Super King Viking Land!

Press Start! #13

by Thomas Flintham

The villain becomes the hero in the latest page-turning installment of this USA Today bestselling series! Pick a book. Grow a Reader! This series is part of Scholastic's early chapter book line, Branches, aimed at newly independent readers. With easy-to-read text, high-interest content, fast-paced plots, and illustrations on every page, these books will boost reading confidence and stamina. Branches books help readers grow! Sunny’s dad enters Super World as none other than King Viking himself! In order to get off a faraway island, King Viking has to become the HERO and help Captain Trevor fix his boat. But since Dad is not very good at playing the game, King Viking struggles to find all the supplies. Will King Viking be able to save the day and defeat the island monster? And where does Super Rabbit Boy show up in this zany adventure? Thomas Flintham's full-color artwork on every page brings energy and fun to this action-packed, gaming-themed series!

Genres: Childrens, Graphic Novels, Fantasy, Adventure, Chapter Books, Humor, Science Fiction

80 pages, Kindle Edition

First published April 4, 2023

About the author

Thomas Flintham studied illustration at Camberwell College of Art. FEEL THE FORCE! is his debut nonfiction title. Thomas Flintham lives in London.

Reviews

[Karen Witzler · Rating 3 out of 5]

My boys would have loved this series. A fun and easy early independent reader chapter book set inside of a video game. Low-key reading comprehension questions included on the final page.

[Becky B · Rating 4 out of 5]

A boy lets his bored dad with an injured leg borrow his video game. In the video game, King Viking has landed on an island and needs to get back to shore. A boat captain has also wrecked on the island and needs King Viking to help him gather the materials needed to fix his boat. As the Dad continues to play the game, the boy tries to tell him how to do things, but Dad has his own ideas of how to play. Will Dad cause King Viking to lose and be stuck on the island, or will his unique play teach the boy a thing or two?

I haven't read any of this series since the very first one I think. I was not feeling lost, and was easily able to pick up that King Viking is usually the bad guy in the video game, and is a bit miffed that he has to be the hero in this storyline. I love how the dad's unconventional play turns out. It's pretty funny to watch the boy's reactions, and a good lesson that your way of doing things isn't the only way.

Notes on content: Some parents/guardians may want to know that King Viking calls things he's miffed about stinky (for example he has to find a map and calls it a stinky sea map). The video game characters get launched crazy distances and are completely fine. One scene in the video game has King Viking in a room of pirate ghosts, they are heavily pixelated, not scary-looking, and obviously pretend.

[Efox · Rating 4 out of 5]

Following up on the excitement of finding Super Rabbit Boy World!: A Branches Book we could finally dive into this book.

This time it's King Viking's story! He's the hero (even though he's very clear he does not want to be) trying to puzzle solve and get off the island.

I really enjoyed this version because my son and I play a few of the same games. Sonny's dad plays this one very differently than Sonny (not unlike how differently I play than my son) and it was fun to see that be a part of the book (and the way that games can be played in different ways and have simliar but slightly different outcomes). Really enjoy this series and I'm glad that we've discovered it.

[Nathan Vassallo · Rating 4 out of 5]

I think its good, once you pay attention to it you feel like you cant take your eyes off of it.

[Villain E · Rating 4 out of 5]

Somehow I never noticed that King Viking looks like Wario. Warioland was one of my favorite games as a kid.

In the framing sequence, the boy's dad is playing the game while nursing a broken leg and the boy tells him what to do. The framing sequence interjects into the story a lot more in this volume.

At the end of every battle, Super Rabbit Boy punches King Viking so hard, he goes flying. This time King Viking lands on an island and has to quest to find different elements to get off it.

I found this to be more entertaining than the books starring Super Rabbit Boy, partly because of King Viking and partly because of the dad.

[Natalie · Rating 3 out of 5]

King Viking gets kicked (literally kicked by Super Rabbit Boy) onto an island far away. He needs to get off this island and back home, but the only means possible is this broken old boat that belongs to Captain Trevor. The captain is too scared to venture into the island to get supplies needed to fix his boat. There is a big monster lurking about that terrifies Trevor, but not King Viking! He needs to get off the island stat, so he comes to Trevor's rescue. Seen by Trevor as a hero, King Viking insists he is the bad guy and not the hero. But will King Viking be able to do all it takes for them to escape?

I like how King Viking is the hero here. It's funny how he's insists that he's not the hero but the bad guy!

[Erin · Rating 5 out of 5]

It is funny because it is all King Viking. Usually it is all about Super Rabbit Boy.

[Mary · Rating 2 out of 5]

Dean: it was good I wanted to see how this series is going but I think I'm a little too old now.

[Gail · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ha! I'm just like the Dad, always collecting things in any Mario game and the kids are like come on Mom! You don't need them all 😆

[Jess Bergstom · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love following the King Viking on his adventure. The cute dialogue of the father and son while the father plays the game add to the sweetness of this story.

[Dog Man · Rating 5 out of 5]

10 out of 10. I like it because it’s silly.

[PottWab Regional Library]

E

[Liv]

It was really funny!

[Daniel · Rating 4 out of 5]

Quick read with my kids at the library. They love this series and I enjoy the quick-paced but funny story.

[Mary T · Rating 5 out of 5]

I still remember when my oldest son was hooked on this series as a new reader. Now I'm reading them to my 4yo and 5yo sons. They enjoyed it enough to listen to the whole thing in one sitting!

Update: My 3yo son got on a kick of wanting to hear this one over and over. Definitely one of my favorites in the series!

[Arman Waggoner · Rating 3 out of 5]

Always thrilled for a video game themed story🎮

[Daniel R. Luther]

Great book!

I read this book any second I could get! Age level is probably 7-10. If you like the series you will probably like this book.