Braver and Boulder

InvestiGators #5

by John Patrick Green

The InvestiGators’ latest case has our sewer-loving secret agents between a rock and a hard place in InvestiGators: Braver and Boulder, the latest chapter in the hilarious New York Times bestselling adventure graphic novel series from John Patrick Green.

The InvestiGators are having a hard time keeping a low profile with their new headquarters being a giant robot towering over the city! How can they be SECRET agents if everyone recognizes them?

But with their ears to the ground, Mango and Brash hear mysterious rumblings about BOULDER BUDDIES...are they just the latest fad or part of a mob-run scheme? And could a rocky relationship from the InvestiGators’ past be trembling beneath the surface? Find out in their most stone-cold dangerous mission yet!

Genres: Graphic Novels, Middle Grade, Childrens, Humor, Mystery, Fiction, Animals

208 pages, Hardcover

First published February 22, 2022

About the author

John Green grew up on Long Island and has worked in New York City ever since graduating from School of Visual Arts for Graphic Design in 1997. He was the comics consultant for Disney Adventures magazine, and in addition to Disney has written, illustrated, or otherwise worked on comics for Nickelodeon, Dreamworks, Scholastic, DC Comics, and First Second Books. When not drawing comics John creates artwork for video games, such as Emerald City Confidential, Puzzle Bots, and Nearly Departed. See more of John's work at www.johngreenart.com.

Reviews

[Darla · Rating 5 out of 5]

Bwa ha ha! This series remains rock solid in this latest installment. Mango and Brash have a mystery to solve when a pile of shiny boulders disappears from Anjie's Antiques. Was it the rock mobster or the rock monster? Some of my favorite bits included a "Lie-berry" being an alternative source for info. You just have to sort out the lies. Chief Inspector has relocated to a "van down by the river." The local mobster is a red lobster who owns a restaurant called "Any Fin Goes." His bouncers are a couple of Jumbo Shrimp. He has "shell corporations." And he doesn't want to sound "shellfish." The hits just keep coming. Pick up this series to enjoy with the kiddos in your life. Coming up next: Heist and Seek.

[Steph · Rating 4 out of 5]

My kids are gonna be over the moon that I’ve finished the new Investigators book! This is a super popular series in my classroom and I know why! It’s full of puns, gorgeously illustrated and just brilliantly done! We love Mango and Brash! Strange glowing rocks, a villain taking over the city and the investigators don’t have all of their tech… how are they going to help?!

[Lisa · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is my first time reading an InvestiGATORS book. It's a series I've wanted to read as I've got several children I read with in Year 5 and 6 who I think would really enjoy them. I'm always someone who likes to read a book first before I recommend to others. So, I'm a little late to the party as Braver and Boulder is the fifth book in this series. Here's the series list:

Book 1: InvestiGATORS: (2020)
Book 2: InvestiGATORS: Take the Plunge (2021)
Book 3: InvestiGATORS: Off the Hook (2021)
Book 4: InvestiGATORS: Ants in Our P.A.N.T.S (March 2022)
Book 5: InvestiGATORS: Braver and Boulder (July 2022)
Book 6: InvestiGATORS: Heist and Seek (Sep 2022)

It really doesn't matter if you read these books out of order as John expertly and succinctly fills you in on any of the details that you need in a way that doesn't detract from the latest storyline.

I found Braver and Boulder to be a great adventure filled, fun book. There's lots of humour and various puns. Some of the puns may not be 'got' by all children however the understanding is not essential. It's a bit like a Disney film in that there's often things that different people access. However, if you're reading together it would be a lovely opportunity to explore these elements.

With all the hilarity you still get great vocabulary packed into the book too. One of my particular favourites parts is - 'Daryl's obsessed. Even if he manages to destroy everyone he blames for his predicament, his stone-cold thirst for revenge may NEVER be quenched!'

There's plenty of gadgets and of course lots of the InvestiGATORS main method of travel - the sewers! The graphics are brilliant and complement the story well.

I always loved comic strips as a child and the growth in graphic novel titles for middle grade is truly exciting. I believe that a large proportion of children who may not pick up a typical chapter book would be thrilled with this visual style of reading.

If you already love graphic novels you're going to want to try this series and if you've never tried this style of book then I'd highly recommend getting your hands on a graphic novel or two!

Here's what the publisher says about this story to whet your appetite. The InvestiGators are having a hard time keeping a low profile with their new headquarters being a giant robot towering over the city! How can they be SECRET agents if everyone recognizes them?

But with their ears to the ground, Mango and Brash hear mysterious rumblings about BOULDER BUDDIES . . . are they just the latest fad or part of a mob-run scheme? And could a rocky relationship from the InvestiGators' past be hiding beneath the surface? Find out in their most stone-cold dangerous mission yet!

Thanks to Macmillan for kindly sending this title for review.

[Cori · Rating 5 out of 5]

I randomly bought this at Target when I walked by the book aisle, and it caught my eye. It’s brilliant. Adorable. Cute. FUUULLLLL of puns that all ages can appreciate. I never knew this series existed, but now I need them all. I will be recommending this to everyone I know with elementary age readers in addition to anyone who just wants 200 pages of colorful graphic novel gator-filled entertainment.

[Vellanorah · Rating 5 out of 5]

Read out of order since this is our first. My daughter adores this book. She really enjoyed making the voices for each character and the cool illustrations. She is eager to read all the other books in the series. I am excited that this series makes her excited to read.

