Boogie Knights

      SEE THE BOOGIE KNIGHTS VIDEO ON YOUTUBE!

illustrated by Mark Siegel

Simon & Schuster/ Atheneum/ Richard Jackson Books

Summer 2008

ISBN: 0-689-87639-4

Reviews:

*Starred Review*  “It is midnight, / and the moonlight’s / shining down upon the moors / while the rascals / in the castle / jangle chains and rattle doors.” This line launches a pitch-perfect Halloween-time poem that begins and ends with seven knights sleeping. A small, bug-eyed prince with a rakishly tilted crown watches agog from behind castle columns as werewolves hustle, zombies bustle, mummies mamba and serpents samba. “Upstairs, unawares,” six of the knights are sleeping. The seventh, aptly named Sir Veillance, awakens first and heads downstairs to join monsters mashing, bogeys bashing and the like. No one expects Sir Prize to show up. (Ha!) The pun-ishment continues: “ ‘It’s getting late,’ tough Sir Loin states. ‘Our honor is at stake.’ ” Knight after knight wakes up to join the giddy dance. By midnight, all seven are cavorting merrily, and even the bug-eyed prince is twirling about with a ghostly princess. Siegel’s tinted charcoal-and-pencil illustrations are charming and fun, and the energetic design is as movin’ and groovin’ as a Madcap Monster Ball should be.  © Kirkus

*Starred Review* “There’s a shindig brewing at the castle one night, as werewolves, zombies, mummies, and all manner of creepy characters make their way through silent halls to the Madcap Monster Ball. The stronghold’s seven sibling knights, posed in full armor in an impressive row, supposedly stand guard, but are actually fast asleep. One by one, each warrior is stirred by the commotion and leaves his post to check out its cause–only to find himself joining in the fun and dancing the night away. Wheeler’s rhythmic text is filled with taut rhymes, alliteration, and vivid images. The raucous verses detail the events and spirit of the upbeat party with lively zeal, while the narrative’s wordplay makes it worthy of repeated readings. Puns and double entendres abound (“Forced, Sir Ender/just gives in./Lone Sir Vivor/(that’s his twin)/feels the music/in his soul,/kicks up his heels…/‘Let’s rock ’n’ roll!’”). Done in charcoal, pencil, and Photoshop, Siegel’s sophisticated, graphic-novel-style artwork also demands a second look. There are plenty of visual story lines to follow as a wide-eyed young prince, anxiously clutching a candle and teddy bear, spies on the action, and a smiling portrait princess escapes from her painting to try and befriend the frightened boy. Sepia tones, splashes of color, silhouettes, and outline sketches cleverly underscore the plot elements and keep the pages interesting. Kids will eat this one up and beg for more.” © School Library Journal