is a great book that early chapter readers, especially boys, will absolutely love. With a fun storyline, beautiful artwork, and wonderful coloring, this book is a treasure.

I wonder what kind of trouble Stone Rabbit will have in his next adventure entitled Pirate Palooza? I sure hope that someone doesn't swab the deck with him or send him down to Davy Jones' Locker.

I rated this book an 8 out of 10.