Overview

Raf knows Megan is trouble from the moment she steps into his mom's pet food store asking for a tarantula. But there's one thing you can count on in Chicagoland: weird things happen several times a day. Megan is a vegetarian, manga-reading haiku writer. She definitely doesn't fit in at Stepford Academy, her new summer school. The other students are happy to be in class. Too happy. And everyone looks and acts exactly alike. That's weird. Megan is determined to dig into Stepford's secrets, but soon she's in way too deep. Raf may be the only human being she knows who can help. But with zombified students, very mad scientists, and the school psychiatrist on their trail, they're going to need a whole lot more help. We did say that Chicagoland is weird. . .

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Reviews

The Drained Brains Caper, the first in the new Chicagoland Detective Agency graphic novel series, tells the story of Megan, a new student at Stepford Academy whose suspicions about the zombielike student body get her a psychological evaluation that leads to an action-packed adventure with new friend and computer programmer Raf. At the conclusion, Meg and Raf team up with an animal ally with unexpected talents to form the Chicagoland Detective Agency. Fast-paced mystery, likeable characters, and zombies equal a strong start to this new graphic novel series from writer Trina Robbins and artist Tyler Page. Megan is a particularly well-formed character; her sense of humor, love of poetry, and teenage impatience make her likeable. Illustrations effectively convey mood and action. Twelve-year-old Raf, however, does not look twelve; this is confusing, because he is also introduced as a computer programmer working at a pet supply store. Once the reader determines that Raf and Megan are peers, the story makes sense. The book wraps up with Meg and Raf teaming up with Bradley, the sleuthing, talking dog, to form the Chicagoland Detective Agency. The talking dog makes this graphic novel appeal to a younger audience, but older tweens and young teens will enjoy Meg's eclectic interests and, of course, the zombies. --VOYA --Journal Thirteen-year-old Megan Yamamura is new in town, and she knows from day one that something isn't right at her new school. At the Stepford Preparatory Academy, the zombie-like students are all a little too willing to follow the rules. When Megan teams up with 12-year-old computer programming genius Raf Hernandez to get to the bottom of the mind-altered teens, they discover a lunch lady turned mad scientist who is experimenting on the students and a talking dog named Bradley. Although elements of the story may be a little too familiar (zombie teens, crazy lunch ladies, talking animals), the crisp black and white artwork is appealing, and the writing is just edgy enough to entice middle-schoolers. --Library Media Connection --Journal Thirteen-year-old Megan Yamamura has recently moved to Chicago. A vegetarian haiku poet and manga fan, she stands out at her new school, Stepford Academy, where the students appear to be brainwashed into complete conformity. With her new friend Raf Hernandez, Megan uncovers the exploits of campy villain Dr. Vorschak and rescues a talking dog who is a fan of old detective films. Though it is full of sophisticated references, this inventive, playful story should appeal to tween readers. Diverse characters and assured, accessible cartoon-style illustrations make it a promising start to a new series. --School Library Journal --Journal This series opener does the legwork of bringing together the major players--Megan, the new girl in town; Raf, who works at his mom's pet-food store; and a talking dog schooled in the lingo of classic detective movies--but it doesn't forget to tell an entertaining story. Megan gets enrolled in a summer school where the students are all suspiciously conformist--and what's with the Band-Aids they all sport on their foreheads? Sure enough, something's rotten at Stepford Prep, and that something is the maniacal Dr. Vorschak, who's looking to score a Nobel by lobe-snipping and serum-injecting, making kids perfect little citizens. Page's black-and-white cartooning has a loose manga slant, with peppy goofiness popping out from stippled screen tones. There are also plenty of references that fans of the format will pick up on: Megan sneaks copies of Peroxide and Veggie Baskets into class. Heroic zaniness abounds, and in the end, Megan, Raf, and Bradley the dog decide to jump into the private-eye business. There's little doubt readers will happily jump with them. --Booklist --Journal

