Off the Hook

InvestiGators #3

by John Patrick Green

InvestiGators Mango and Brash don their fanciest vests for the next mystery in the adventure series from John Patrick Green

Sewer-loving secret agents Mango and Brash fight for the GATOR good in this zany adventure that will have readers HOOKED!

The InvestiGators are the best crime-fighting duo in the world. But not even their hi-tech training programs can prepare them for the return of their greatest nemesis, Crackerdile, in a shocking new form! Even worse, he’s creating a team of super villains! Faced with the choice between saving themselves or catching the crooks, can Mango and Brash make sure the gator good prevails?

Genres: Graphic Novels, Childrens, Middle Grade, Animals, Mystery, Humor, Fiction

208 pages, Hardcover

First published February 23, 2021

About the author

John Green grew up on Long Island and has worked in New York City ever since graduating from School of Visual Arts for Graphic Design in 1997. He was the comics consultant for Disney Adventures magazine, and in addition to Disney has written, illustrated, or otherwise worked on comics for Nickelodeon, Dreamworks, Scholastic, DC Comics, and First Second Books. When not drawing comics John creates artwork for video games, such as Emerald City Confidential, Puzzle Bots, and Nearly Departed. See more of John's work at www.johngreenart.com.

Reviews

[Darla · Rating 5 out of 5]

Mango and Brash have a bit of a debate going. If there is an impossible choice to make, should they grab the bad guy or save their partner? Brash is all about the greater good -- stop the bad guy no matter what. Mango wants to save his partner so they can do more good together. Little do they know that in this episode of InvestiGators, Mango will have to make that choice. Along the way we get to see all the fun characters from earlier in the series including Crackerdile who has teamed up with Hookline and Sinker. The clever writing is better than ever and don't miss the details in the illustrations. In one panel, Dr. Doodlydoo (a man-sized chicken) digs in a box marked "Sciency Parts." There are puns on every page, like scientists named Aiden and Nine. Then there is the call they have to make to the Prison Gourd (who really is a gourd). So much fun and we have Investigators: Ants in Our P.A.N.T.S. coming up next.

[Jodie | GeauxGetLit · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have a 9yo autistic son and reading isn’t his strength. I have purchased numerous books to spark his interest.
Not only did he LOVE them he even talked to me for over an hour telling me all about the characters and every time he got to a funny part he would dash out of his room and share it with me. This is such a cute mystery series appropriate for middle grade that has tons of funny characters that hooks any child’s imagination. Plus the comics were impeccably drawn out. This series made a mom cry tears of joy because I finally found books my son enjoys!

Author Q&A

Q. Will there be a fourth book? If so, what can we expect next from the Investigators?

A. There will! It’s called “Ants in Our P.A.N.T.S.”, and in it the InvestiGators face some new and old foes as they try on a new crime-solving technique called P.A.N.T.S. It will be their biggest adventure yet!

[Lisa D · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved it! Cute book!

[Eric Mesa · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another fun entry in the Investigators to read with the kids. The cast of characters continues to grow and reward re-reads of previous books with lots of references to previous events. It's evident now that Green has written each book to lead into the next. I wonder if he has an endgame in mind or is just taking it one book at a time. Once COVID is over, if he comes back to Baltimore Comic-Con I'll be sure to talk to him about it.

By now you should know if you like the dad jokes and verbal and visual puns that make up the Investigators series. I just realized that this is just a kid version of the types of jokes in The Complete Multiple Warheads (BTW - that is a VERY MUCH NOT FOR KIDS series). That's probably why I enjoy Investigators so much. I like when creators take advantage of the medium to make jokes that only make sense in that medium (another example would be the joke credits in the Deadpool movie). This book is more of the usual jokes while moving along the relationship between Brash and Mango. So, if you like that, grab this book now!

[Jim · Rating 5 out of 5]

It was cool.

[Kurt Neumaier · Rating 5 out of 5]

Guys, these gators got me giggling.

[Annamarie Carlson (she, her)]

Gators Mango and Brash are on another crime-fighting spree. This time they are determined to track down the missing snake-armed-plumber all while trying to figure out who could have robbed a local bank. Costume changes, travel by sewer, and fantastic spy tech help our heroes prevail. But when it comes to saving their partner or capturing the villain--which will the InvetiGATORS choose?

More InvetGATORs fun. This series continues to be ideal for Dog Man fans, capturing the humor, puns, and sometimes non-sensical combination of mystery, adventure, and action. I appreciate how even the villains show character development through the Dog Man series; that hasn't happened yet here, but I hope it does soon so these books don't begin to feel too repetitive.

[Sara · Rating 5 out of 5]

Feeling neglected in the workplace? Want to be EVIL and do CRIMES?

