Pluto Rocket: Joe Pidge Flips a Lid

Pluto Rocket #2

by Paul Gilligan

Pluto Rocket and Joe Pidge are back, with more hats and hijinks than ever before, in the second book of this hilarious new early graphic novel series, for fans of Narwhal and Jelly and Pizza and Taco!

Joe Pidge, king of the neighborhood, and Pluto Rocket, an alien who's new in town, have become fast friends, with Joe acting as Pluto's guide on her secret mission to discover what life in the neighborhood is really like. But on Joe's tour (where he shows Pluto the best fire escape and the best garbage can in the world!), it becomes clear that Joe has never actually left his tiny slice of the planet . . .

Pluto encourages Joe to get out of his comfort zone, but Joe delays by creating an outlandish list of supplies they'll need to get before they go! Is Joe Pidge afraid of leaving his safe little neighborhood? And if that's tough, imagine how Joe feels when his hat, his trademark super-flavio look that helps him stand out from the other pigeons, goes missing. Thankfully, Pluto is here to help save the day in the second book of this hilarious graphic novel series from Paul Gilligan, creator of the syndicated comic strip Pooch Cafe !

Genres: Graphic Novels, Humor, Science Fiction

88 pages, Hardcover

Published October 24, 2023

About the author

Paul Gilligan writes and draws the syndicated comic strip Pooch Café, which has been twice nominated by the National Cartoonist Society for best strip. He’s the author/illustrator of the early-reader graphic novel series Pluto Rocket, the chapter book series King of the Mole People, and the graphic memoir Boy Vs. Shark. He lives in Toronto with his wife and kids, where he still rides his bike, and quite comfortably swims in lakes and pools, as long as nobody makes any “du-nuh” sounds.

Reviews

[Rod Brown · Rating 3 out of 5]

The second Pluto Rocket book treads water a little as the pending adventure has to be put on hold to deal with Joe Pidge's fragile ego. I was a bit annoyed at first, but the charm of the characters and the warmth of the morals won me over. Well, that and the extended tribute to R. Crumb's "Keep on Truckin'" strut. Don't often see that in a kid's book.


Disclosure: I received a copy of this book from the publisher through the LibraryThing Early Reviewers program.

[Becky B · Rating 3 out of 5]

Joe Pidge is afraid he isn't special when he loses his hat, but he soon learns that all the "ordinary" pigeons aren't as similar as he thought and maybe he doesn't need a hat to make himself stand out. Then Joe sets out to show Pluto Rocket all the most special spots in the world and it looks like it may take a while...he also may have made some areas of his neighborhood too clean in an effort to impress Pluto. In the third story, Pluto really wants to see more of the planet. And Joe is going to show it to him...right after he gathers provisions, and more provisions, and does some strutting...and could it be Joe is delaying for some reason?

This collection focuses on the fear of not being special and going somewhere new and others not thinking something you view as special as special. Pluto is a good friend and helps Joe work through many of these issues, and there's plenty of humor along the way. (Though I doubt most kids and probably a good chunk of adults will get the Shirley Temple joke included.)

Notes on content:
Language: None
Sexual content: None
Violence: None
Ethnic diversity: No humans
LGBTQ+ content: None specified
Other: Joe kind of insults the other pigeons by calling them all the same, but they soon correct him.

[Pam · Rating 3 out of 5]

Graphic Novel
Mid-elementary level readers will continue to appreciate the humor in this series. The second book picks up shortly after book one ends. The two friends continue to learn about each other and to explore. When Joe Pidge loses his hat, he worries he has lost his uniqueness. Pluto Rocket shows him that all of the pigeons are unique. Then they set out to explore the planet beyond Joe's neighborhood. Readers will pick up on Joe's fears and see how Pluto eases them subtly.
A fun and humorous light read.

[Natalie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Joe Pidge wants to be different and stand out from the rest of the super boring pigeons around him. When all the others look the same, Joe dons a hat that makes him super special. But when the wind takes his hat away, Joe's crisis is being like all the other ordinary normal pigeons who do and like all the same things. Or, do they? Pluto Rocket helps him figure this out as well as Joe Pidge's fear of going somewhere new, beyond the boundaries of what he is familiar with.

[Joy Z · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received this book from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Like its Predecessor, the second book in the series is equally as amusing and delightful, ideal for any young readers who loves funny graphic novels.

[Carrie · Rating 3 out of 5]

I liked the first volume better, but this will still entertain young fans of humorous graphic stories.

[Nicola · Rating 4 out of 5]

Miss 9 has loved both Pluto Rocket graphic novels and very much hopes there will be a third!

[blueygurl2016 · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a cute graphic novel but Joe Pidge is a little annoying. He is funny but kind of annoying and he takes advantage of naive Pluto Rocket.

[Justin · Rating 4 out of 5]

These are a lot of fun! I got this one and the first one as ALCs from Libro.fm and the audio for these books is great!

[Andréa · Rating 3 out of 5]

Note: I accessed a digital review copy of this book from the publisher through Edelweiss.