Billy Hooten: Owlboy (Paperback)

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Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal

Grade 3–6—Billy Hooten is a comic-book nerd who has been dubbed "Owlboy" by the class bully because of his last name and his big glasses. When he hears a cry for help coming from a nearby cemetery, Billy follows the voice into a crypt, where he meets Archebold, a goblin, and discovers that he is the next Owlboy, crime-fighting superhero of Monstros City, an underground world populated by every type of monster imaginable. Billy is amazed that his comic-book story is real and is not sure about being a superhero, much less donning the Owlboy costume, which doesn't fit. But after he completes a series of tests and discovers that he has some unusual powers when in Monstros City, he realizes that taking on the mantle of Owlboy is his destiny. He begins his adventures by catching the evil Slovakian Rot-toothed Hopping Monkey Demons. Sniegoski clearly knows his superhero stories and fills this book with tropes that hark back to Batman, Superman, and Spider-Man. Owlboy has an Owlmobile, but there are other more imaginative touches, such as a secret hideout called the "Roost" complete with a gadget-creating troll. This lively tale should be a hit, especially with reluctant readers. A few black-and-white sketches appear throughout.—Tim Wadham, Maricopa County Library District, Phoenix, AZ
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Review

"It's every boy's dream to have his fantasy world of heroes and villians come to life—until it actually happens! Believable characters youÕll want to cheer for."—Jeff Smith, creator of the Bone series


From the Trade Paperback edition. --This text refers to the Kindle Edition edition.

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Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 9-12
  
• Paperback: 256 pages
• Publisher: Yearling (July 24, 2007)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0440421802
• ISBN-13: 978-0440421801
• Product Dimensions: 7.5 x 5.2 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 6.4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #699,615 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A real hoot!, February 8, 2008

By	Wendy Schapiro (Needham, MA USA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

Billy Hooten:Owlboy is that rare book that can capture the imagination and interest of even the most reluctant pre-teen boy reader. It has it all: action, adventure, strange parents, potty humor and monsters. However, it is also a book which is so well-written and does such a good job of investing you in its characters and plotlines that even the parents or teachers of the aforementioned boys can enjoy reading it with their young charges. AND it might even hold the interest of a girl or two! In all seriousness, this really is what we call a 'threshold' book, one which can be the beginning of a young reader's true joy and lifetime immersion in the world of books.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Hooting and Hollering for More Owlboy!, December 11, 2007

By	Little Willow (USA) - See all my reviews (TOP 1000 REVIEWER)

Have you ever dreamed of being a superhero? Wonder what it would be like if you got the chance to live that dream? Then you are going to love the Owlboy series!

Billy would rather read his comic books - especially Owlboy - than deal with his classmates - especially the bullies. When he learns that Owlboy's adventures may be based on real stories, and when he dons the Owlboy costume, his life changes in ways he never could have dreamed.

Where can you find walking skeletons, a talking firefly named Walter, and dust bunnies that are actually in the shape of bunnies? Nowhere other than Monstros City, a mysterious place beneath Billy's hometown of Bradbury, Massachusetts. In Monstros City, he quickly meets two allies: a tuxedo-wearing creature named Archebold and a savvy, fast-working troll named Halifax. He also encounters, among other things, Slovakian Rat-Toothed Hopping Monkey Demons, a little red female dragon named Ferdinand, a talking firefly named Walter, and dust bunnies, which are really bunny-shaped.

Between fighting evil, protecting the townspeople, riding in the Owlmobile, keeping his secret identity a secret, and devouring cloud cake, Billy manages to finish his homework and hang out with his quirky parents. He also realizes that knowledge is power - in fact, it's a superpower!

Written by Thomas E. Sniegoski and illustrated by Eric Powell, the Owlboy books are packed with adventure, action, and humor. I laughed out loud on multiple occasions. The dialogue is witty, the characters are fun, and the illustrations are eye-catching. I highly recommend this series to both kids and grown-ups.

0 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Just OK, November 22, 2007

By	S William Shaw "www.muscleandbrawn.com" (The Nether) - See all my reviews

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Owlboy was just OK in my book. It started promising, but ended up being a slow moving Batman-wannabe kids book. The creatures were never scary enough to really suck you in. Some might say that that was the point, but I would say that Owlboy lacks the balance between humor and suspense.

Another thing that made this book just OK was the way-too-over-the-top Batman similarities. The Owlmobile. A Batman-esque tool belt complete with gadgets. A batman-esque lair. yada. Yada. Yada.

In many ways Owlboy insults the younger reader by forsaking some fresh ideas, and instead giving us the same-old, same-old.

Owlboy had potential, but ultimately falls flat as just another forgettable superhero book.