Lio: There's a Monster in My Socks

Gr 3–6—Here are a few tips for surviving life with Lio: if there's a KEEP OUT sign on his door, don't try to vacuum in there. You maybe should just concede the science fair to him. And for goodness sake, don't give him a turn at show-and-tell. His decidedly unorthodox (and frequently disproportionate) responses to familiar school-age situations and pursuits are depicted in a scratchy black-and-white style with a distinct Gahan Wilson flavor. When flying kites with the other kids, Lio brings a dragon. When it's time to play football, Lio brews a Mr. Hyde potion that turns him into the ultimate linebacker. Some strips take a little effort to decode, which makes their punch line that much funnier. Despite hearty helpings of grotesque slapstick violence, Lio is a goodhearted character with an active sense of justice, frequently victimizing bullies, sticking up for other kids, and championing the voiceless-such as prey animals, aliens, and monsters. Like Big Nate, Lio lives with his patient, long-suffering schlub of a dad. Overjoyed at breakfast time to find a giant egg in the kitchen, he ends up with an alien stuck to his face. He steals his garbage can to make a robot, the steaks from the fridge to feed the monsters under the floor, and tests his potions out on poor old dad. Lio's near-wordless humor will appeal to a wide variety of kids-smart kids, kids who think they are weird, pranksters, and kids who sometimes get in trouble.—Paula Willey, Baltimore County Public Library, Towson, MD