Sgt. Frog, Vol. 1
Gr. 8-11. This newmangaseries introduces a young brother and sister who are dealing with an uninvited houseguest. Froglike Sgt. Korero is an invader from another planet, who is marooned in the Hinata family's Tokyo apartment. Clever, insensitive, a trickster, and a mischievous character in a Garfield-like way, Korero provides some entertainment as Natsumi Hinata and her slightly younger brother, Fuyuki, evolve into engaging characters during the course of this first volume. Brief chapters detail the siblings' discovery of the froglike invader; the reunion between Korero and one of his own, who has invaded the home of a young girl smitten with Fuyuki; and a Hinata family vacation to a resort island. In culturally normative style, the girls' underwear is on display, there are jokes about Mrs. Hinata's bosom, and the characters show emotions that run the gamut from innocence to jealous outrage. In line with the publisher's adherence to keeping the art "unflipped," the book reads from right to left, an easy accommodation for the target audience to make. Light fun.Francisca GoldsmithCopyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved