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Dolphin Girl #1
Trouble in Pizza Paradise
Dolphin Girl is a super-hero in training with her dad, Captain Dugong.
Superheroes protect and do battle in smalltown Deerburbia, Michigan. Our good guys, Dolphin Girl and Captain Dugong (a relative of the manatee) work out of their tropical themed restaurant Pizza Paradise.
One day while dad is training Dolphin Girl in signature moves (Blowhole cannon! Extreme Breath Holding!), Dolphin Girl and Dad discover their rivals are up to evil. But when Captain Dugong suddenly flakes out on Dolphin Girl, she must summon her inner sea mammal. With new recruit Pizza Paradise's employee Keith to help out, Dolphin Girl sets out to defeat Sea Cow!
Superheroes protect and do battle in smalltown Deerburbia, Michigan. Our good guys, Dolphin Girl and Captain Dugong (a relative of the manatee) work out of their tropical themed restaurant Pizza Paradise.
One day while dad is training Dolphin Girl in signature moves (Blowhole cannon! Extreme Breath Holding!), Dolphin Girl and Dad discover their rivals are up to evil. But when Captain Dugong suddenly flakes out on Dolphin Girl, she must summon her inner sea mammal. With new recruit Pizza Paradise's employee Keith to help out, Dolphin Girl sets out to defeat Sea Cow!
144 pages, Hardcover
Published October 13, 2020
1 person is currently reading
1638 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 33 reviews
January 31, 2021
This is legit dumb, but in a good way. I could see this as a cartoon on KaBlam! or during the era of Chowder and Flapjack. It’s just full of quirky-weirdness, man-child adults, and funny, meme-like reactions.
3.5
3.5
June 12, 2021
I need more plz
August 5, 2021
Bad puns, dad jokes, and zany antics ensue at the Chuck E. Cheese type pizza place of Dolphin Girl and her father. Not quite the charm of Dog Man or Narwhal and Jelly, but I know a a bunch big kids who will love to read this series.
October 15, 2020
Loved this little adventure! It’s fun for both kids and adults. I found myself laughing out loud while reading it! I disagree with the negative comments on this book. Definitely think this book is a keeper and can’t wait until the next book! Keep up the good work.
March 13, 2023
Good for 1st-3rd graders who are getting into graphic novels.
December 10, 2020
Super silly, light fun about a girl with dolphin-based super powers and her dad Captain Dugong who run a Chuck E Cheese inspired pizza joint. When evil villain Sea Cow tries to brainwash Pizza Paradise customers into only wanting Sea Cow’s diet shakes Dolphin Girl and her sidekick Keith must spring into action. This had the wacky energy of Sponge Bob with a cartoon style that reminded me a bit of maybe Ren & Stimpy? Very light and fun. Fans of silly books will love this. Also, great authors note 😊
January 11, 2021
What a bizarre story that was super silly and childish. It was hilarious and it distracted me from everything for like 30 minutes, and that's exactly what I needed.
I could see anyone interested in Adult Swim style cartoons liking this book. It was immature, obnoxiously weird, and it was exactly what I needed.
There was some "adult-ish" humor in there. Not like crude and profane humor, but you'd have to be an adult (like with bills and responsibility and stuff) to appreciate.
I could see anyone interested in Adult Swim style cartoons liking this book. It was immature, obnoxiously weird, and it was exactly what I needed.
There was some "adult-ish" humor in there. Not like crude and profane humor, but you'd have to be an adult (like with bills and responsibility and stuff) to appreciate.
November 6, 2020
Dolphin Girl: Trouble in Paradise is about a girl who has dolphin powers and a dad who's name is Captain Dugong. In this book, the villan, Seacow, is trying to take over Pizza Paradise and call it Sea Cow Brand Diet Shakes. Dolphin Girl and Otter Boy ( her friend) try to stop Sea Cow and her side kicks. I recommend this book because it is very funny and the characters are silly.
January 11, 2021
What a bizarre story that was super silly and childish. It was hilarious and it distracted me, and that’s exactly what I needed. This was a fun read. I could see middle grades loving this book, and there was some adult-ish humor in there. No profane humor or anything, but you’d have to be an adult (with bills and responsibilities and stuff) to appreciate.
March 29, 2022
I received a free copy of this book from Goodreads Giveaways, and am providing an honest review.