Fast-paced mystery, likeable characters, and zombies equal a strong start to this new graphic novel series from writer Trina Robbins and artist Tyler Page. --VOYA -- (10/1/2010 12:00:00 AM) Page's black-and-white cartooning has a loose manga slant, with peppy goofiness popping out from stippled screen tones. . . . Heroic zaniness abounds, and in the end, Megan, Raf, and Bradley the dog decide to jump into the private-eye business. There's little doubt readers will happily jump with them. --Booklist -- (9/15/2010 12:00:00 AM) The crisp black and white artwork is appealing, and the writing is just edgy enough to entice middle-schoolers. --Library Media Connection -- (11/1/2010 12:00:00 AM) Though it is full of sophisticated references, this inventive, playful story should appeal to tween readers. Diverse characters and assured, accessible cartoon-style illustrations make it a promising start to a new series. --School Library Journal -- (11/1/2010 12:00:00 AM)

This series opener does the legwork of bringing together the major players--Megan, the new girl in town; Raf, who works at his mom's pet-food store; and a talking dog schooled in the lingo of classic detective movies--but it doesn't forget to tell an entertaining story. Megan gets enrolled in a summer school where the students are all suspiciously conformist--and what's with the Band-Aids they all sport on their foreheads? Sure enough, something's rotten at Stepford Prep, and that something is the maniacal Dr. Vorschak, who's looking to score a Nobel by lobe-snipping and serum-injecting, making kids perfect little citizens. Page's black-and-white cartooning has a loose manga slant, with peppy goofiness popping out from stippled screen tones. There are also plenty of references that fans of the format will pick up on: Megan sneaks copies of Peroxide and Veggie Baskets into class. Heroic zaniness abounds, and in the end, Megan, Raf, and Bradley the dog decide to jump into the private-eye business. There's little doubt readers will happily jump with them. --Booklist --Journal Thirteen-year-old Megan Yamamura is new in town, and she knows from day one that something isn't right at her new school. At the Stepford Preparatory Academy, the zombie-like students are all a little too willing to follow the rules. When Megan teams up with 12-year-old computer programming genius Raf Hernandez to get to the bottom of the mind-altered teens, they discover a lunch lady turned mad scientist who is experimenting on the students and a talking dog named Bradley. Although elements of the story may be a little too familiar (zombie teens, crazy lunch ladies, talking animals), the crisp black and white artwork is appealing, and the writing is just edgy enough to entice middle-schoolers. --Library Media Connection --Journal Thirteen-year-old Megan Yamamura has recently moved to Chicago. A vegetarian haiku poet and manga fan, she stands out at her new school, Stepford Academy, where the students appear to be brainwashed into complete conformity. With her new friend Raf Hernandez, Megan uncovers the exploits of campy villain Dr. Vorschak and rescues a talking dog who is a fan of old detective films. Though it is full of sophisticated references, this inventive, playful story should appeal to tween readers. Diverse characters and assured, accessible cartoon-style illustrations make it a promising start to a new series. --School Library Journal --Journal The Drained Brains Caper, the first in the new Chicagoland Detective Agency graphic novel series, tells the story of Megan, a new student at Stepford Academy whose suspicions about the zombielike student body get her a psychological evaluation that leads to an action-packed adventure with new friend and computer programmer Raf. At the conclusion, Meg and Raf team up with an animal ally with unexpected talents to form the Chicagoland Detective Agency. Fast-paced mystery, likeable characters, and zombies equal a strong start to this new graphic novel series from writer Trina Robbins and artist Tyler Page. Megan is a particularly well-formed character; her sense of humor, love of poetry, and teenage impatience make her likeable. Illustrations effectively convey mood and action. Twelve-year-old Raf, however, does not look twelve; this is confusing, because he is also introduced as a computer programmer working at a pet supply store. Once the reader determines that Raf and Megan are peers, the story makes sense. The book wraps up with Meg and Raf teaming up with Bradley, the sleuthing, talking dog, to form the Chicagoland Detective Agency. The talking dog makes this graphic novel appeal to a younger audience, but older tweens and young teens will enjoy Meg's eclectic interests and, of course, the zombies. --VOYA --Journal

