Joey and Johnny, the Ninjas

January 1, 2015
Meet Joey and Johnny-two students at Kick Foot Academy, "the world's premier ninja school," who are as irreverent, bumbling and hilarious as they come.They are pals, though Joey is on the serious side, and Johnny has "a dooley-bopper sprouting from the top of his ninja mask." Somehow the much-feared, extremely intimidating Headmaster FangSwan has chosen this dubious duo to watch over exchange student Knight-Lite. The headmaster suspects this boy is a spy and directs them to "watch everything he does," including "bathroom time." Pallace and Serwacki clearly delight in writing over-the-top dangerous situations that the boys and their friends must survive. At the crux of the book is a battle between Red Moon Clan and KFA. Red Moon is all about utilizing the latest technology to give them tactical advantages even if the students do not really know how to use it properly. But Joey and Johnny, running on adrenaline and a fierce desire not to let down their teachers, who are dedicated to the traditional ninja way, rely on their outlandish ideas to unbelievably save the day. Spot illustrations and occasional comic-strip sequences are liberally used throughout, adding more opportunities for readers to chuckle. Those in search of a humorous, high-interest title that will especially appeal to boys need look no further-and a projected sequel will continue the madcap adventures. (Adventure. 8-12)

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January 1, 2015

Gr 2-5-Joey and Johnny are ninjas, not pretend ninjas, but the real thing. They attend the prestigious Kickfoot Academy, run by Headmaster FangSwan. Joey is the smarter of the two, while Johnny is the goofy one who always gets into trouble. The awesomeness of their school is challenged when Red Moon Clan starts using non-ninja, super weapons. The world-building is imaginative, especially the visual of the students' sleeping arrangements. They must scale a cliff to get to their two person tent dorm. At lunchtime, they must catch their food as it flies through the air at super speeds. There are many characters to keep track of amid the action, so careful reading is required. Full of juvenile humor, the story line runs through scenarios young readers will find hilarious. Fans of super goofy series, such as "Captain Underpants" (Scholastic), will enjoy this silly adventure, especially if they are looking for a more challenging read.-Kris Hickey, Columbus Metropolitan Library, OH

Copyright 2015 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

February 15, 2015
Grades 4-7 Life at the prestigious Kick Foot Academy is tough. Best friends Joey and Johnny are two students in its rigorous ninja training program, and as such, they must contend with the perils of classes like Sharp and Pointy (how to use and evade sharp and pointy objects), as well as lunch ladies who hurl the day's meals through the air like ninja stars. Inept but good-hearted, the two boys are selected by the school's terrifying headmaster to shadow an exchange studentand potential spy. While waiting for him to arrive, the boys have a run-in with students from the rival ninja school, who are decked out with high-tech gadgets. All leads to an epic challenge between the two schools in which the Kick Foots fight for traditional ninja training and honor, and the Moonies for the use of supersuits and modern technology. Zany humor and action drive the book, which offers a winning trifecta of ninjas, superheroes, and robots. Cartoonish drawings score additional laughs in this tale of underdogs and wannabes whose adventures have only just begun.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2015, American Library Association.)

June 1, 2015

Gr 3-5-Joey and Johnny are real ninjas. They attend the prestigious Kickfoot Academy, run by Headmaster FangSwan. Joey is the smarter of the two, while Johnny is the goofy one who always gets into trouble. The awesomeness of their school is challenged when Red Moon Clan starts using non-ninja, super weapons. The world building is imaginative; especially the visual of the student's sleeping arrangements. They must scale a cliff to get to their two-person tent. At lunchtime, they must catch their food as it flies through the air at super speeds. There are many characters to keep track of amidst the action, so careful reading is required. Full of juvenile humor, fans of super goofy series such as "Captain Underpants" will enjoy this silly adventure, especially if they are looking for a more challenging read.

Copyright 2015 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.