Dolphin Girl: Trouble in Pizza Paradise is a graphic novel showcasing Dolphin Girl’s heroic efforts to save her father’s business, Pizza Paradise. When Dolphin Girl catches wind of an evil plot to overthrow Pizza Paradise, she immediately takes action to thwart them. When Captain Dugong refuses to help, Dolphin Girl is left in charge of the daring rescue.
The art is incredible, and I could honestly hear and see the scenes playing out like it was a tv show. The facial expressions, body movements, and sounds perfectly depict the scene and make for a really fun read. All the characters are lively and animated, and truly amusing. This is certainly a book for younger readers. There are certain cartoon hero stock scenes that make an appearance in the story (the training montage, the chase delayed by a crossing pedestrian, etc.), and the storyline is fairly uncomplicated.
That being said, I found myself laughing several times throughout the read, amused by Dolphin Girl and friend’s antics. The story and writing are absolutely appropriate for school aged kids, perfectly aligned with the market for this book. I know my students would love to read this story, and I’m excited to share it with them.
My only complaint, and it’s not a large one considering this was a free copy, is that some of the pages printed oddly. There is a shadow where the page perhaps moved in the printer? It gives the entire page a disorienting 3D look that is incredibly difficult to read and honestly gave me a bit of a headache- like watching an old 3D movie without the red and blue glasses. It wasn’t every page, and I’m certain it’s something the printers/publishers caught and fixed, but it did take me out of the story a bit and make me aware that I’ll have to check any graphic novels for that problem before I purchase them for my classroom. Eh, I’ll never really complain about a learning opportunity!
Overall, I absolutely enjoyed this book! The episodic nature and fantastic artistic rendering has me excited to continue the series, and I’m certain my students will share my excitement!
Dolphin Girl: Trouble in Pizza Paradise is a graphic novel showcasing Dolphin Girl’s heroic efforts to save her father’s business, Pizza Paradise. When Dolphin Girl catches wind of an evil plot to overthrow Pizza Paradise, she immediately takes action to thwart them. When Captain Dugong refuses to help, Dolphin Girl is left in charge of the daring rescue.
The art is incredible, and I could honestly hear and see the scenes playing out like it was a tv show. The facial expressions, body movements, and sounds perfectly depict the scene and make for a really fun read. All the characters are lively and animated, and truly amusing. This is certainly a book for younger readers. There are certain cartoon hero stock scenes that make an appearance in the story (the training montage, the chase delayed by a crossing pedestrian, etc.), and the storyline is fairly uncomplicated.
That being said, I found myself laughing several times throughout the read, amused by Dolphin Girl and friend’s antics. The story and writing are absolutely appropriate for school aged kids, perfectly aligned with the market for this book. I know my students would love to read this story, and I’m excited to share it with them.
My only complaint, and it’s not a large one considering this was a free copy, is that some of the pages printed oddly. There is a shadow where the page perhaps moved in the printer? It gives the entire page a disorienting 3D look that is incredibly difficult to read and honestly gave me a bit of a headache- like watching an old 3D movie without the red and blue glasses. It wasn’t every page, and I’m certain it’s something the printers/publishers caught and fixed, but it did take me out of the story a bit and make me aware that I’ll have to check any graphic novels for that problem before I purchase them for my classroom. Eh, I’ll never really complain about a learning opportunity!
Overall, I absolutely enjoyed this book! The episodic nature and fantastic artistic rendering has me excited to continue the series, and I’m certain my students will share my excitement!
December 29, 2020
Smith must really be missing Detroit with his fictional Deerburbia (complete with Big Tire); even I felt a little nostalgic. There were soooo many things I liked in this swashbuckling graphic novel pitched to middle schoolers or maybe younger or older people who like dolphins. I love that the owner of the pizza place gets takeout from the Tacoholic. That the drummer is a robotic Ben Franklin spouting aphorisms. The cop car driving off with a police dog in the front seat. The Minivan of Doom. I loved the superpowers: Otter Boy's spiky urchins, Dolphin Girl's echolocation, Sea Cow's milk squirts. Not sure why the soccer mom is dressed like a doctor, but I guess every comic needs a mad professor. Can't wait for the next installment!
