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The eXpets
The eXpets
Perfect for fans of Captain Underpants and Dog Man, this first book in a hilarious new middle grade graphic novel series follows a stinky dog reluctantly recruited by a team of super-pets to rescue missing kittens!
Bosco the dog loves being a house pet, loves his comfy dog bed and nice big house and, of course, his favorite toy kitty. So when two burglars break in, Bosco defends his home with all his might, which includes releasing some well-timed—and near supersonic—stink that repels the would-be thieves. With his foes in retreat, Bosco thinks it’s all over…until a robot descends from the sky.
The flying robot delivers Bosco to the city and tells him that, due to his unusual “abilities,” he’s been chosen to become one of the eXpets, a team of superheroes with extraordinary abilities who team up to solve problems of all sizes. Bosco would be joining a turtle mastermind, a laser-eyed kitty, Wonder-Guppy, and Ginormous Gerbil. The mission? Rescuing the world’s kittens, who have all gone mysteriously missing. Bosco isn’t sure he’s all that extraordinary and certainly doesn’t enjoy tasks with a lot of pressure. But…how can he turn his back on kittens ?!
Can the ragtag group move past getting off on the wrong paw to track down the catnapped cuties and save the day?
Bosco the dog loves being a house pet, loves his comfy dog bed and nice big house and, of course, his favorite toy kitty. So when two burglars break in, Bosco defends his home with all his might, which includes releasing some well-timed—and near supersonic—stink that repels the would-be thieves. With his foes in retreat, Bosco thinks it’s all over…until a robot descends from the sky.
The flying robot delivers Bosco to the city and tells him that, due to his unusual “abilities,” he’s been chosen to become one of the eXpets, a team of superheroes with extraordinary abilities who team up to solve problems of all sizes. Bosco would be joining a turtle mastermind, a laser-eyed kitty, Wonder-Guppy, and Ginormous Gerbil. The mission? Rescuing the world’s kittens, who have all gone mysteriously missing. Bosco isn’t sure he’s all that extraordinary and certainly doesn’t enjoy tasks with a lot of pressure. But…how can he turn his back on kittens ?!
Can the ragtag group move past getting off on the wrong paw to track down the catnapped cuties and save the day?
304 pages, Hardcover
Published April 30, 2024
4 people are currently reading
23 people want to read
About the author
Mark Tatulli
31 books60 followersMark Tatulli is a comic artist and film maker, mostly known for his dark comedic newspaper strip Liō. He is the recipient of three Emmy Awards. He works for Banyan Productions. He lives in New Jersey with his wife and children.
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Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews
January 1, 2025
Copy provided by Young Adult Books Central
Bosco, who normally lives a quiet canine life, manages to thwart two bumbling criminals with his stanky breath, and before he knows it is summoned to the lair of the Incredible Mr. Turtle to become an Expet, along with Laser-Eye Kitty, Ginormous Gerbil, and Wonder Guppy. Not thrilled that his super hero name will be Stanky Dog, especially since he also possesses super stretchy legs, he returns home to Larry the Lizard, to resume his quiet life with his dog toy in the shape of a cat. When his Expet collar summons him, he tries to ignore it, but when he realizes he needs to help save kittens, he reluctantly accepts his assignment. The evil Captain Calamari, who is in thrall to an evil Skunk and aided by the thieves Ambrose and Winston, has sequestered millions of cats on the moon. The cats are looking for the ancient Collar of Power of Kitty KahKah, about which the Skunk learned after his friendship with Mr. Turtle ended and Skunk lived in an abandoned library, reading all the books. Bosco finds it hard to rescue the kittens, since his Super Stank doesn't work in zero gravity, but by cleverly utilizing his dog toy shaped like a cat, he manages to persevere. While it seems he has managed to thwart the thieves, a lone kitten on the moon finds the collar, and someone close to Bosco is not the ally he believes.
While there is plenty of action on each pages, quirky characters galore, and a reluctant hero with an unfortunate moniker (middle school readers will LOVE that his name is Stanky Dog!), there is also a well developed and easy to follow plot, which I appreciated very much. There are even some twists, and I am very much looking forward to reading the sequel.
I might be imagining it, but I sensed allusions to Wanda Gag's 1928 Millions of Cats, which added an even better layer of cleverness. The collar of Kitty KahKah is an excellent inclusion for a hero's quest, Ginormous Gerbil might be MY new super hero name, and having Skunk as the villain, with a backstory pitting him against Mr. Turtle, makes perfect sense, but having a lone kitten suriviving on the moon was a master stroke!
Tatulli's exuberant style nicely supports this underdog super hero tale, which has a much better plot, and character development than comparable titles like Pilkey's Dog Man, Angelberger's The Two Headed Chicken, or Barnett and Harris' The First Cat in Space Ate Pizza. It also helps that there are plenty of jokes that may go over the heads of younger readers, but will endlessly amuse middle school ones. I am all for learning more about the Simon and Schuster Comics Universe and how it compares to Marvel and D.C.
