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K Is in Trouble #1
K Is in Trouble
A boy named K must navigate a world of outrageously unkind adults in this hysterical, Kafkaesque middle grade graphic novel, with art reminiscent of James Marshall.
K is nice, polite, and always does as he’s told. K is also always, always in trouble.
No matter what he does or says, it seems there is someone ready to blame him for everything. K is in trouble for going to school. K is in trouble for staying home. K is in trouble for running an errand, getting sick, or just being thirsty. K gets into trouble with imperious crows, persnickety station agents, bombastic teachers, his own classmates...even one nice fresh carp.
Whether it’s his easily annoyed parents or prickly pedestrians on the street, K gets on everyone’s bad side…and he didn’t even do anything wrong!
Gary Clement takes a unique approach to the absurdities of childhood in this hilarious series opener that reinforces a timeless Most adults know less than a talking beetle.
K is nice, polite, and always does as he’s told. K is also always, always in trouble.
No matter what he does or says, it seems there is someone ready to blame him for everything. K is in trouble for going to school. K is in trouble for staying home. K is in trouble for running an errand, getting sick, or just being thirsty. K gets into trouble with imperious crows, persnickety station agents, bombastic teachers, his own classmates...even one nice fresh carp.
Whether it’s his easily annoyed parents or prickly pedestrians on the street, K gets on everyone’s bad side…and he didn’t even do anything wrong!
Gary Clement takes a unique approach to the absurdities of childhood in this hilarious series opener that reinforces a timeless Most adults know less than a talking beetle.
224 pages, Hardcover
Published January 16, 2024
6 people are currently reading
2422 people want to read
About the author
Gary Clement
22 books10 followersGary Clement is a Canadian artist, cartoonist, illustrator, and writer. He’s the author and illustrator of several children’s books, among them The Great Poochini, which earned Canada’s Governor General’s Literary Award in Children’s Literature—Illustration, and most recently illustrated My Winter City, written by James Gladstone. His illustrations have appeared in the New York Times, the Boston Globe, and many other newspapers and magazines across North America. K Is in Trouble is his debut graphic novel.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 92 reviews
April 17, 2024
Wonderful book! Absolutely wondrous!
The story of 'K' who seems to live in a mid-European 1800's type of world, or maybe early 1900's. He's a young boy who lives amongst HORRIBLE ADULTS. (Let's call them grown-ups, cuz that's a more children-ish word.)
There are horrible parents and horrible teachers. Horrible neighbors and horrible tradesmen. Everyone just pushes and badgers and torments poor K. In fact, why isn't this book banned? It presents anyone in authority, or a grown-up, as terrible. But the thing is this...
K perseveres. He soldiers on. He makes friends with a beetle, then kind of, with a crow, and later with a carp, a fish, who kind of tricks him. Yeah, kind of...
But the artwork! OMgoodness! K is often this tiny little fellow in a HUGE BIG ROOM. I intend to show this book to my eleven-year old grandson who is very artistic but doesn't quite know what to do with it - if anything.
Just don't let the book banners - who are all GROWN-UPS - get a hold of this. They will not like the way the other grown-ups in the book are presented. It's so anti - GROWNUP.
But me, a very OLD GROWNUP, I loved it.
Five stars.
The story of 'K' who seems to live in a mid-European 1800's type of world, or maybe early 1900's. He's a young boy who lives amongst HORRIBLE ADULTS. (Let's call them grown-ups, cuz that's a more children-ish word.)
There are horrible parents and horrible teachers. Horrible neighbors and horrible tradesmen. Everyone just pushes and badgers and torments poor K. In fact, why isn't this book banned? It presents anyone in authority, or a grown-up, as terrible. But the thing is this...
K perseveres. He soldiers on. He makes friends with a beetle, then kind of, with a crow, and later with a carp, a fish, who kind of tricks him. Yeah, kind of...
But the artwork! OMgoodness! K is often this tiny little fellow in a HUGE BIG ROOM. I intend to show this book to my eleven-year old grandson who is very artistic but doesn't quite know what to do with it - if anything.
Just don't let the book banners - who are all GROWN-UPS - get a hold of this. They will not like the way the other grown-ups in the book are presented. It's so anti - GROWNUP.
But me, a very OLD GROWNUP, I loved it.
Five stars.
March 5, 2025
I'm not a fan of Franz Kafka, but this little homage actually tickled me with it's children's lit take on Kafka's themes of powerlessness in the face of oppressive authority and the general absurdity of life. Hell, the average kid's life is far more Kafkaesque than any adult's.