March 30, 2022
The start of a new graphic novel series aimed at the younger set, Dolphin Girl: Trouble in Pizza Paradise has it all: action! superheroes! pizza! Featuring the adventures of Dolphin Girl and her father as they try to combat the evil plans being hatched in a nearby restaurant, it includes humor for both the younger kids and some sly nods and wry humor for their older reading companions. The book features a girl and her dad - great to see this family dynamic represented. The drawing are simple, with thick outlines and solid colors, but the full-color will up the appeal for beginning readers. By design, early reader graphic novels will be read quickly, leaving kids always looking for a new one - nice to have another series ready to start them on. A fun, quick read to engage younger readers with a funny, action-packed story.
November 13, 2020
Zach Smiths brings pizza, superhero’s and comedy into a Michigan suburb called Deerburbia. Hilarious and silly, these characters come to life and chaos ensues. This father daughter superhero team is heartwarming and once the book ended. I was excited to see that a follow up is coming next year. Buy this book!
May 10, 2022
Not as crazy about this one as some of the other graphic novels we've checked out. I honestly just don't like how their noses look. And the dad's kind of a narcissistic jerk. Him being so unlikeable and just the loose weirdness of the story didn't capture me. My 8 year was fine with it. But those noses y'all. Ew.
June 8, 2022
Zany humor that will appeal to SpongeBob SquarePants fans.
Some of the jokes/context felt exclusively aimed at adults (re: millennials, student loans, diet shakes, the Chuck E. Cheese atmosphere of Pizza Paradise) and at times this made it unclear who the graphic novel was really for. I personally like a more subtle dual address.
Some of the jokes/context felt exclusively aimed at adults (re: millennials, student loans, diet shakes, the Chuck E. Cheese atmosphere of Pizza Paradise) and at times this made it unclear who the graphic novel was really for. I personally like a more subtle dual address.
August 18, 2022
Looked cute and silly enough but I found it quite random and rambly with disjointed transitions and humor that didn't land-- it felt like I was listening to a child tell me their dream.
It almost seems like it's trying to follow the Dog Man formula but without as much heart? (Which isn't something I necessarily thought I'd ever laud Dog Man for, lol.)
It almost seems like it's trying to follow the Dog Man formula but without as much heart? (Which isn't something I necessarily thought I'd ever laud Dog Man for, lol.)
October 2, 2021
First book in a graphic novel series about Dolphin Girl and her dad, Captain Gugong, owners of Pizza Paradise. Full of punny jokes, superhero good vs evil antics, and restaurant humor, kids will enjoy this silly series.
March 31, 2022
Children will be entertained with the superheroes in the book, as I feel more for the 4th grade and up. The pizza place does come across as a place like Chuck E Cheese a family play place for children with games and things for them to do. Definitely liked Dolphin girl, Whale and Otter boy.
June 18, 2023
I often enjoy graphic novels for younger ages, they are lighthearted and funny and I have a stressful job where it can be nice to get away.
This is either for kids way younger than I thought, or it is just not well written.
This is either for kids way younger than I thought, or it is just not well written.
June 21, 2023
The tweens were not looking forward to this one when I said it was our selection for the July meeting. They were right to not look forward to it. The attempts at humor always missed, the art is mediocre, and none of these characters leave a good impression.
August 7, 2024
I'm not a fan of this kind of art or writing, but my kids were entertained.
The local pizza parlor is run by local superhero Captain Dugong and his daughter Dolphin Girl. The supervillain Sea Cow wants to take it over in order to sell her protein shakes.
The local pizza parlor is run by local superhero Captain Dugong and his daughter Dolphin Girl. The supervillain Sea Cow wants to take it over in order to sell her protein shakes.
October 19, 2020
3.5, funny and cute
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November 3, 2020I felt like this book was cute for the younger kids, but not my taste. I can definitely see elementary kids enjoying it.
December 21, 2020
Exactly my brand of absurd! I laughed A LOT reading this!
January 12, 2021
Fiona's review (age 9). I like the illustrations and that's it. The storyline was too childish and uninteresting for me. But if you like Spongebob Squarepants you might like this book.
May 16, 2021
This one is odd. Vaguely reminiscent of James Kolchaka but not quite as good at being the embodiment of 8 yo boy brains.
August 11, 2021
Quirky and weird superhero-ish who runs a pizza shop story? It's a trip... Someone said it reminds them of the Cartoon Network show, FlapJack and that is spot on.
September 1, 2021
I'm sure kids love this one, but for me it was just too bizarre without enough of a story.
August 28, 2022
She liked the story more than the illustrations this time.
April 20, 2023
Fun little graphic novel. It reminded me of cartoons you'd see on cartoon network or nickelodeon
Displaying 1 - 30 of 33 reviews