Bosco, who normally lives a quiet canine life, manages to thwart two bumbling criminals with his stanky breath, and before he knows it is summoned to the lair of the Incredible Mr. Turtle to become an Expet, along with Laser-Eye Kitty, Ginormous Gerbil, and Wonder Guppy. Not thrilled that his super hero name will be Stanky Dog, especially since he also possesses super stretchy legs, he returns home to Larry the Lizard, to resume his quiet life with his dog toy in the shape of a cat. When his Expet collar summons him, he tries to ignore it, but when he realizes he needs to help save kittens, he reluctantly accepts his assignment. The evil Captain Calamari, who is in thrall to an evil Skunk and aided by the thieves Ambrose and Winston, has sequestered millions of cats on the moon. The cats are looking for the ancient Collar of Power of Kitty KahKah, about which the Skunk learned after his friendship with Mr. Turtle ended and Skunk lived in an abandoned library, reading all the books. Bosco finds it hard to rescue the kittens, since his Super Stank doesn't work in zero gravity, but by cleverly utilizing his dog toy shaped like a cat, he manages to persevere. While it seems he has managed to thwart the thieves, a lone kitten on the moon finds the collar, and someone close to Bosco is not the ally he believes.
While there is plenty of action on each pages, quirky characters galore, and a reluctant hero with an unfortunate moniker (middle school readers will LOVE that his name is Stanky Dog!), there is also a well developed and easy to follow plot, which I appreciated very much. There are even some twists, and I am very much looking forward to reading the sequel.
I might be imagining it, but I sensed allusions to Wanda Gag's 1928 Millions of Cats, which added an even better layer of cleverness. The collar of Kitty KahKah is an excellent inclusion for a hero's quest, Ginormous Gerbil might be MY new super hero name, and having Skunk as the villain, with a backstory pitting him against Mr. Turtle, makes perfect sense, but having a lone kitten suriviving on the moon was a master stroke!
Tatulli's exuberant style nicely supports this underdog super hero tale, which has a much better plot, and character development than comparable titles like Pilkey's Dog Man, Angelberger's The Two Headed Chicken, or Barnett and Harris' The First Cat in Space Ate Pizza. It also helps that there are plenty of jokes that may go over the heads of younger readers, but will endlessly amuse middle school ones. I am all for learning more about the Simon and Schuster Comics Universe and how it compares to Marvel and D.C.
May 29, 2024
Review from my little sister Laly (11):
One night, two robbers attempted a house burglary but got deterred by a super stinky dog with extra stretchy legs. Later that night, the dog was taken to the Fortress of Catitude to join eXpet, a superhero squad. Despite his reluctance, Bosco, now known as "Stanky Dog," has no choice but to become a superhero when the world's kitten population begins to vanish, and it is discovered that one skunk is responsible for it all.
The eXpets is a real page-turner. The story is about a group of animals with some pretty strange powers who team up to save the world from an evil skunk—yes, you read that right—a skunk!
The main character, Bosco, is a real hoot. He's a hilarious character who surprisingly gets along great with cats, which is odd for a dog. It's a superhero animal book, so anything goes, right?
Unfortunately, not all the animals are as pleasant as Bosco. The skunk that goes around kidnapping innocent and pretty cats is such a meanie! I mean, who does that? But don't worry—our superhero animal crew is there to save the day.
The other characters in the book are just as great as Bosco, and the plot is so fascinating that I couldn't put the book down. The art and color scheme add to the experience and make the book more enjoyable.
I recommend this book to anyone who likes a good superhero story with a funny twist. It's a real treat for the imagination and will have you laughing out loud at the antics of these superhero animals.
Happy Reading, Laly ❤️ 📚
Thank you, @SimonKids #simonkidscrew, for sending me a copy of this hilarious book. I am leaving this review voluntarily.
One night, two robbers attempted a house burglary but got deterred by a super stinky dog with extra stretchy legs. Later that night, the dog was taken to the Fortress of Catitude to join eXpet, a superhero squad. Despite his reluctance, Bosco, now known as "Stanky Dog," has no choice but to become a superhero when the world's kitten population begins to vanish, and it is discovered that one skunk is responsible for it all.
The eXpets is a real page-turner. The story is about a group of animals with some pretty strange powers who team up to save the world from an evil skunk—yes, you read that right—a skunk!
The main character, Bosco, is a real hoot. He's a hilarious character who surprisingly gets along great with cats, which is odd for a dog. It's a superhero animal book, so anything goes, right?
Unfortunately, not all the animals are as pleasant as Bosco. The skunk that goes around kidnapping innocent and pretty cats is such a meanie! I mean, who does that? But don't worry—our superhero animal crew is there to save the day.
The other characters in the book are just as great as Bosco, and the plot is so fascinating that I couldn't put the book down. The art and color scheme add to the experience and make the book more enjoyable.
I recommend this book to anyone who likes a good superhero story with a funny twist. It's a real treat for the imagination and will have you laughing out loud at the antics of these superhero animals.
Happy Reading, Laly ❤️ 📚
Thank you, @SimonKids #simonkidscrew, for sending me a copy of this hilarious book. I am leaving this review voluntarily.