(Best of 2024 Project: I'm reading all the graphic novels that made it onto one or more of these lists:
• Washington Post 10 Best Graphic Novels of 2024
• Publishers Weekly 2024 Graphic Novel Critics Poll
• NPR's Books We Love 2024: Favorite Comics and Graphic Novels
This book made the NPR list.)
FOR REFERENCE:
Contents: K Is Late -- K Is Sick -- K Is in Trouble -- K Is Sent on an Errand -- K Is Thirsty
(Best of 2024 Project: I'm reading all the graphic novels that made it onto one or more of these lists:
• Washington Post 10 Best Graphic Novels of 2024
• Publishers Weekly 2024 Graphic Novel Critics Poll
• NPR's Books We Love 2024: Favorite Comics and Graphic Novels
This book made the NPR list.)
FOR REFERENCE:
Contents: K Is Late -- K Is Sick -- K Is in Trouble -- K Is Sent on an Errand -- K Is Thirsty
October 8, 2025
I do not want to live in K’s world. If you read the book you would understand.
October 18, 2023
K Is In Trouble, Gary Clement
I know that this book is recommended for ages 7-12, but as an adult, I must admit I thoroughly enjoyed reading it. It points out, subtly and with humor, the problems we all have communicating with each other, and it does it brilliantly. The book identifies and defines the problems we have in today’s fractured world. It deftly illustrates an important concept, the idea of getting back to talking and listening to each other in order to live together peacefully.
You see, K is always trying to do the right thing, but all of his attempts to follow the rules are rebuffed by everyone he approaches for help. The people who are supposed to help him, are guided by their own pre-supposed conclusions. Instead of guiding him, they falsely accuse him of wrongdoing, committing crimes, causing unnecessary problems that he had nothing to do with, and they escalate the situation. They place K in the crosshairs of their own frustration and inability to solve their own problems.
Everywhere he turns for help, K finds no one who will take the time to listen to him; he is always left to fend for himself without the necessary tools or maturity he requires. Often, when his weakness is apparent, there are those who take advantage of his vulnerability and make his situation worse. He is Job-like, and everything he tries to do, no matter how good he tries to be, seems to fail. Yet, he continues to persevere, in spite of those efforts to put up roadblocks that prevent him from accomplishing his goals.
The devious old man, the crow, the beetle, the carp, the principal, all teach him important life lessons. Occasionally, kindness will surprise him, but he must learn to solve his own problems. He discovers that often help comes from unexpected places. He discovers that, sometimes, those least likely to be his ally actually are his friends. In spite of their differences in size, character and species, their differences are immaterial.
K learns that even when mistakes are made, they can sometimes be corrected and even intentional wrongdoing can sometimes be forgiven. The principle of really listening to each other, regardless of who is “speaking”, of learning to understand how each other thinks, is reinforced. In fact, solutions and occasional kindness often came from unexpected places. So, what seems to be a simple little book, is far more profound if one reads between the lines. The impatience and short tempers that allow for knee-jerk, uninformed reactions, are behaviors taken from our real lives. How sad it is that few listen to, or actually hear, what K is saying, but instead, simply pursue their own agenda, resenting the disturbance K is causing to their lives. Rather than helping to improve the situation, by discovering what is actually upsetting K, they persist in remaining in their bubble of belief, refusing help and making every situation worse.
Yes, I really did get all that from this little book meant for middle-schoolers. I would recommend it, even for adults, and for graduating students. Like “Oh, The Places You’ll Go”, by Dr. Seuss. It could help them to understand that the world they will soon be navigating will not be easy, but it will be worth it. Life is not meant to be a walk in the park, it is meant to be a learning experience, to help us grow so that it brings us knowledge, joy and contentment, but in that process, sometimes there will be pain, as well. Don’t close any doors that will enrich life, but be wary of those that might wish to cause harm or take advantage of a situation. There is good and evil in the world, but genuine effort, patience and compassion are virtues that will prove to be a winning strategy. Sometimes, however, you can’t win for losing, so you have to keep on trying! Never give up.
The book made me smile. Everyone will encounter obstacles that seem too difficult to navigate, all will be bullied and treated unfairly at times by ignorant people, but they will survive the challenges they face. I believe this little book has greater value than the reviews reveal. Perhaps the author did not know how much more dangerous and divided our world would be when he penned this little graphic novel, but in spite of that, or because of that, I believe it can possibly teach us how better to get along, and it can instill courage into the heart of any reader, young or old. It can offer hope that we can endure, because no problem is truly insurmountable.
