Buddy and Earl, dog and hedgehog, do what they do best: find adventure where there is none.Fergus' protagonists have been digging for treasure in the flower garden. But that gets old pretty fast, and Buddy, as is his wont, suggests a nap. Earl is appalled. He has decided they are superheroes: Wonder Buddy and Super Earl. They must save the city when an imaginary call from the mayor alerts the heroes to a villain on the loose. Buddy is a bit nonplussed by the whole fabrication, but Earl is the brains of the operation, and he keeps things rolling. Earl trails the villain to the new neighbors' house, where they find Mister (a bulldog rather than a villain, and a bit of a rube, like Buddy) and Snowflake (not a villain but a cat, and a bit self-inflated, like Earl). There follow some classic folliespride before the fall, dogs ripping leaf bags to shredswhich are successfully negotiated, and the new friends are invited to play Lick the Recycling Bin. At last it's time for Buddy's nap. The problem here is that the story lacks the bite of originality. Two little, fairly charming boasters get their comeuppance, but there is no way they will admit to it. Even Earl's little zingers feel well-traveled.Time for a nap. (Picture book. 4-9) Copyright Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.

PreS-Gr 3-Best friends Buddy the dog and Earl the porcupine are back as "crime-fighting superheroes Wonder Buddy and Super Earl." While the pooch is ready for a nap, his prickly comrade informs him that, "Unfortunately, the good citizens of this fair city expect more from us." He then proceeds to take a call from the mayor on his invisible phone, in which he learns that "the Evil Doctor Stinker has escaped from prison" and is "planning to close down the only hamburger factory in town." The Earl-mobile, aka Mom's new gardening hat, takes them to the evil villain's secret lair, aka the new neighbor's yard, where they meet a bulldog named Mister and a nimble white cat called Snowflake. While demonstrating her own superpowers, Snowflake slips and the dynamic duo, sporting capes and masks, must come to her rescue. Despite a few setbacks, they succeed and then invite their new friends over "to play Lick the Recycling Bin sometime very soon." The illustrations, rendered in acrylic gouache on watercolor paper, capture the humorous antics of the four friends in a palette of lime green and light blue and muted gray and brown on white. Share before recess to inspire adventure and cooperation on the playground. VERDICT This fun story celebrates friendship and the power of imaginative play.-Barbara Auerbach, formerly at New York City Public Schools © Copyright 2018. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.

Friends Buddy (a large dog) and Earl (a hedgehog) return in their fifth adventure. While playing at superheroes one afternoon (Earl's idea, of course; Buddy just wants to take a nap), they meet their neighbors, bulldog Mister and cat Snowflake. When Snowflake gets stuck in a tree, the friends must pull off an actual daring rescue. As ever, the humor shines through the minimal acrylic illustrations and deadpan text. (c) Copyright 2019. The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.

Fergus' imagination keeps churning in this fifth entry in the remarkably consistent Canadian series. Looking for an activity to fill their summer afternoon, dog Buddy's idea of a nap is nixed by hedgehog Earl's insistence that the good citizens of this fair city expect more from . . . crime-fighting superheroes Wonder Buddy and Super Earl. Calling on their real-world strengths of positive thinking and shredding paper (and their pretend powers of flying and laser-beam eyes), a hat becomes the Earl-mobile and the neighbor's yard an evil villain's secret lair. From this creativity comes a dramatic rescue and a promising friendship with the new dog and cat next door. The emotions, reactions, and hubris of the characters ring true to human kids' experiences. Sookocheff's cartoon-style gouache illustrations in a brown, green, and blue are just right, and the layouts vary from full-page spreads to graphic novel-style panels, keeping the action and readers' interest moving right along to a well-deserved nap.--Andrew Medlar Copyright 2018 Booklist