March 11, 2025
This graphic novel is the first book in a new series for middle grade readers who like stories like Dog Man. It begins with "Stanky Dog" saving his family home from burglars by using his hidden superpower of toxic stink. This heroic act gets him invited to join the Expets, a league of other unassuming pets who fight crime. Stanky Dog doesn't feel this is for him but gets roped into the action when Earth's kittens go missing and are being used for evil intentions by Skunk and his minions.
The story is a bit irreverent and gross, but fans of this genre will root for Stanky Dog and his new friends. The series will get a second book in fall of 2025, so more stinky action will ensue this year. The illustrations are great, with use of strong bold color so this was one of my favorite things about the first book.
This book was provided by the publisher at 2024 preview event in an advanced reader format. Since it was already published at the time of this review, I went back and looked at the completed copy at the library. I didn't see anything that would change my review.
I would recommend this book to middle school and public libraries for the graphic novel collection.
This book was also reviewed for professional purposes by SWON Libraries.
The story is a bit irreverent and gross, but fans of this genre will root for Stanky Dog and his new friends. The series will get a second book in fall of 2025, so more stinky action will ensue this year. The illustrations are great, with use of strong bold color so this was one of my favorite things about the first book.
This book was provided by the publisher at 2024 preview event in an advanced reader format. Since it was already published at the time of this review, I went back and looked at the completed copy at the library. I didn't see anything that would change my review.
I would recommend this book to middle school and public libraries for the graphic novel collection.
This book was also reviewed for professional purposes by SWON Libraries.
March 29, 2024
I received this as an ARC from a Simon & Schuster giveaway. Because it is an ARC, quotation is not allowed.
First off, I would like to say that the story is absolutely adorable and kids will definitely love it. The illustrations and characters are fun, drawing the reader in and anxious to see what happens next.
The reason for the three stars is some of the language is a little too “adult” for the audience, with some play on adult phrases. While some of these phrases might not seem like a big deal to most, as an educator who works with young children, I know kids aged 6+ are going to be drawn to these books and many of these kids still see the word stupid as a “bad word.” In addition, I know we frown upon one of these phrases at our school. My suggestion to others is to read this book before you hand it off to your youngster to make sure it is appropriate for your family/school.
First off, I would like to say that the story is absolutely adorable and kids will definitely love it. The illustrations and characters are fun, drawing the reader in and anxious to see what happens next.
The reason for the three stars is some of the language is a little too “adult” for the audience, with some play on adult phrases. While some of these phrases might not seem like a big deal to most, as an educator who works with young children, I know kids aged 6+ are going to be drawn to these books and many of these kids still see the word stupid as a “bad word.” In addition, I know we frown upon one of these phrases at our school. My suggestion to others is to read this book before you hand it off to your youngster to make sure it is appropriate for your family/school.
June 2, 2024
Bosco thinks he is just a normal dog in a normal neighborhood with a normal family. Until one evening when crooks break into his house! He must protect his family - which he does with extendable legs and stinky breath and farts. Who knew? After the crooks are hauled away, Bosco is summoned to the eXpets headquarters. There he finds various pets that also have super powers. But Bosco isn't sure he wants to be Stanky Dog. Until all of the adorable kittens in the world disappear! Then he knows he has to use his super powers to save them!
Very cute. DogMan fans will love it.
Very cute. DogMan fans will love it.
February 10, 2025
Bosco, through his defense of his owners' home, receives a place in the Expets, a group of pet superheroes. Bosco, though, is unsure of many things; does he want to be a superhero, why is his costume so tight, and why is his superhero name Stanky Dog? Despite his misgivings, Stanky Dog accepts a mission to save all of the kittens from exile on the moon as the Expets' arch-nemesis has them digging for a collar of power. This lighthearted romp through superhero tropes is hilariously funny, but while poking fun, also examines the deeper question of what makes a hero.
June 18, 2024
I figured I wouldn't start logging the books I read to my child until we were reading chapter books together. He picked this up from the library the other day and I thought there was no way we would be able to read it all before it was due again, but this little graphic novel hooks you. My 3-year-old couldn't wait to see what happened next and there were several fun references and silly bits for adults to appreciate too. Quite a fun kid-friendly, action-packed comic.
July 10, 2024
This was a cute middle grade graphic novel. I liked story as well as the characters. I loved the illustrations as well as the bright color palette and they did a great job at helping visualize the story. I think many middle graders will enjoy reading this one.
Thank you Simon Kids for the gifted copy.
Thank you Simon Kids for the gifted copy.
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May 27, 2024It's surprisingly funny, with ridiculous over the top superhero and villain antics and fart jokes. Hand to Dogman and The First Cat in Space Ate Pizza.
June 20, 2024
3.5. Kids are going to find this hilarious…look forward to recommending!
November 30, 2024
this one is just really bizarre. PRobably didn't help that I read it over several weeks, but it seems really disjointed and goofy and a little hard to follow.
December 27, 2024
I liked this book quite a bit, but Stanky Dog was a really bad superhero name. Also why exactly did Larry want to enact revenge on Bosco? Just because he’s a superhero and Larry’s not?
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews