This children’s book, aimed at ages 7-10, turns everyday tasks any kid can relate to into an imaginative adventure.

Frankie Pickle and the Closet of Doom
Buy this book

Frankie is a little Walter Mitty, someone who dreams himself into situations full of risk and excitement: an explorer fighting lava monsters, a superhero fighting a giant robot. These fantasies are drawn as comics, while the everyday pieces of the story are illustrated prose, making the book a combination chapter book and graphic novel. And the transitions are funny: A golden idol is the way Frankie sees the last breakfast waffle, while Dad’s a prison warden.

The plot is simple: Frankie has to clean up his room, but he likes it messy. So Mom lets him leave it that way in order to show him the consequences. It’s entertaining, but with purpose. And I love the character design! Frankie’s big head and eyes make him very expressive, and his dog, Argyle, is cute.

The book includes pages on how to draw the two as well as an extra comic story. There are already sequels in the works, with an eventual plan of two books a year. Artist Eric Wight previously wrote and drew My Dead Girlfriend (published by Tokyopop). Here’s a good interview with him about how the series came about and some of his goals for it. (This review is based on a PDF provided by the artist.)