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Groucho the Grouchy Groundhog
Commander Hare E. Bun Bun has stolen all of the pancakes in Critter Creek! Grumpy groundhog Groucho and his annoying, cheery neighbor, Blork, the unicorn pig, must work together to save breakfast!
Groucho and Blork can’t be more different. Grouchy is a grumpy groundhog whose motto is “Go Away!” Blork is half unicorn, half pig, all smiles, and absolutely convinced she is Groucho’s bestie. They’re only united by an incredible love of pancakes.
So when they learn that the evil Commander Hare E. Bun Bun has stolen all of the pancakes of Critter Creek, along with the secret recipe, Groucho and Blork dash to save the day and become an unlikely pair of crime fighters!
Groucho and Blork can’t be more different. Grouchy is a grumpy groundhog whose motto is “Go Away!” Blork is half unicorn, half pig, all smiles, and absolutely convinced she is Groucho’s bestie. They’re only united by an incredible love of pancakes.
So when they learn that the evil Commander Hare E. Bun Bun has stolen all of the pancakes of Critter Creek, along with the secret recipe, Groucho and Blork dash to save the day and become an unlikely pair of crime fighters!
80 pages, Hardcover
Published July 15, 2025
15 people want to read
About the author
Lydia Lukidis
45 books44 followersLydia Lukidis is an award-winning author of 50+ trade and educational books for children. Her titles include UP, UP HIGH: The Secret Poetry of Earth's Atmosphere (Capstone, 2025), DANCING THROUGH SPACE: Dr. Mae Jemison Soars to New Heights (Albert Whitman, 2024), and DEEP, DEEP, DOWN: The Secret Underwater Poetry of the Mariana Trench (Capstone, 2023) which was a Crystal Kite winner for the Canada and North America division, Forest of Reading Silver Birch Express Honor, a Cybils Award nominee, and winner of the Dogwood Readers Award. A science enthusiast from a young age, Lydia now incorporates her studies in science and her everlasting curiosity into her books.
Lydia is very involved in the kidlit community. She volunteers as a judge on Rate your Story, co-hosts the annual Fall Writing Frenzy competition, and is an active member of SCBWI, CANSCAIP, 12 x 12, and The Authors Guild. Another passion of hers is fostering a love for children’s literacy through the writing workshops she regularly offers in elementary schools across Quebec with the Culture in the Schools program.
Lydia is represented by literary agent Miranda Paul from the Erin Murphy Literary Agency.
For more information, please visit www.lydialukidis.com.
Lydia is very involved in the kidlit community. She volunteers as a judge on Rate your Story, co-hosts the annual Fall Writing Frenzy competition, and is an active member of SCBWI, CANSCAIP, 12 x 12, and The Authors Guild. Another passion of hers is fostering a love for children’s literacy through the writing workshops she regularly offers in elementary schools across Quebec with the Culture in the Schools program.
Lydia is represented by literary agent Miranda Paul from the Erin Murphy Literary Agency.
For more information, please visit www.lydialukidis.com.
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Displaying 1 - 24 of 24 reviews
July 15, 2025
I like how Lydia started the book with an illustrated map of The Island of ZOO YORK, and immediately the reader sees where the story is taking place, followed by the names and illustrations of the characters in the book.
There is GROCHO, a grumpy, lazy, sarcastic, pancake-eating groundhog. BLORK, who is a smiling half-pig and half-unicorn, is Groucho’s neighbor and bestie. A bunny Commander is fed up with being cute and wants to be evil and despicable and dreams of World domination! And his loyal sidekick, Ding Dong, who is part ding and part dong. Then the reader sees the Bandit of Bunnies, who make up the Commander’s secret army, and the chief of Police Critter Creek, Lou Tennant, who is a rhinoceros with only one thing on his mind - JUSTICE, and Deputy Dawg, his trusty second in command.
With this in mind, the nine chapter titles are listed. I love the headings, like PANCAKE PROBLEMS and COMMANDER BARTHHOLOMEW FUDDY DUDDY HARE E. BUB BUN THE SIXTEENTH.
Then the action begins. Blork rushes into wake up Groucho yelling, "Critter Creek is in BIG TROUBLE! and sticks the Daily Pancake newspaper in his face with a Headline that says BUSTED! Underneath is, Chief Police Officer Lou Tennant Intercepts Email: The Evil Commander Hare E. Bun Bun Plots to Steal Pancakes.
Meanwhile, Evil Commander Hare E Bun Bun starts talking to thein habitants of Carrot County on TV.
