Pranks and Attacks!: Book 1

Tao, the Little Samurai #1

by Laurent Richard, Nicolas Ryser (Illustrator)

Tao is studying martial arts at the famous Master Snow's school. But no matter how hard he concentrates on his lessons, mischief gets in the way! Tao plays pranks and jokes around with his friends Ray, Lee, and Kat. He also struggles to get to school on time, learn new moves, and--most importantly--avoid doing his chores.

Genres: Comics, Graphic Novels, Childrens, Humor

64 pages, Kindle Edition

First published January 1, 2014

Reviews

[Brittney Fogus · Rating 4 out of 5]

Richard provides cute and funny comics about Tao, the Little Samurai. Though not really following a story line, the book takes more of a comic strip type style. I found it enjoyable enough to put a smile on my face and would recommend it for those who want something to read, but are not truly hooked on graphic novels as of yet.

[Pinguino · Rating 5 out of 5]

Cute karate comic

Witty and would be great for kids getting into martial arts. The training stories resonate well and bring up fond memories.

[Sue · Rating 4 out of 5]

I fun comic for younger students.

[Skye Kilaen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Halfway through reading this, I said to my husband "Your son is going to eat this up with a spoon." I was right. At seven, our kid was a HUGE fan of martial arts, video games, origami, cute characters, and cartoon strips with a good punchline. (He's 11 now and nothing has changed!) This series might well have been optimized specifically for him. On his first day with this first book, he read it at least once to himself, once out loud to his Grandma - and when I checked on him in the morning, he was reading it again. It's cute, funny, and it's about martial arts without being a book full of fights. Unlike many kids' books set in a school, there is no bullying and very little teasing, if any. The adults are respected (even if not always obeyed.) And there's no gross-out humor. Finally, I love that the cast is predominantly people of color, since diversity in younger children's comics is sadly lacking - though no one should take this an an authentic Asian setting, so it's worth discussing that with the little reader in your life.

My son's review, when I asked him why he liked it: "IT'S FUNNY!" And then he did a dramatic re-telling of one whole page so I could truly understand how hilarious the jokes are.

[Wayne McCoy · Rating 3 out of 5]

'Pranks and Attacks!' featuring Tao, the Little Samurai, is silly, wisecracking fun for younger readers. Each page is a complete multi-panel gag that features Tao trying to game the system, and the system most of the time not letting him.

Tao is a student in a martial arts school, and he likes to play jokes on people around him that usually backfire. Tao is also usually late for school. The one time he makes it to class on time, he learns that the class has been moved across campus. Tao doesn't like doing chores, and usually tries to trick someone else into doing them for him.

It's a cute and funny comic and perfect for younger readers. Tao thinks he's a lot more clever that he is and usually pays the price for that. Art by Nicolas Ryser is good. Gags by Laurent Richard (and translated by Edward Garvin) are pretty funny. It's a bit short at 63 pages, but that might be the right length for a Tao-sized reader.

I was given a review copy of this graphic novel by Lerner Publishing Group and Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you for allowing me to read this funny graphic novel.

[Jessica · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thanks NetGalley for the read.

Tao reminds me of the character Shin-Chan without the wine drinking and other activities funny and inappropriate activities Shin-Chan does, lol



Tao is a highly imaginative warrior in training who is constantly getting in and out of trouble. Tao's instructors keep trying to lead him towards either enlightenment or mastery of different martial arts. Tao helps lead his instructors to laugh out loud frustrated situations due to some mishap on his part(or together with a friend).The short stories will hold attention spans, and the art design helps bring Tao's world to life. Any of my readers who like Ariol or The Misadventures of Salem Hyde will love this read.

[Aleap · Rating 3 out of 5]

Tao, the Little Samurai was utterly charming and in some ways, reminiscent of Dennis the Menace or Calvin of Calvin and Hobbes. A precocious young boy who can't seem to focus on the task at hand, Tao finds himself getting into trouble more often than not and he sometimes brings his friends down with him. Despite this, he manages to be funny and you can't help but enjoy his antics, all the while being grateful he's not your responsibility. Kids will love this and the fact that it consists of one to two page comics will allow younger kids to read it in smaller pieces, making it more manageable than a full-fledged graphic novel might be.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an advanced reader copy.

[Nikki in Niagara · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is adorable and a wonderful comic for beginning readers. The art is soo cute and features both boy and girl characters. Taking place at a martial arts school each "story" is only a one-page short that ends in a humorous gag but also has a hint of moral which is usually applied to Tao, the titular misfit, or one of the other kids, but the teachers are targets as well. Occasionally there is a two-pager but the one-page comics will be a hit with young readers. For me, I would have preferred a running story line but have to admit that after finishing the little book, the characters had developed and I've taken a shine to them. I'd read the next volume and certainly recommend for libraries and young readers.

[Carol · Rating 4 out of 5]

Tao is an energetic (sometimes) little guy at samurai school. He causes all sorts of mayhem and laughter as he interacts with his fellows students and instructors. His antics are somewhat reminiscent of Dennis the Menace. Despite the setting of a samurai school, the situations he gets himself into will resonate with many young readers. Each page is it's own little vignette of Tao's life. They start with a wise samurai adage that illustrates Tao's personality perfectly. The illustrations are a perfect fit and will entertain readers of all ages. Young fans of Big Nate and Diary of a Wimpy Kid will appreciate these volumes as well.

[J. Jefferson · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book titles itself a graphic novel, but it is actually made up of many mini-comics. Each page or two has a title and an accompanying cartoon. Tao, the little Samurai, is fun and funny, and young readers will be able to identify with some of his social experiences. At the end of the book is a short cartooned story of how the author and illustrator came to create the books. Readers will get a chuckle from many of the mini-comics. I would recommend this book for readers aged 7 and up.

[S · Rating 4 out of 5]

Tao's hi-jinks remind me a lot of Calvin's troubles in school. This silly book about a martial arts school and the not-so-stellar student, Tao, is a fine read for young martial artists. And they very nicely footnote martial arts/foreign language terms if you're not a practitioner and need a definition.

[Dolores · Rating 4 out of 5]

A little samurai is always getting into trouble and mischief at Master Snow's famous school. Done strip style, but there a relationship between all the strips so they hang together as a book. Very funny, with multicultural references and tons of kid appeal.

[Jen · Rating 3 out of 5]

Each page or so is a comic. Easy to read for beginning readers. Interest level would be 2nd grade through about 6th grade. Tao and his friends are pretty amusing. Reminds me of the cartoon Tiny Toons. A lot of physical, slapstick humor.

[Samantha · Rating 4 out of 5]

Funny, one page comics about a samurai in training and his many hijinks and mishaps.

Recommended for kids who like manga, or the Ariol series. Grades 3-5.

[Sarah Sammis · Rating 3 out of 5]

http://www.pussreboots.pair.com/blog/...

[Terryann · Rating 4 out of 5]

hilarious. one page comics about a group of kids in a karate school. super funny.