I know that this book is recommended for ages 7-12, but as an adult, I must admit I thoroughly enjoyed reading it. It points out, subtly and with humor, the problems we all have communicating with each other, and it does it brilliantly. The book identifies and defines the problems we have in today’s fractured world. It deftly illustrates an important concept, the idea of getting back to talking and listening to each other in order to live together peacefully.
You see, K is always trying to do the right thing, but all of his attempts to follow the rules are rebuffed by everyone he approaches for help. The people who are supposed to help him, are guided by their own pre-supposed conclusions. Instead of guiding him, they falsely accuse him of wrongdoing, committing crimes, causing unnecessary problems that he had nothing to do with, and they escalate the situation. They place K in the crosshairs of their own frustration and inability to solve their own problems.
Everywhere he turns for help, K finds no one who will take the time to listen to him; he is always left to fend for himself without the necessary tools or maturity he requires. Often, when his weakness is apparent, there are those who take advantage of his vulnerability and make his situation worse. He is Job-like, and everything he tries to do, no matter how good he tries to be, seems to fail. Yet, he continues to persevere, in spite of those efforts to put up roadblocks that prevent him from accomplishing his goals.
The devious old man, the crow, the beetle, the carp, the principal, all teach him important life lessons. Occasionally, kindness will surprise him, but he must learn to solve his own problems. He discovers that often help comes from unexpected places. He discovers that, sometimes, those least likely to be his ally actually are his friends. In spite of their differences in size, character and species, their differences are immaterial.
K learns that even when mistakes are made, they can sometimes be corrected and even intentional wrongdoing can sometimes be forgiven. The principle of really listening to each other, regardless of who is “speaking”, of learning to understand how each other thinks, is reinforced. In fact, solutions and occasional kindness often came from unexpected places. So, what seems to be a simple little book, is far more profound if one reads between the lines. The impatience and short tempers that allow for knee-jerk, uninformed reactions, are behaviors taken from our real lives. How sad it is that few listen to, or actually hear, what K is saying, but instead, simply pursue their own agenda, resenting the disturbance K is causing to their lives. Rather than helping to improve the situation, by discovering what is actually upsetting K, they persist in remaining in their bubble of belief, refusing help and making every situation worse.
Yes, I really did get all that from this little book meant for middle-schoolers. I would recommend it, even for adults, and for graduating students. Like “Oh, The Places You’ll Go”, by Dr. Seuss. It could help them to understand that the world they will soon be navigating will not be easy, but it will be worth it. Life is not meant to be a walk in the park, it is meant to be a learning experience, to help us grow so that it brings us knowledge, joy and contentment, but in that process, sometimes there will be pain, as well. Don’t close any doors that will enrich life, but be wary of those that might wish to cause harm or take advantage of a situation. There is good and evil in the world, but genuine effort, patience and compassion are virtues that will prove to be a winning strategy. Sometimes, however, you can’t win for losing, so you have to keep on trying! Never give up.
The book made me smile. Everyone will encounter obstacles that seem too difficult to navigate, all will be bullied and treated unfairly at times by ignorant people, but they will survive the challenges they face. I believe this little book has greater value than the reviews reveal. Perhaps the author did not know how much more dangerous and divided our world would be when he penned this little graphic novel, but in spite of that, or because of that, I believe it can possibly teach us how better to get along, and it can instill courage into the heart of any reader, young or old. It can offer hope that we can endure, because no problem is truly insurmountable.
December 16, 2023
Delightful. Though I have to say that all the adults in these stories are kinda nasty. Still, they were imaginative stories which I think younger children would enjoy and also be able to read themselves. My favorite was the talking beetle.
November 23, 2025
Baby's first Kafka.
February 19, 2024
There is a kid named K who’s always in trouble even though he’s only ever trying to do as the adults tell him to do. The world is full of angry adults with important things so who cares about an insignificant kid who gets in their way, right?
I think the way the story is narrated in simple sentences is like using a child's PoV and how they perceive their surroundings. Children don’t care about adult business and what makes them seem angry, they just see however the adults treat them and if it looks awful then it’s awful.
Not my fav type of graphic novel but I can still appreciate it.
I think the way the story is narrated in simple sentences is like using a child's PoV and how they perceive their surroundings. Children don’t care about adult business and what makes them seem angry, they just see however the adults treat them and if it looks awful then it’s awful.
Not my fav type of graphic novel but I can still appreciate it.
