The cute duo, Pencil & Eraser, are again once more of their second journey! This time, Pencil is tremendous excited that they are going to be becoming a member of their human Stella for her karate class. Becoming a member of… as in being alongside for the trip in Stella’s backpack since they’re her college provides. Whereas training some ninja strikes, Pencil performs a leap – proper out of Stella’s backpack and onto the sidewalk. In fact, Eraser gained’t abandon Pencil and is true behind her. Now, they should discover the dojo as a way to reunite with Stella. Fortunately, Eraser introduced alongside a map…

Pencil & Eraser: Misplaced and Frown! is the charming sequel to Jenny Alvarado’s Pencil & Eraser: We Have a Boring-emma! Whereas within the first story, readers have been launched to Pencil and Eraser with an journey within the classroom, in Misplaced and Frown!, Pencil and Eraser should navigate the surface world. They encounter a few useful squirrels who’re very interested in what sort of wooden Pencil is, escape a shiny arcade, and navigate the karate class to make it again to their beloved Stella, although they face one final sudden twist!

The structural and narrative codecs of Misplaced and Frown! are much like We Have a Boring-emma!, which is an effective factor. Alvarado had a successful method within the first installment – easy panels, clear textual content, joke breaks – so it was good to see the method persevering with with a brand new refreshing and enjoyable story. It’s notable that Alvarado features a cute little desk of contents and chapters, parts which are widespread in longer common novels versus graphic novels. Not solely do they assist floor the story and break up scenes for younger readers, however additionally they familiarize rising readers with parts that they’ll see in novels. That familiarity may make prose novels much less intimidating for rising readers.

Along with the narrative strengths, Alvarado’s artwork stays the guts of Pencil & Eraser. The 2 foremost characters are expressive, in a position to be each humorous or endearing relying on what scenario through which they discover themselves. The backgrounds are easy however efficient – Alvarado makes use of gradients incessantly when specializing in the characters, however she makes use of lined backgrounds to precise motion or motion. Nonetheless, she can also be in a position to attract an in depth background when she must convey the place Pencil and Eraser are. Alvarado features a how-to-draw bonus on the finish of this ebook as nicely, which followers and aspiring artists will love.

The writer’s age ranking for Pencil & Eraser: Misplaced and Frown! is ages 5-8, the right age group for the Pencil & Eraser collection. Readers who loved We Have a Boring-emma! will love this follow-up, and readers who’re assembly Pencil and Eraser for the primary time can have no hassle following the story and will probably be thrilled to know there’s one other ebook on this collection for them to learn. The Pencil & Eraser collection continues to be a superb selection for rising readers and for readers trying to find one other cute pair of characters to adore like Narwhal and Jelly. Misplaced and Frown! is a should for any library, as is its predecessor. Pencil and Eraser will convey quite a lot of pleasure and laughter to younger readers.

Pencil & Eraser: Misplaced and Frown! 
By Jenny Alvarado
G.P. Putnam’s Sons, an imprint of Penguin Random Home, 2025
ISBN: 9780593699812

Firm Age Score: Ages 5-8

NFNT Age Suggestion: Simple Readers (5-9)