[Dermo · Rating 5 out of 5]

The series just keeps rockin' on! 🤣🤣🤣🤣 (Rolling on floor laughing emoji)

[Rhys_BookDude · Rating 5 out of 5]

yay! a new investigators book at LAST! so good and very funny!
6+

[Holden Hawes · Rating 5 out of 5]

Cool book

[Lisa D · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved it!

[Jaden · Rating 5 out of 5]

Im putting all the books I read at home here. This is a reallly good series. I liked the investigation and humor in this book.

[Rory Bernard · Rating 5 out of 5]

It had a sad ending 😓but it was a good book!

[Sarah · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book had clever humor I appreciated. Even though the plot was ridiculous, I found it highly entertaining. This was a wonderful book to read together with my son.

[Becky B · Rating 4 out of 5]

Other than the InvestiGator's cool new hollow robot headquarters, the hottest things in town are the new Boulder Buddies. They are glowing green pet rocks. But when they start disappearing as well as the lady who was selling them, the InvestiGators are on the case.

I liked that this book finally brought about some resolution in ongoing interpersonal and emotional issues. It seems like the next book may move on to a new overarching plot line. The dad puns are still here for those who love them, there's mob boss crustaceans added to spice up the plot, and the serious elements are balanced out by the humor. In my opinion this is the best InvestiGators book in quite a while.

Notes on content: No language issues. No sexual content. Mal-intent is threatened, but there's just transmutation and destruction of property instead of any beings harmed. There's some really good conflict resolution that gets talked through.

[Pam · Rating 4 out of 5]

Back for their fifth book.
Brash and Mango have settled in to the giant robot crocodile and made it their home while S.U.I.T headquarters is being rebuilt. Everyone in town is delighted with Boulder Buddies until the day they all disappear. The two save the day as expected. Readers even see Daryl have some growth beyond revenge.
Plenty of humor as always.

[Becky · Rating 4 out of 5]

Read at the boys’ request. I can sum the villain up in one line from the book: “Finally, some character development!” The boys loved it, of course. I appreciated the brief Lord of the Rings reference he snuck in.

[Jenna · Rating 5 out of 5]

We thought the ending was sweet. Also nice there was a montage!

[Zachary · Rating 3 out of 5]

The price is expensive for a boulder buddy. But the boulder buddies are way more popular than anything in the book.

[Finn · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is probably the best book in the series. It has great villains, crimes, and action. It is also very funny.

[寿理 宮本 · Rating 5 out of 5]

(review from last year)

This is the first InvestiGators book I didn't finish in one sitting... to be fair, I brought it to work with me to TRY to take advantage of post-work daylight, and the last two books I tried to read this way put me to sleep, so I decided to do light reading instead... and still was too dang tired... :(

Anyway, I'm kind of amazed these are just getting churned out! feels like Book 4 only came out a few months ago! :O

(This one's a little sad, but I absolutely respect the direction it took!)

Sorry I missed reviewing the prior books, but I only started on Goodreads in May, haha...

[martha]

My preschool-age kids are strangely obsessed with this whole series -- strange because there's no way they get like 90% of the allusions or jokes.

I do, though, so honestly it is VERY RUDE of the author to give me feelings about the farewell between an alligator detective and his crocodile partner-turned radioactive saltine villain-turned cement waffle statue-turned glowing rock monster.

"I'm glad it's you and me here at the end of all things."???

"You are and always have been my friend."????

hdu John Patrick Green, hdu.

[Danielle Hammelef · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another blast of a read! I laughed out loud at the puns and humor and enjoyed the character development and friendships. The mystery is engaging and kept me reading. The illustrations are so much fun and add layers to the story. These books are filled with heart. Highly recommended series and easily one of my favorites.

[Lisa · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another winner with Mango and Brash. Love all the quips and puns and jokes that are slid in even to entertain a parent reading this with a child. My 6 year old girl loves these books! Thank you for encouraging her love of reading with two alligators romping around as investigators. It’s seriously the best.

[Anthony · Rating 3 out of 5]

The InvestiGators, Mango and Brash return with more pun and humor as the two try and solve who and what is really behind the missing Boulder Buddies. This investigation brings some closure to the past events, but the laughs keep coming.

[Advit Verma · Rating 5 out of 5]

Two alligators solve a mystery about a girl named Anjie who scams everyone in the city.And one night Anjie was talking with her mom and she gets scared and faints and then a monster takes Anjie to the suir and the monster punches Anjie.

[Michael · Rating 5 out of 5]

The last one wasnt very good, kinda a misstep. But this one might be the best. Great puns and story and characters and everything.

[Emily · Rating 4 out of 5]

4* for elementary to middle grade readers who love puns and fast-paced adventures. My young readers devoured this in one sitting and are already looking forward to the next book in the series.

[Hollie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Such a cute fun book, my daughter loved it!

[Michelle · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another puny episode of Investigators. This one with a lot of history about Brash's ex-partner Daryl. Bittersweet but a bit salty too.

[Ellon · Rating 5 out of 5]

So fun! The series just keeps picking up momentum. There are so many puns and pop cultures references. This one was somewhat of a conclusion but still leaves room open for the series to continue.

[Larena · Rating 5 out of 5]

C: CHILDREN: No offensive language, sex or nudity but might contain occasional comedic Violence.

E:Easy: 3rd grade Vocabulary