December 24, 2023
Reviewed from an ARC from the publisher.
Gary Clement’s (The Great Poochini) first foray into graphic novels is a hit.
The first of a projected series set in a large city “back in the day”, K is a naïve kid who just can’t help but get into a series of mishaps that lead him into to trouble in these five short stories. In the first story, K is late to school and ends up in detention where he makes a friend. In the second: K is sick, so he stays home from school one day and lets in a murder of crows that turns his family’s apartment into a mess, getting K into trouble. Third: While on a class trip, K is ordered by his teacher to return to the tram to get his glasses. K is separated from the group and trouble ensues. Fourth: K ‘s mother sends him to the market to buy a live carp fish. He buys the very last one available, but is tricked into releasing it. Fifth: When K is locked out of his bedroom on a cold, snowy evening, the neighbors get in an uproar.
Each story is told simply with style and filled with wit. Each frame contains a short sentence or sentence part. K’s is a different world than today, when adults reign supreme, life was orderly, and children were to be seen and not heard. Much humor is found within the antiquated language used dramatically, such as balderdash, dawdle, caterwauling, insolence, and impertinence.
Clement illustrated each frame using pen and ink with gouache on Fabriano paper. They are spare and unassuming, in a style akin to Poochini. He has done a marvelous job of world-building visually, costuming characters within the correct time period for the book.
This will be enjoyed by beginning readers through those with a more sophisticated exposure. Recommended for grades 3-5.
.
Gary Clement’s (The Great Poochini) first foray into graphic novels is a hit.
The first of a projected series set in a large city “back in the day”, K is a naïve kid who just can’t help but get into a series of mishaps that lead him into to trouble in these five short stories. In the first story, K is late to school and ends up in detention where he makes a friend. In the second: K is sick, so he stays home from school one day and lets in a murder of crows that turns his family’s apartment into a mess, getting K into trouble. Third: While on a class trip, K is ordered by his teacher to return to the tram to get his glasses. K is separated from the group and trouble ensues. Fourth: K ‘s mother sends him to the market to buy a live carp fish. He buys the very last one available, but is tricked into releasing it. Fifth: When K is locked out of his bedroom on a cold, snowy evening, the neighbors get in an uproar.
Each story is told simply with style and filled with wit. Each frame contains a short sentence or sentence part. K’s is a different world than today, when adults reign supreme, life was orderly, and children were to be seen and not heard. Much humor is found within the antiquated language used dramatically, such as balderdash, dawdle, caterwauling, insolence, and impertinence.
Clement illustrated each frame using pen and ink with gouache on Fabriano paper. They are spare and unassuming, in a style akin to Poochini. He has done a marvelous job of world-building visually, costuming characters within the correct time period for the book.
This will be enjoyed by beginning readers through those with a more sophisticated exposure. Recommended for grades 3-5.
.
December 22, 2023
This book comprises 5 short tales about a boy, known only as K, who lives at the mercy of ignorant, annoying adults. I quite enjoyed the stories, which are vaguely absurdist, and the simplistic artwork
Thank you to Little Brown Young Readers who kindly sent me an ARC.
Thank you to Little Brown Young Readers who kindly sent me an ARC.
October 18, 2024
I don't understand why everyone in this book was so mean to K.
March 11, 2025
a weird book for weird kids (me) who enjoy talking animals, strange situations, and what feels like silly British humor but the author is Canadian?????
September 25, 2025
I shall bestow upon this book the highest honor I can think of: this reminded me of Lemony Snicket.
Read
November 7, 2023Poor K can't ever do anything right, no matter how hard he tries. He goes back to get his teacher's glasses during a field trip and is abandoned by the entire class, he gets locked out of his bedroom in the snow trying to get a drink of water, and he even gets outsmarted by a fish.
These little stories are hilarious and the pictures are perfect. Imagine mixing Kafka and Gorey and creating adorable children's stories, and you have this book. The age range is very young, but I am an older adult and I enjoyed it very much. I might read it again because it makes me smile. I really loved K and would enjoy reading more stories in his world.
Thank you NetGalley for letting me read this
These little stories are hilarious and the pictures are perfect. Imagine mixing Kafka and Gorey and creating adorable children's stories, and you have this book. The age range is very young, but I am an older adult and I enjoyed it very much. I might read it again because it makes me smile. I really loved K and would enjoy reading more stories in his world.
