The Last Basselope: One Ferocious Story
Grade 2-5-- This modern fable will primarily appeal to fans of Breathed's comic strips. Glowingly surreal illustrations decorate the slight story and enhance the comedy of the fairly simple plot. Otis the penguin, along with his friends Ronald-Ann, Bill the Cat, and Milquetoast the Housebug, sets out in search of a prehistoric beast known as the Last Basselope. Once found, the beast turns out to be friendly rather than ferocious, and the intrepid adventurers decide to protect rather than exploit it. Breathed's sense of humor is delightfully sarcastic and sophisticated, but it may be missed by some younger readers. They may, however, find the sheer silliness of the tale appealing and enjoy the chance to see in book form some of the familiar characters from Bloom County and Outland. Older children and adults are more likely to appreciate the satiric view of television, print media, and contemporary society's materialistic values. Clearly, though, the usefulness of this title will depend upon the popularity of the author and the likelihood of patron interest and demand, for it is an extension of Breathed's work rather than a truly independent effort. --Lisa Dennis, The Carnegie Library of PittsburghCopyright 1993 Reed Business Information, Inc.--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.