Johnny Boo and the Ice Cream Computer

Johnny Boo #8

by James Kochalka

"The best little ghost in the world," and his pet ghost, Squiggle, are back in their most delicious adventure yet! It's a new delightful romp for young readers and families from the award-winning imagination of Vermont's first Cartoonist Laureate, James Kochalka.

Johnny Boo creates an incredible Ice Cream Computer that can turn anything into delicious ice cream. Old toys that you don't want to play with anymore? Ice cream! Clods of dirt and grass? Ice cream! It works great... until Squiggle decides to turn himself into ice cream! Johnny Boo time travels to the future, where the Mean Little Boy tries to add him to his butterfly collection. Can Squiggle save the day, or will everyone get turned into ice cream??

Genres: Graphic Novels, Childrens, Comics, Humor, Graphic Novels Comics

40 pages, Hardcover

First published May 23, 2018

About the author

James Kochalka is an American comic book artist and writer, and rock musician. His comics are noted for their blending of the real and the surreal. Largely autobiographical, Kochalka's cartoon expression of the world around him includes such real-life characters as his wife, children, cat, friends and colleagues, but always filtered through his own observations and flights of whimsy. In March 2011 he will be declared the cartoonist laureate of Vermont, serving a term of two years.

Reviews

[Dave Schaafsma · Rating 4 out of 5]

You looking for a sweet pastel-illustrated picture book about bunnies and fuzzy mice and sharing? Forget it! Don't look in Kochalka. Well, there is friendship between ghost Johnny Boo and his pet ghost Squiggle in this volume eight of the series, for sure. Johnny Boo builds a computer with a hammer (which may be the extent of your engineering imagination at 6 years old; like, what other tools would you need?), and discovers if you put clods of dirt and old toys in it that it makes ice cream. Of course. Awesome, dude!

Oh, there's more: Time machine? Ice cream monster trapping ghosts for his butterfly collection? Huh? At the end there is a quiz: a) Is this story a dream? b) real? c) Other?

I think most people looking for the above books about tenderly tolerating differences would find this book to be STUPID and POINTLESS, to which I think Kochalka would say YEAH! That's my niche! A whole lot of kids will laugh at it. But Kochalka is anti-mean, fundamentally, and draws very attractive goofy characters in wild color.

[Maggi Rohde · Rating 4 out of 5]

How did I not know this existed? A kinder, sillier Captain Underpants for the younger set. Magic!

[Jonathan Barker · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is adorable, wonderful, delicious and scrumptious! The visuals and writing are fantastic. The illustrations leap off the page and the characters are drawn in a fun, charming ways. It really feels like a book I would have loved to read over and over again as a kid. It actually inspired a deep existential quandary in me. I love it! The author was super cool when I met him at Toronto Comic Arts Festival. I hope you have as much fun reading this book as I did. Highly recommended for young kids!

[Stephanie Tournas · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the eighth installment in the hilarious Johnny Boo series. It’s a perfectly silly early chapter book graphic novel for kids new to reading on their own. In keeping with earlier silliness, Johnny Boo invents something, but he’s not sure what it does. His rascally friend Squiggle helps him figure out that the machine makes ice cream, and then of course mischief happens. Bright vibrant colors, slapstick action, and Johnny Boo’s general lack of discernment make this totally funny and appealing.

[Kinnley Davis · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book is not at all what I was expecting. The story line kind of became all over the place with ghosts, ice cream machines, and the timeline jumping into a dream realm. At the end of the book a page is reserved for readers to decide if the book was just a dream, if it really happened, or something else, then a blank space for written discussion. The Johnny Boo books are a series and this is book 8. I am now curious if all the books are as scattered with the ability for reader intervention. Overall very stimulating.

[Jessica Haider · Rating 4 out of 5]

He hasn't read the other Johnny Boo Books but my 8 year old enjoyed this short graphic novel. It is definitely something he could read in one sitting and was filled with goofy silliness. And who wouldn't LOVE an ice cream computer?!?

[Sarah · Rating 4 out of 5]

Odd, absurd and funny in it's own way. I could see kids loving this

[Kate · Rating 4 out of 5]

Johnny Boo continues to be super cute and silly while having an adventure with Squiggle and a special homemade contraption.

[Paperclippe · Rating 5 out of 5]

A masterpiece.

[Francis S. Poesy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Definitely not a dream. Maybe. Silly, fun, funny, and goofy. Another great absurdly whimsical Johnny Boo adventure.

[Gabs · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great book

[Kristyn · Rating 1 out of 5]

Of course, I am not the intended audience, but it was quite strange.

[Theodore · Rating 5 out of 5]

Read it in one sitting

[Freya Ravenheart · Rating 3 out of 5]

Addicted to this silly little comics

[Katie · Rating 3 out of 5]

What a bizarre little graphic novel that I’m sure kids would like, truly an “ice cream [fever] dream.” Best part might have been the end page question 🤣

[Andrew Shaffer · Rating 5 out of 5]

These Johnny Boo books are deceptively effortless.