Thank you NetGalley for letting me read this
January 21, 2024
When I am not reading books, I am mom to four children between the ages of 10 and 12. My kids are always bringing home graphic novels and this is the first time that I have really sat down and sunk my teeth into one and it did not disappoint! It must have been kismet because following K’s journey stopped me to pause and think about my own kids’ experiences in the world. I would feel pretty confident making a bet that a lot of middle grade readers can relate to K, doing his best trying to navigate life, but not having the proper skills developed to complete the task at hand the way adults expect them to. Gary Clement delivers a beautifully absurd, graphic novel with the right amount of realism and existentialism that is just pure gold.
March 4, 2024
Huh...that was...strange?
It's a good graphic novel that moves through 4 stories centered on the travails of K's life. Easy to follow, quick to read, but kind of a downer.
It's a good graphic novel that moves through 4 stories centered on the travails of K's life. Easy to follow, quick to read, but kind of a downer.
October 31, 2023
This is kafka for the middle school set. And if you know Kafka, it is never pleasant. This is described as humorous, but I wouldn’t exactly say that, it is more depressing, and sad. That doesn’t mean it wasn’t an interesting read.
K is always in trouble, mostly because he doesn’t pay attention, or perhaps because he pays too much attention. He noticed everything around him, and makes observations about the same, such as what the people have in their launch bags as they march through the streets to get to work, and he to school.
In another story, when he has to stay home sick, he hears crows outside his very stark bedroom, and lets them into the house. They eat everything in site, and then depart, which perplexes his parents when they get home. They have no idea what has happened, and he isn’t about to say anything, because he doubts he will be believed.
Each story in this book has the strangest things happen around K. The pictures are quite stark, but detailed at the same time. The stories are quick takes. It is being marketed as a funny book for kids, but I think it is really geared to parents.
Thanks to Netgalley for making this book available for an honest review. This book is coming out the 16th of January 2024.
K is always in trouble, mostly because he doesn’t pay attention, or perhaps because he pays too much attention. He noticed everything around him, and makes observations about the same, such as what the people have in their launch bags as they march through the streets to get to work, and he to school.
In another story, when he has to stay home sick, he hears crows outside his very stark bedroom, and lets them into the house. They eat everything in site, and then depart, which perplexes his parents when they get home. They have no idea what has happened, and he isn’t about to say anything, because he doubts he will be believed.
Each story in this book has the strangest things happen around K. The pictures are quite stark, but detailed at the same time. The stories are quick takes. It is being marketed as a funny book for kids, but I think it is really geared to parents.
Thanks to Netgalley for making this book available for an honest review. This book is coming out the 16th of January 2024.
November 12, 2023
This is a dark humorous story composed of different episodes where K tries to minimize the verbal abuse from the adults when completing a specific task that never goes well. Still... these feelings of loneliness, abandonment, fear, panic, doubt, shame... the character is trapped in an inflexive society and does his best to get by.
Cleverly illustrated the panels have a great rhythm showing different emotions: from claustrophobic to silent or noisy and crowded to alone. K connects with animals in a more positive way than he can communicate with any adult.
Although we don't get a rewarding conclusion (in a sense of justice) the different episodes show us that K finds his own small moments of rewards and victories.
Thank you, Publisher and NetGalley for this e-ARC.
Cleverly illustrated the panels have a great rhythm showing different emotions: from claustrophobic to silent or noisy and crowded to alone. K connects with animals in a more positive way than he can communicate with any adult.
Although we don't get a rewarding conclusion (in a sense of justice) the different episodes show us that K finds his own small moments of rewards and victories.
Thank you, Publisher and NetGalley for this e-ARC.
March 7, 2024
Poor K is always getting in trouble even when he does everything he’s told to! I think we all know kids who can’t seem to catch a break. Most adults are horrible to him, with occasional exceptions when his mother forcefully defends him. It’s certainly different from most of the popular graphic novels my students like, but I think the humor may appeal to fans of Lemony Snicket and even Diary of a Wimpy Kid fans.
January 21, 2024
K is in Trouble is a wonderful graphic novel by author and illustrator Gary Clements that reminds you of childhood.
It explores the way that nothing makes sense as a child, and how it's so easy to be wrong all the time, no matter how hard you try. Adults are ridiculous, but beetles are full of wisdom.
This is a delightful graphic novel.
It explores the way that nothing makes sense as a child, and how it's so easy to be wrong all the time, no matter how hard you try. Adults are ridiculous, but beetles are full of wisdom.
This is a delightful graphic novel.