[Mandy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Middle grade graphic novel, action/adventure, 3rd in a series. Mango and Brash are back, trying to find the snake-armed man who robbed a bank. As they test out the new prototype V.E.S.T.s, they end up at a dull bank board meeting before finally being able to track down a clue at the old opera house. Meanwhile Crackerdile is pulling the strings for "Hookline & Sinker," his name for the snake-armed man. Though he is now a talking bucket of cracker dough, he is determined to grow back bigger than ever. Mango struggles throughout the text with the idea of choosing the greater good at the possible expense of his partner Brash.

This is another fun, punny, fast-paced adventure. Still seems random that humanoid animals live alongside people and nobody seems to notice, but then there is still a doctor that changes into a news-copter, so not everything in this world makes sense anyway. Looking forward to this series continuing in the fall.

[Stephanie Bange · Rating 4 out of 5]

The third of this funny, punny graphic novels is just as full of yucks and chuckles as the others.

In this one, InvestiGators Brash and Mango must find and stop the villain Crackerdile, who has enlisted Hookline and Slinker into his evil team called T.A.I.L.Blazers.

Green is smart filling in the backstory in this rollicking adventure, making it easy to jump into. Eager readers will search for and read the first two books in the series just to catch up on the story and the laughs. He cleverly inserts puns on nearly every page - tackling themes such as trains, spy stories, food, crime, banks, and chickens. Did I mention they transport themselves across town via the sewer system, with entering portals being toilets?

Artwork by Green is beautifully fleshed out in color by Aaron Polk, making it easy to separate the two partners (one is medium green, the other lime green) throughout.

A fun read for beginning chapter book lovers, grades 2-5.

[Mathew · Rating 4 out of 5]

The 3rd instalment in the almost dad-like-dun-heavy capers of S.U.I.T. investigators, Mango and Brash. Now with Hookline and Slinker free and collaboration with Crackerdile, the partners must weave through more painful jokes (in all the right ways), Hollywood crime tropes and more fourth-wall breaking than an episode of Family Guy.

What I like so much about Green's creations is that there is humour and madcapery here for the younger but plenty of intertextual nods to other films and series for the adult reader too. And all of this is juggled alongside a nifty plot, a great range of colourful characters and some sweet sub-narratives introduced in order to hook us into the next instalment. Sterling work!

[Pam · Rating 3 out of 5]

Graphic Novel
I received an electronic ARC from MacMillan Children's Publishing Group.
Brash and Mango are on the case again. Readers will love the off the wall humor in this series and appreciate the hilarity in the artwork as well.

[Rebecca · Rating 5 out of 5]

Mango and Brash are at it again—fighting crime, saving the world, and leaving puns in their wake. Funny, engaging, and full of stuff & nonsense!

[Arman Waggoner · Rating 5 out of 5]

WHAT SUSPENSE!

[Caryn Paradise]

My 7 and 5 year old loved it! We've read all 3 and are excited more are due.

[Ashlea Marshall · Rating 4 out of 5]

My boys really liked this one and keep asking when #4 is coming out.

[Renee · Rating 4 out of 5]

Loving this series. Looking forward to book 4!

[Kelly · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a quick read in this series. Very fun book. I can really see the appeal for both boys and girls.

[Brian Clopper · Rating 5 out of 5]

So much fun! Loved Prison Gourd!

[Colleen Earle · Rating 3 out of 5]

Theme of this book was how to mark hard decisions. Think it did a good job at talking about how sometimes there is no right answer.
Interested in seeing how the next book goes.

[Mbappe Is King · Rating 5 out of 5]

Good book

[Elif Nihan]

Okuması çok zevkli... Ama çevirmesi?..
Yazarın kafasıyla söyleyem, metnini değil ama yazarı chicken translate yapmak çok cazip geliyor şu an.

[Abigail McClead · Rating 4 out of 5]

that was off the HoOk


Yeah i thought it was good but it needed more doctor copter...

[Jennifer Oberth · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was sooooo much fun! And the kid read the entire thing to me which is extra special awesome!

The story is delightful and hilarious with more puns than you could count!

I highly recommend it for kids and adults. It's a mood-lifter and quite enjoyable.

[Jessica F · Rating 4 out of 5]

"Sometimes there is no GOOD choice. But you still have to make A choice."

[Finn · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is my favorite book in the series and maybe my favorite comic book of all time. It introduces new characters into the series who are important later, it is funny, crazy, and of course, the ending is awesome. The moral is also amazing and something that a lot of people struggle with in real life. This one also has the best villains, even if they really arent villains after all.

[寿理 宮本 · Rating 4 out of 5]

I actually bought this book TWICE before when I hadn't realised I already had a copy since I hadn't yet read it when I was in the store and saw, "Hey, I haven't read this one yet, I'll get it!"

...then saw it in my stack of books when I got home.

