THE INFAMOUS RATSOS - Kara LaReau (writer) & Matt Myers (illustrator)

A fun, funny, and beautifully illustrated (as well as written) children's book, The Infamous Ratsos is a  (deservedly) 2017 Theodor Seuss Geisel Honor Book about a pair of brothers who want nothing more than to prove to their father, Big Lou, that they are just as tough - even as their ages - as he is.  To that end, when left on their own while Big Lou works, the boys contrive to get into as much trouble as possible, causing havoc and showing off to the neighbors how bad they are ... yet somehow, with every naughty deed older brother Louie comes up with, aided by younger brother Ralphie, somehow the boys end up doing quite good deeds instead, proving nothing to their neighbors but what fine, upstanding young boys they are!  Fearful that Big Lou will hear of this, Louis and Ralphie plot each scheme bigger than the last to prove their toughness ... in what, in the end, is an extremely well-done and very endearing charmer of a chapter-book, again beautifully-illustrated, that even adults can enjoy.  4.5/5 stars

CLARENCE: CHICKEN PHANTOM - Derek Fridolfs (writer) & JJ Harrison (illustrator)

Cartoon Network's popular good-guy hero Clarence goes away to camp with best friends Jeff and Sumo in this graphic novel, and immediately finds himself obsessed with excelling as a Chicken Scout, earning enough badges to be the first to go from Egg to Chicken Hawk even as Jeff and Sumo struggle in their own endeavors at group leadership.  Add to the mix a search for a buried treasure and the devious Chicken Phantom, who terrorizes the young campers, and you have a silly but affectionate tribute to childhood sleepaway camp ... that, unfortunately, never really comes together.  Reading the book, I could easily see a young reader growing bored with both the static, crudely-drawn illustrations (which, though very like the original animated characters, never leap off the page like the characters do on-screen) and unoriginal storyline quite quickly; as an adult, for me the story seemed a collection of cliches from many books that even I read as a child (many - okay, many - years ago).  Just "okay" and maybe for stalwart fans of the series; otherwise best to find Clarence and company on TV, instead.  2/5 stars

Note: I received a free ARC of this title via NetGalley and the publisher, in exchange for an honest review.