June 6, 2024
It's darned appropriate that the cover of this one has a blurb by Lemony Snicket, as K is quite possibly the most beleaguered child to appear in print since the unlucky Baudelaire orphans.
Welcome to K.'s world where things go from bad to worse as he's greeted by an unappetizing breakfast of prune juice, grayish porridge, and oily sardines. From there it's on to school where he's locked in an empty room to await punishment. Our poor, hapless hero is also scammed by a trickster fish, and forced to endure a home invasion by a murder of crows. On the bright side, he's befriended by a talking beetle, so . . . there's that.
K. inhabits a fun, strange world seemingly dreamed up by Roald Dahl, where grownups are either villainous or utterly oblivious.
There's a odd, delightful Edward Gorey feel to the proceedings, though Clement's art is colorful and definitely not dreary. The book is aimed at the middle-grade market, but I firmly believe readers of all ages will fall for K.
I hope this becomes a long running series.
Many thanks to NetGalley and Little, Brown Ink for sharing.
Welcome to K.'s world where things go from bad to worse as he's greeted by an unappetizing breakfast of prune juice, grayish porridge, and oily sardines. From there it's on to school where he's locked in an empty room to await punishment. Our poor, hapless hero is also scammed by a trickster fish, and forced to endure a home invasion by a murder of crows. On the bright side, he's befriended by a talking beetle, so . . . there's that.
K. inhabits a fun, strange world seemingly dreamed up by Roald Dahl, where grownups are either villainous or utterly oblivious.
There's a odd, delightful Edward Gorey feel to the proceedings, though Clement's art is colorful and definitely not dreary. The book is aimed at the middle-grade market, but I firmly believe readers of all ages will fall for K.
I hope this becomes a long running series.
Many thanks to NetGalley and Little, Brown Ink for sharing.
December 14, 2023
𝐑𝐄𝐀𝐃 𝐓𝐇𝐈𝐒 𝐈𝐅 𝐘𝐎𝐔
🐟 have ever been betrayed by a fish
😠 were blamed for things you didn’t do
🏫 had to visit the principal on more than one occasion
😔 felt alone in the world as a kid
• 𝐖𝐇𝐀𝐓 𝐈𝐓’𝐒 𝐀𝐁𝐎𝐔𝐓
K is nice, polite, and always does as he’s told. K is also always, always in trouble.
No matter what he does or says, it seems there is someone ready to blame him for everything. K is in trouble for going to school. K is in trouble for staying home. K is in trouble for running an errand, getting sick, or just being thirsty. K gets into trouble with imperious crows, persnickety station agents, bombastic teachers, his own classmates...even one nice fresh carp.
Whether it’s his easily annoyed parents or prickly pedestrians on the street, K gets on everyone’s bad side…and he didn’t even do anything wrong!
• 𝐌𝐘 𝐓𝐇𝐎𝐔𝐆𝐇𝐓𝐒
Wow. This graphic novel brought up a lot of emotions for me. Even though it’s written for young children, around 7-12 years of age, this book really resonated with me. I knew exactly how K felt - to not be believed. To feel like everyone was against you. To be betrayed by people you put your complete faith and trust in. This book holds a lot of deeper meaning, and I just wanted to reach inside of the book, pull K out, and tell him he is loved. For everyone who has ever felt alone in the world, this book is for you.
🐟 have ever been betrayed by a fish
😠 were blamed for things you didn’t do
🏫 had to visit the principal on more than one occasion
😔 felt alone in the world as a kid
• 𝐖𝐇𝐀𝐓 𝐈𝐓’𝐒 𝐀𝐁𝐎𝐔𝐓
K is nice, polite, and always does as he’s told. K is also always, always in trouble.
No matter what he does or says, it seems there is someone ready to blame him for everything. K is in trouble for going to school. K is in trouble for staying home. K is in trouble for running an errand, getting sick, or just being thirsty. K gets into trouble with imperious crows, persnickety station agents, bombastic teachers, his own classmates...even one nice fresh carp.
Whether it’s his easily annoyed parents or prickly pedestrians on the street, K gets on everyone’s bad side…and he didn’t even do anything wrong!
• 𝐌𝐘 𝐓𝐇𝐎𝐔𝐆𝐇𝐓𝐒
Wow. This graphic novel brought up a lot of emotions for me. Even though it’s written for young children, around 7-12 years of age, this book really resonated with me. I knew exactly how K felt - to not be believed. To feel like everyone was against you. To be betrayed by people you put your complete faith and trust in. This book holds a lot of deeper meaning, and I just wanted to reach inside of the book, pull K out, and tell him he is loved. For everyone who has ever felt alone in the world, this book is for you.