Thirteen-year-old Megan Yamamura has recently moved to Chicago. A vegetarian haiku poet and manga fan, she stands out at her new school, Stepford Academy, where the students appear to be brainwashed into complete conformity. With her new friend Raf Hernandez, Megan uncovers the exploits of campy villain Dr. Vorschak and rescues a talking dog who is a fan of old detective films. Though it is full of sophisticated references, this inventive, playful story should appeal to tween readers. Diverse characters and assured, accessible cartoon-style illustrations make it a promising start to a new series. --School Library Journal The Drained Brains Caper, the first in the new Chicagoland Detective Agency graphic novel series, tells the story of Megan, a new student at Stepford Academy whose suspicions about the zombielike student body get her a psychological evaluation that leads to an action-packed adventure with new friend and computer programmer Raf. At the conclusion, Meg and Raf team up with an animal ally with unexpected talents to form the Chicagoland Detective Agency. Fast-paced mystery, likeable characters, and zombies equal a strong start to this new graphic novel series from writer Trina Robbins and artist Tyler Page. Megan is a particularly well-formed character; her sense of humor, love of poetry, and teenage impatience make her likeable. Illustrations effectively convey mood and action. Twelve-year-old Raf, however, does not look twelve; this is confusing, because he is also introduced as a computer programmer working at a pet supply store. Once the reader determines that Raf and Megan are peers, the story makes sense. The book wraps up with Meg and Raf teaming up with Bradley, the sleuthing, talking dog, to form the Chicagoland Detective Agency. The talking dog makes this graphic novel appeal to a younger audience, but older tweens and young teens will enjoy Meg's eclectic interests and, of course, the zombies. --VOYA This series opener does the legwork of bringing together the major players--Megan, the new girl in town; Raf, who works at his mom's pet-food store; and a talking dog schooled in the lingo of classic detective movies--but it doesn't forget to tell an entertaining story. Megan gets enrolled in a summer school where the students are all suspiciously conformist--and what's with the Band-Aids they all sport on their foreheads? Sure enough, something's rotten at Stepford Prep, and that something is the maniacal Dr. Vorschak, who's looking to score a Nobel by lobe-snipping and serum-injecting, making kids perfect little citizens. Page's black-and-white cartooning has a loose manga slant, with peppy goofiness popping out from stippled screen tones. There are also plenty of references that fans of the format will pick up on: Megan sneaks copies of Peroxide and Veggie Baskets into class. Heroic zaniness abounds, and in the end, Megan, Raf, and Bradley the dog decide to jump into the private-eye business. There's little doubt readers will happily jump with them. --Booklist Thirteen-year-old Megan Yamamura is new in town, and she knows from day one that something isn't right at her new school. At the Stepford Preparatory Academy, the zombie-like students are all a little too willing to follow the rules. When Megan teams up with 12-year-old computer programming genius Raf Hernandez to get to the bottom of the mind-altered teens, they discover a lunch lady turned mad scientist who is experimenting on the students and a talking dog named Bradley. Although elements of the story may be a little too familiar (zombie teens, crazy lunch ladies, talking animals), the crisp black and white artwork is appealing, and the writing is just edgy enough to entice middle-schoolers. --Library Media Connection

Author Information

Writer and feminist herstorian Trina Robbins wrote books, comics, and graphic novels for over 40 years. Her work includes The Brinkley Girls (Fantagraphics), Forbidden City: the Golden Age of Chinese Nightclubs (Hampton Press), and the three-part YA series Chicagoland Detective Agency for Graphic Universe. Tyler Page is an Eisner-nominated and Xeric Grant-winning artist and educator. He illustrated the Graphic Universe series The Chicagoland Detective Agency. He lives in Minneapolis with his wife, author/illustrator Cori Doerrfeld, and their two children.

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