So, this book probably kicked off when I started keeping diligent notes of what books I've already bought. Even THAT didn't really work, since I would forget to update my list, so THEN I started adding the books I DID buy to my To Read list, since as long as I had internet, I could check Goodreads!

But all THAT happened before I started leaving reviews here and after I donated a VERY lot of books to free libraries, so... at least the BIG library had a copy I could borrow to re-read for my very belated review!

All that said, I don't have a lot to comment on compared to other books I've reviewed. It's a fun read, and I particularly remember this one because a friend of mine mentioned her young readers LOVE the series and even asked for "Waffledile" waffles! (Aww!) The most trademark feature of the InvestiGators is the nonstop "dad jokes"—which this has in spades!

But Brash's fixation on having lost Daryl to Crackerdile kind of puts a downer on the whole story. Sure, it's sort of introspective in a way, and Mango is removed enough from the incident to have a more hopeful outlook, to not think in such a binary (complete the mission OR rescue endangered partner—why not both??). It's a little weird to me to foist a Kobayashi Maru onto younger readers, but then... why NOT pose this question, in a setting where it would be easy(ish) to understand? I've noted that younger readers are often smarter than we give them credit—it's very likely that it's just my older reader brain having hang-ups.

(Speaking of brain, the callback to the random brain surgery in book 1? Yuck!)

Recommended for fans of the series, of course!

Edit to add: Also, the puzzles included have the answers online! I mention this because I've chided other books for NOT maintaining their websites, so it's nice to see one still going! (for now, at least, though I guess we'll see when these books hit their 23rd anniversary)

[Books By the Bay · Rating 5 out of 5]

My 8-year old read this book and below is the review:

The Investigators go after a criminal, but they’re about to face an even BIGGER villain! Can the Investigators, Mango and Brash, put a stop to two villains who are making a horrible wreck of the city? Find out in Investigators Off the Hook. However, when you’re finished with the book, a cliffhanger remains. I LOVED this book and hope John Patrick Green makes more Investigators books. This book contains investigation, words used for different meanings, crackers, a very angry waffle, and alligators. I loved the book partly because it is so funny and the drawings are wacky and hilarious as well. This book has a lot of action words and onomatopoeia. I recommend this book to people who are interested in evil villains and superheroes. Make sure you read the first Investigators book, then the second book, Investigators Take the Plunge, and the fourth Investigators book coming out soon! I hope you read this book and if so, I hope you like it as much as I do!

[Bobo123 · Rating 5 out of 5]

Unser neues Lieblingsbuch

Noch nie hat ein Buch mein Kind so gefesselt wie dieses. Als geübter Leseanfänger kann es noch nicht komplett fließend lesen. Trotzdem hat es eine Stunde ohne Pause gelesen, bis ich ihm das Buch wegnehmen musste, damit es schlafen gehen konnte. Schon am nächsten Tag wurde das Buch fertig gelesen und dann gleich wieder angefangen, was bei uns noch nie passiert ist. 

"Die Rache der Brösel" ist Band 3 der Investigators-Reihe. Wir kannten die Reihe bisher nicht, aber das hat den Einstieg in die Geschichte nicht erschwert. Auch wenn die Handlung eine Fortsetzung der letzten Band ist, kommt der Leser gut in die Geschichte rein. Die Handlung ist kindgerecht, lustig und spannend, aber mit einer gewissen Komplexität. Mein Erstklässler ist trotzdem damit klargekommen. 

Es gibt auch viele Wortwitze, die die Übersetzung gut überlebt haben, aber für mein Kind trotzdem ein bisschen schwierig zu verstehen waren.

Insgesamt aber ein hervorragendes Buch für Leseanfänger.

[Uschi · Rating 4 out of 5]

Die Rache der Brösel ist bereits der dritte Band mit den beiden Alligatoren Mango und Keck, die als Undercover-Agenten unterwegs sind. Diesmal sind sie einem Bösewicht auf der Spur, Crackerdil bzw. später Waffeldil und dem hypnotisierten Klempner Bill Zuckerbrot, dessen Arm mit einer Schlange verbunden ist. Sie überfallen eine Bank, weil sie Geld für die Sanierung des alten Opernhauses benötigen, das ihr geheimes Versteck werden soll. Aber der Bauleiter hat frühestens in einem Jahr mal Zeit, darüber nachzudenken. Also muss die Schlange auch ihn mal eben hypnotisieren und plötzlich geht es ganz schnell!

Diese humorvolle Geschichte ist in Comic-Form geschrieben und bestens für Leseanfänger geeignet, da es nicht so viel Text gibt und das Geschehen sich größtenteils aus den tollen Illustrationen erschließt. Es ist auch kein Problem, wenn man die Vorgängerbände nicht kennt, da die Geschichte in sich abgeschlossen ist.