July 19, 2024
Four slightly fantastic stories of a boy in early 1920's (?) eastern Europe.
None of the adults listen to him and instead react with outsized outrage at what they assume is his bad behavior. In "K is late", he arrives late to the school he hates (and we see exactly why he hates it), and is punished. The scale of the place is very daunting, and shown perfectly in the illustrations. He is befreinded by a cockroach, who actually talks and listens to him. In "K is in trouble" he is separated from his class at the train station when he is sent by his teacher to fetch the man's glasses (he has them the whole time)--he is picked up for loitering, and again, no one will listen. My favorite, "K has an errand" (?) he is sent by his mom to find a lively carp, gets lost and gets to the market too late. But then he is befriended (and tricked ) by a carp. And in "K is thirsty" he accidentally shuts himself out on his snowy balcony.
Beautiful, deceptively simple artwork, with some gorgeous spreads showing scale and lonliness. K doesn't say much, and much of the dialogue is in caps becasue the grownups are shouting. But he never gives up, and is quite plucky, solving problems and keeping his head down.
None of the adults listen to him and instead react with outsized outrage at what they assume is his bad behavior. In "K is late", he arrives late to the school he hates (and we see exactly why he hates it), and is punished. The scale of the place is very daunting, and shown perfectly in the illustrations. He is befreinded by a cockroach, who actually talks and listens to him. In "K is in trouble" he is separated from his class at the train station when he is sent by his teacher to fetch the man's glasses (he has them the whole time)--he is picked up for loitering, and again, no one will listen. My favorite, "K has an errand" (?) he is sent by his mom to find a lively carp, gets lost and gets to the market too late. But then he is befriended (and tricked ) by a carp. And in "K is thirsty" he accidentally shuts himself out on his snowy balcony.
Beautiful, deceptively simple artwork, with some gorgeous spreads showing scale and lonliness. K doesn't say much, and much of the dialogue is in caps becasue the grownups are shouting. But he never gives up, and is quite plucky, solving problems and keeping his head down.
January 30, 2025
K is a polite and kind boy who always does what he is told, yet he always finds himself in trouble. From a simple sick day in bed to trying to help a teacher at the train station to getting a glass of water, K can't seem to get through any situation without being misunderstood. The problem is - K isn't even doing anything wrong!
This is a silly and somewhat frustrating collection of five short stories about a boy constantly being misunderstood or ignored by the adults in his life. As a result, he finds himself in trouble with no one to listen or help him. The situations are exaggerated, and the endings are often surprising.
I thought the illustrations were well done and unique. In particular, the artist makes excellent use of line drawings - strong lines - in his illustrations. We discussed examples of this in detail during my weekly graphic novel book club on Outschool.
This is a silly and somewhat frustrating collection of five short stories about a boy constantly being misunderstood or ignored by the adults in his life. As a result, he finds himself in trouble with no one to listen or help him. The situations are exaggerated, and the endings are often surprising.
I thought the illustrations were well done and unique. In particular, the artist makes excellent use of line drawings - strong lines - in his illustrations. We discussed examples of this in detail during my weekly graphic novel book club on Outschool.
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December 17, 2023I thought this was a cleverly illustrated and well crafted graphic novel that pertains to the universal message of adults not listening to children. This message is found in beloved classics such as Matilda and Lemony Snicket’s A Series of Unfortunate Events. The use of large fonts and spacing in graphic novel format contributes to the absurdity and humor found in this book that young children can understand.
While it may not be as magically whimsical as other children’s books, this is a great graphic novel for kids who are starting to somewhat comprehend their emotions and have difficulty expressing. I love how ordinary K is which makes him more of a relatable protagonist who’s stuck in a world run by adults who don’t listen or care.
While it may not be as magically whimsical as other children’s books, this is a great graphic novel for kids who are starting to somewhat comprehend their emotions and have difficulty expressing. I love how ordinary K is which makes him more of a relatable protagonist who’s stuck in a world run by adults who don’t listen or care.
December 9, 2025
I really, really liked this first volume of a graphic novels series in a kind of tongue-in-cheek tribute to Franz Kafka, whose characters often are named merely K. You don't need to have read Kafka to appreciate this story of a beleaguered boy, K, who is in trouble with his parents, teachers, bullies, and in fact almost everyone. But especially authority figures, with which Kafka also depicts his main characters struggling, absurdly. Everyone is mean to K! A touch of Roald Dahl, Gorey, Steig: Good company! And Lemony Snicket, who blurbs the front cover, yes!
