K-Gr 3-In the ancient kingdom of Backyard live many warriors, including Clothespin, Apricot, and the mighty and unbeatable Rock. After many battles, all won by Rock, he eagerly sets out to seek a more formidable opponent. Meanwhile, in the Empire of Mom's Home Office and the Kitchen Realm, Paper and Scissors are also finding themselves to be unconquerable among the warriors in their respective lands. Bored of only ever winning, the three fighters, in their quest for a challenge, come face-to-face in the cavernous Two-Car Garage, where they each meet their match. The newly discovered struggles that the three endure cause so much joy that they battle again and again, and children all over the world honor these battles to this very day. Featuring bold and frenzied colors and fonts, this picture book from the author of The Day the Crayons Quit will appeal to children everywhere. The energy that explodes from each spread is contagious, and readers will be hooked from the very first page. With wacky characters such as dinosaur-shaped chicken nugget warriors and a half-eaten bag of trail mix and illustrations that combine the real and the surreal, there is never a dull moment. VERDICT Laugh-out-loud funny and outrageous at times, this read-aloud will have listeners jumping out of their seats. This is the sort of story that makes children love to read.-Amy Shepherd, St. Anne's Episcopal School, Middleton, DE © Copyright 2017. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.

Rock is the invincible champion of the Kingdom of Backyard, but winning comes too easily. "Smooshing you has brought me no joy," he tells a flattened apricot. Meanwhile, two other hardcore competitors are having similar crises: Paper has vanquished all comers in the Empire of Mom's Home Office ("Taste my fury, giant box-monster!" says Paper before jamming the computer printer), while Scissors is the undisputed victor of the Kitchen Realm. Their yearning for worthy opponents is finally answered by a meet-up in the garage. After three exhilarating rounds, they realize that their epic battles can go on forever: "Finally, they had each met their matches." This exuberant collaboration between Daywalt (The Day the Crayons Quit) and Rex (How This Book Was Made) is similarly felicitous. Daywalt's text, set in a range of expressive fonts, combines the heightened verbosity of vintage action comics with the swagger of backyard scuffles ("I hope you're wearing your battle pants, rock warrior," warns Scissors), and Rex composes wildly dramatic battle scenes against backdrops of thunderstorms, erupting volcanoes, and missile launches. Forget reading aloud-this story demands bombastic, full-volume performances. Ages 4-8. Agent: Steven Malk, Writers House. (Apr.) © Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved.

*Starred Review* It's a game played on playgrounds everywhere, but does anyone truly know the story of Rock-Paper-Scissors? Daywalt and Rex's riotous take on the majestic history of the game reveals the origin of three mighty warriors. First up is Rock, who takes on first a clothespin holding up a pair of underpants and then a scowling apricot on Grandma's favorite tree, but those victories are too easy. Meanwhile, Paper longs for someone to outwit him, but the printer and a half-eaten bag of trail mix are no match. Scissors faces off with a tape dispenser before scaling the fridge to conquer some dinosaur-shaped chicken nuggets, but she, too, cannot be beaten. They finally converge in the garage, though the conclusion is a bit surprising: This is the best day of my life! Thank you for winning, O great knight of Paper! Rock exclaims. Happily, each of the three can now feel the joy of losing, and the rest is history. Daywalt's over-the-top words are uproariously carried out in Rex's lush artwork the expansive cast of inanimate objects are rendered with realistic depth and naturalistic colors, but their hammy, expressive faces and grandiose declarations catapult them to cartoonish heights. The earnest gravity of the fighters' quests paired with the mundane setting and melodramatic tone are perfectly balanced to produce a brand of purely absurd, sidesplitting humor that kids will gobble up. HIGH-DEMAND BACKSTORY: Daywalt and Rex each have individual accolades to spare. They might be unbeatable as a team.--Hunter, Sarah Copyright 2017 Booklist

Peer through the mists and learn the origin of the game that has resolved playground disputes beyond number."Long ago, in an ancient and distant realm called the Kingdom of Backyard, there lived a warrior named Rock." Rock travels far and wide searching for an adversary that might best him. The clothespin fails in battle, and the tangy sweetness of the apricot is easily squashed. Meanwhile, in the Empire of Mom's Home Office and the Kitchen Realm, respectively, Paper and Scissors set out on similar quests. Each trounces every foe. The likes of Computer Printer cannot stand against Paper (paper jam!). And the Dinosaur-Shaped Chicken Nuggets are snipped into submission by Scissors. Then Rock meets Scissors and thrashes her. She is pleased, but Rock feels he might never find his challenger until Paper arrives, uttering the fighting words "Hi there." The rest is history. Daywalt's silly tale unfolds in hilariously overblown text that is further melodramatized with ample and emphatic use of various display types. It is deliciously illustrated in true Rex style with wackily anthropomorphic inanimate objects and action-packed scenes. Rock is particularly funny, depicted as a small, Easter Island-type boulder with an outsized personality. Cheeky humor and prideful asides will have listeners in stitches. A closer-to-perfect pairing couldn't be imagined. Everyone wins! (Picture book. 4-10) Copyright Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.