"Ahem. As I was saying, we bunnies are tired of only eating carrots! (The crowd of bunnies cheer) Yes, yes! No more carrots! So we shall steal ALL the pancakes from Critter Creek! MWAHAHAHA! His citizens scream, "Long live Commander Hare E. Bun Bun! He’s fur-tastic."
Every page is full of action on both sides. Lots of fun chaos ensues. Kids will love the mayhem and confusion. They will laugh throughout the book and keep giggling after the book is closed.
Tara Hannon did a great job creating the illustrations to bring this graphic novel to life. They will keep kids and their parents finding new things in the action that they didn't see when they previously read the book. It is a great book to introduce children to reading longer books.
There is GROCHO, a grumpy, lazy, sarcastic, pancake-eating groundhog. BLORK, who is a smiling half-pig and half-unicorn, is Groucho’s neighbor and bestie. A bunny Commander is fed up with being cute and wants to be evil and despicable and dreams of World domination! And his loyal sidekick, Ding Dong, who is part ding and part dong. Then the reader sees the Bandit of Bunnies, who make up the Commander’s secret army, and the chief of Police Critter Creek, Lou Tennant, who is a rhinoceros with only one thing on his mind - JUSTICE, and Deputy Dawg, his trusty second in command.
With this in mind, the nine chapter titles are listed. I love the headings, like PANCAKE PROBLEMS and COMMANDER BARTHHOLOMEW FUDDY DUDDY HARE E. BUB BUN THE SIXTEENTH.
Then the action begins. Blork rushes into wake up Groucho yelling, "Critter Creek is in BIG TROUBLE! and sticks the Daily Pancake newspaper in his face with a Headline that says BUSTED! Underneath is, Chief Police Officer Lou Tennant Intercepts Email: The Evil Commander Hare E. Bun Bun Plots to Steal Pancakes.
Meanwhile, Evil Commander Hare E Bun Bun starts talking to thein habitants of Carrot County on TV.
"Ahem. As I was saying, we bunnies are tired of only eating carrots! (The crowd of bunnies cheer) Yes, yes! No more carrots! So we shall steal ALL the pancakes from Critter Creek! MWAHAHAHA! His citizens scream, "Long live Commander Hare E. Bun Bun! He’s fur-tastic."
Every page is full of action on both sides. Lots of fun chaos ensues. Kids will love the mayhem and confusion. They will laugh throughout the book and keep giggling after the book is closed.
Tara Hannon did a great job creating the illustrations to bring this graphic novel to life. They will keep kids and their parents finding new things in the action that they didn't see when they previously read the book. It is a great book to introduce children to reading longer books.
July 10, 2025
Grouchy might seem to be a negative turn, but this read proves that tons of fun can be hidden behind even this grumbly word.
Groucho is a grouchy groundhog, who just wants to sleep and eat pancakes. He doesn't even want to admit that his perky, maybe-unicornish neighbor could be his best friend, especially when she forces him to wake up. But this time is different. An evil plot is brewing thanks to Commander Hare E. Bun Bun, and it could mean the end of pancakes for everyone.
This is a super fun read with tons of laughs. The characters are furry (for the most part) and all are definitely cute...even the evil villain, whose attitude and plans could be kinder. The adventure is very quick paced and draws in immediately, holding to the very, very end. First, readers get a quick bio and overview of each character in a presentation, which highlights their personality with hints of silliness. At the end, there's another presentation surrounding Groucho, which showcases several of his attributes and such to add a last, nice touch.
Everything about this read screams fun, which is perfect for those readers who need to practice their words. The entire thing is divided into chapters, and these are kept pretty short to make sure breaks are readily available. The text is easy to read, always just enough to keep the story clear and moving, and still makes sure to add just enough to work those word skills. But readers will be so caught up in Grouch and Blork's adventure that any 'work' on this end becomes nonexistent.
The illustrations are bright, bold, and let the humor flow while sticking to the tension, too. There are plenty of details to build the world without distracting. These balance nicely with the text and make the tale that much more grabbing.
This is a funny and grabbing read with just the right amount of tension, nonsense, friendship, and saving-the-day. It's a great start to what promises to be an exciting series.
Groucho is a grouchy groundhog, who just wants to sleep and eat pancakes. He doesn't even want to admit that his perky, maybe-unicornish neighbor could be his best friend, especially when she forces him to wake up. But this time is different. An evil plot is brewing thanks to Commander Hare E. Bun Bun, and it could mean the end of pancakes for everyone.
This is a super fun read with tons of laughs. The characters are furry (for the most part) and all are definitely cute...even the evil villain, whose attitude and plans could be kinder. The adventure is very quick paced and draws in immediately, holding to the very, very end. First, readers get a quick bio and overview of each character in a presentation, which highlights their personality with hints of silliness. At the end, there's another presentation surrounding Groucho, which showcases several of his attributes and such to add a last, nice touch.