Sweet! The art is light and lovely, pen and ink and gouache. Go, Gary Clement! You won't get any mean treatment from me! Oh, and the text is set in KafkaABC!
Sweet! The art is light and lovely, pen and ink and gouache. Go, Gary Clement! You won't get any mean treatment from me! Oh, and the text is set in KafkaABC!
January 16, 2024
All I can say is poor K! This kid just can’t catch a break. We follow K on many adventures, from being late to school and talking to a beetle, staying home from school when he is sick and encountering a gazillion crows, to being abandoned on a school field trip. No matter what he says or does, nobody listens to or believes K, not his classmates, not his parents and not any adult he comes across. As an adult and a parent, this just frustrates me.
The multiple storylines are very well written and easy to follow in this graphic novel, and the art is spot on, making this an enjoyable read overall.
The multiple storylines are very well written and easy to follow in this graphic novel, and the art is spot on, making this an enjoyable read overall.
January 20, 2024
Thank you @tbrbeyondtours and @littlebrownyoungreaders for having my kids and I on this booktour.
👦🏻 review: I don’t know what I feel about this book. The first time I read it, I didn’t quite get the message because I was upset that everyone was ganging up on K. Then when I read-read it the second time, I finally found the true meaning of the book then I think it’s funny that no matter what K does, he’s always doing something wrong. I hear my mom telling me “damn if you do damn if you don’t”. This is such a wonderful book with awesome message and why K is so important to be understood. Absolutely great graphic novel.
👦🏻 review: I don’t know what I feel about this book. The first time I read it, I didn’t quite get the message because I was upset that everyone was ganging up on K. Then when I read-read it the second time, I finally found the true meaning of the book then I think it’s funny that no matter what K does, he’s always doing something wrong. I hear my mom telling me “damn if you do damn if you don’t”. This is such a wonderful book with awesome message and why K is so important to be understood. Absolutely great graphic novel.
March 23, 2024
Kafka-esque is the key to this quirky graphic novel. Yes, we all feel put upon by those in power sometimes, yet really? Of course, Lemony Snicket loved it. It reads like one of his, but without the light to balance the dark.
The adults and even a carp seem set against K in every measure. Truly. Even his mother who has glimmers of something vaguely resembling love for her son, is against him. I just don't want this message to young readers right now. Their mental health is not great. Maybe when things in our world are not so bleak and maybe when the author can introduce at least one character to bring light to our young K's life.
I loved the illustrations.
The adults and even a carp seem set against K in every measure. Truly. Even his mother who has glimmers of something vaguely resembling love for her son, is against him. I just don't want this message to young readers right now. Their mental health is not great. Maybe when things in our world are not so bleak and maybe when the author can introduce at least one character to bring light to our young K's life.
I loved the illustrations.
December 14, 2024
K is a nice boy, he seems to want to do the right thing, but adults don't see it that way, he gets punished at school, picked up for loitering in a train station when he was lost, and is even tricked into releasing a fish back into the river. K is always in trouble.
I had the same trouble enjoying this as I did Lemony Snicket's "Unfortunate Events" series. It's in the same vein - things just keep getting worse despite K's best efforts. His parents (especially his father) are short and impatient with him, and other adults are unreasonable. Poor kid. I didn't see the humor, maybe children will. There's a magical element - bugs and animals can talk to him. K is White.
I had the same trouble enjoying this as I did Lemony Snicket's "Unfortunate Events" series. It's in the same vein - things just keep getting worse despite K's best efforts. His parents (especially his father) are short and impatient with him, and other adults are unreasonable. Poor kid. I didn't see the humor, maybe children will. There's a magical element - bugs and animals can talk to him. K is White.
March 29, 2024
If you are looking at reading a humorous graphic novel that is not only relatable for kids, but also one that can be read in one sitting, you’ve found just the right book. “𝗞 𝗶𝘀 𝗶𝗻 𝗧𝗿𝗼𝘂𝗯𝗹𝗲” by Gary Clement takes us on a wild ride on mundane days of K’s life, where it becomes obvious how little adults understand the why and how of kids getting into trouble for no fault of theirs.
Great for hooking striving readers and also if you teach a graphic novel unit in writers’ workshop. Perfect for Grades 2 and above.
Great for hooking striving readers and also if you teach a graphic novel unit in writers’ workshop. Perfect for Grades 2 and above.
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