More trampling in the vineyards of the Literary Classics section, with results that will tickle fancies high and low. The cartoon art, neatly and brightly colored by Garibaldi, is both as easy to read as the snappy dialogue and properly endowed with outsized sound effects, figures displaying a range of skin colors, and glimpses of underwear (even on robots). He lists no fewer than nine ways to ask “who cut the cheese?” and includes both punny chapter titles (“The Bark Knight Rises”) and nods to Hamiltonand Mary Poppins. During said battle and along the way Pilkey tucks in multiple Flip-O-Rama inserts as well as general gags. The Steinbeck novel’s Cain/Abel motif gets some play here, as Petey, “world’s evilest cat” and cloned Li’l Petey’s original, tries assiduously to tempt his angelic counterpart over to the dark side only to be met, ultimately at least, by Li’l Petey’s “Thou mayest.” (There are also occasional direct quotes from the novel.) But inner struggles between good and evil assume distinctly subordinate roles to riotous outer ones, as Petey repurposes robots built for a movie about the exploits of Dog Man-“the thinking man’s Rin Tin Tin”-while leading a general rush to the studio’s costume department for appropriate good guy/bad guy outfits in preparation for the climactic battle. Recasting Dog Man and his feline ward, Li’l Petey, as costumed superheroes, Pilkey looks East of Eden in this follow-up to Tale of Two Kitties (2017).

Weathering this storm should leave readers on cloud nine. After the adventure ends, young unicorn aficionados need not despair Simpson includes bonus materials with ideas for tasty drinks, experiments, and information about electricity. However, those seeking diversity within the panels may be torn: Max has two moms, but the entire cast is predominantly white. Throughout the series the artwork never falters, and it has sustained its vibrancy with clean lines and expressive facial details. This volume is one of her strongest, adding new dimensions to her ever expanding universe and paving the way for more entertaining shenanigans ahead. As the series progresses, Simpson’s volumes have become more substantial, with a greater emphasis on narrative development than reliance on jokes.

The pair, aided by bespectacled Max and longtime frenemy Dakota, must venture out to find a mysterious dragon that may hold the answers. When an ice storm hits their town, Marigold suspects that the storm may not be natural.

With a big heart and a smattering of freckles, plucky Phoebe returns with her BFF Marigold, a white unicorn with a flowing mane and a healthy dose of narcissism. In their sixth adventure, Phoebe and her best pal, Marigold the unicorn, must determine the cause of a magical storm.

Phoebe and her unicorn magic storm