Everything about this read screams fun, which is perfect for those readers who need to practice their words. The entire thing is divided into chapters, and these are kept pretty short to make sure breaks are readily available. The text is easy to read, always just enough to keep the story clear and moving, and still makes sure to add just enough to work those word skills. But readers will be so caught up in Grouch and Blork's adventure that any 'work' on this end becomes nonexistent.
The illustrations are bright, bold, and let the humor flow while sticking to the tension, too. There are plenty of details to build the world without distracting. These balance nicely with the text and make the tale that much more grabbing.
This is a funny and grabbing read with just the right amount of tension, nonsense, friendship, and saving-the-day. It's a great start to what promises to be an exciting series.
April 21, 2025
Graphic Novel
I received an electronic ARC from Andrews McMeel Publishing through Edelweiss+.
Lukidis introduces readers to his forest characters in volume 1 of this new series. We meet Groucho the Groundhog who has two favorites in life - eating pancakes and sleeping. Sadly for him, his BFF (?) Blork wakes him up and pulls him into an adventure. They must rescue the pancakes stolen by the evil bunnies. Elementary level readers will love the silliness as the story unfolds. The artwork offers clues to what will happen next and provides energy and details to support the story. Looking forward to more adventures.
I received an electronic ARC from Andrews McMeel Publishing through Edelweiss+.
Lukidis introduces readers to his forest characters in volume 1 of this new series. We meet Groucho the Groundhog who has two favorites in life - eating pancakes and sleeping. Sadly for him, his BFF (?) Blork wakes him up and pulls him into an adventure. They must rescue the pancakes stolen by the evil bunnies. Elementary level readers will love the silliness as the story unfolds. The artwork offers clues to what will happen next and provides energy and details to support the story. Looking forward to more adventures.
August 15, 2025
Evil bunnies, plenty of pun-tastic jokes and a madcap caper featuring a unicorn pig sidekick and a less-than-thrilled main character (a disgruntled groundhog, primarily motivated by pancakes)? My kids gobbled this one up quicker than the stolen breads in question!
This delightful early graphic novel (the first in a new series by author Lydia Lukidis and Tara Hannon) is chock full of fun, kid-friendly appeal and physical humor, while also touching on important themes of friendship and collaboration (albeit with a slightly reluctant hero who really just wants his favorite foods back!). Looking forward to the other forthcoming books in this series :)
This delightful early graphic novel (the first in a new series by author Lydia Lukidis and Tara Hannon) is chock full of fun, kid-friendly appeal and physical humor, while also touching on important themes of friendship and collaboration (albeit with a slightly reluctant hero who really just wants his favorite foods back!). Looking forward to the other forthcoming books in this series :)
May 28, 2025
Who doesn’t love a pun-filled, perfectly preposterous pancake-ladened caper? With bright, bold, and whimsically illustrated characters, this fast-paced, laugh-a-minute graphic novel will definitely appeal to younger middle-graders, but I think that adults will also enjoy the story’s clean and silly fun. The main characters, Groucho and Blork, perfectly embody the archetypical and timeless diametrically-opposed comedy duos. And the supporting cast has their own charms which play well off of the main characters. This is a strong start to what should be a popular series!
July 23, 2025
Author Lydia Lukidis and illustrator Tara Hannon have hit it out of the park with this adorable graphic novel for younger readers. Starring an incredibly grumpy groundhog (he’s absolutely not a mole), a ditzy unicorn pig that loves knock-knock jokes, a sinister yet comical supervillain, and a host of other punny, delightful critters that live, work and play in Carrot County, Zoo York, this is sure to be just the first in a series that will delight librarians, teachers, parents, and kids alike. An absolutely joyful read!
August 5, 2025
Groucho the Grouchy Groundhog: Pancake Problems by Lydia Lukidis and illustrated by Tara J. Hannon is a laugh-out-loud early graphic novel packed with silly action and heart. Groucho, a grumpy, pancake-obsessed groundhog (not a mole!), gets pulled into an unexpected adventure when a crew of bunnies, led by Commander Hare E. Bun Bun, tries to steal all the pancakes in Critter Creek. With witty writing and expressive, cartoon-style art, this fun debut is perfect for fans of Garfield and physical humor, while also touching on themes of friendship, justice, and learning to work together.
May 22, 2025
This fun and funny romp is Dog Man meets The Bad Guys with a side of pancakes. Combining cute, memorable characters with laugh-out-loud antics, this is a book young readers will gobble up. Will Commander Hare E. Bun Bun make off with all the pancakes in Critter Creek or will friends Grouch and Blork find a way to save the day? Find out in this vibrantly illustrated, hilariously told tale of adventure and friendship! Highly recommend!
July 1, 2025
Author Lydia Lukidis and illustrator Tara Hannon team up to create a book that is so much fun that you can't help but smile. We're introduced to Groucho the Grouchy Groundhog, who loves sleeping and pancakes. But what happens when his pancakes are stolen by evil bunnies? Young readers will love this book and giggle along as they try to figure out what will happen next. I highly recommend this book to anyone who loves a laugh and a good story.
July 6, 2025
GROUCHO, THE GROUCHY GROUNDHOG is packed with kid-friendly humor! Kids will adore Groucho and his sidekick Blork as they embark on their quest to save all the pancakes from evil rabbits. The illustrations add so much comic effect and will have kids laughing. There are important themes too, about working together, doing the right thing, and friendship. I highly recommend this fun early graphic novel!
July 10, 2025
Author Lydia Lukidis delivers a hilarious adventure perfect for elementary readers. Grumpy groundhog Groucho and his overly enthusiastic neighbor Blork (a unicorn-pig!) must rescue stolen pancakes from the evil Commander Hare E. Bun Bun. With snarky humor, energetic illustrations, and clever visual cues, this silly, action-packed tale is a laugh-out-loud hit—and a great start to a promising new series!
June 17, 2025
Ha! Fun and funny! And when I got to the part about "an important message about the difference between moles and groundhogs," I guffawed. Yes, folks, I guffawed. Between the pancakes and snarky humor, kids are going to—ah—eat this book up! Which is what you want when kids are gaining skills along their journey to becoming fluid text and visual cue readers. I hope a sequel is already lined up!
July 8, 2025
What a fun book! Groucho – the Grouchy Groundhog and his biggest fan, the happy-go-lucky Blork, must team up to defeat the evil Hare E. Bun who has made off with all the pancakes (and the secret recipe) in Critter Creek. Filled with hilarious antics, snappy text, and bright illustrations, this graphic novel will appeal to young readers and will leave them begging for a sequel.
September 26, 2025
This is such a fun book for young graphic novel fans! Kids will love the bright, expressive pictures and all the silly jokes. I think my favorite character is Blork and how she tiptoes along and is such a loyal BFF to Groucho. All the characters, nicely introduced at the beginning, are fun and aptly named. Great choice for early readers!
October 4, 2025
We really enjoyed this story and it was nice that although Groucho and Blork are opposites in many ways, they can still be friends. I had a good time creating voices for many characters, especially Hare E Bun Bun! Some of the plays on words reminded me of things my dad used to say which was endearing and the Snidley Whiplash mustache was French kiss perfection!
Fun to read and giggles galore!
Fun to read and giggles galore!
June 29, 2025
Critter Creek citizens pack a punch in this sure-to-be-a-hit series! Groucho, a loveable, unsuspecting hero, is full of snark and surprises, dead-set on saving his beloved pancakes. Carrying themes of collaboration, justice, and friendship, I'm already on the edge of my seat for book 2!
July 1, 2025
Villain Commander Hare E. Bun Bun is sick of eating carrots, so he plots to steal all the pancakes from Critter Creek! Pancake loving Groucho finds himself in the middle of the action. Can he find a way to stop the Commander Bun Bun and save his beloved pancakes?
August 4, 2025
This book is a must-have for any kid who craves an exciting story, thrilling adventures, and captivating animal characters in comic form! It's packed with detailed illustrations that will draw them in and keep them engaged from start to finish.
July 17, 2025
Cleverly entertaining. A great addition to the graphic novel space!
July 20, 2025
This one cracked my kids up right away. Groucho’s cranky attitude plus pancake drama is a hilarious combination. The art is bold and colorful and makes things easy to follow. Really perfect for early readers who like visual jokes and funny action. I liked how it includes themes about teamwork and doing the right thing without getting preachy at all. Definitely a fun pick, highly recommended!
July 21, 2025
What a fun book! I couldn't put it down. What a lovely story with important themes that children will relate to. Beautiful writing and illustrations. A great addition to any library.
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August 11, 2025My students are going to love this book. Silly and hilarious like Saturday morning cartoons
August 26, 2025
Move over Garfield! Make way for Groucho, the cutest (and grumpiest) little groundhog you’ll ever meet. Loveable characters, laughs and cuteness on every spread. Highly recommended!
Displaying 1 - 24 of 24 reviews