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Suite101.com
May 18th, 2009
When squabbling siblings Mona and Joey discover their mailman was once the superhero the Mighty Mojo, they're thrilled when he gives them his superhero costume but angry when they have to share the costume - so much so they end up tearing it in half.
Thankfully, their mother sews the rags into two superhero costumes - but now each kid only has one of the Mighty Mojo's superpowers! Can they combine their powers and stop fighting long enough to save their town from the supervillain Saw-Jaw?
Intended for early elementary school readers, Mo and Jo Fighting Forever is part of the new TOON Books line that uses comic books to introduce kids to reading. While simple in execution, young readers will enjoy the kids' superpowers - from Mona's ability to stretch her arms like Elasti girl of The Incredibles to Joey's Spider-Man like ability to cling to objects with his magnetic boots. Drawn with classic Silver Age comic book style artwork, this relatable story of sibling rivalry is certain to interest younger fans.
—Michael Jung
Help Readers Love Reading!
March 28th, 2009
Mona and Joey are a brother and sister embroiled in sibling rivalry. Who will play the next level on The Mighty MoJo video game? Who can drop the video game fast enough to answer the door first? Everything is a competition. They even argue over who is the Mighty MoJo's biggest fan.
When their mailman, Mr. Mojoski, reveals his secret identity - The Mighty MoJo! - he gives them his super-powered costume and asks one of them to replace him (he's retiring to Miami) in his battle against crime. But which one? In the ensuing tug-of-war, the costume gets split right down the middle.
Right between the Mo and the Jo.
This is where SuperMOM comes to the rescue. (She's really just a normal mom, but she does save the day, just like moms everywhere.) Mom salvages MoJo's costume into two child-sized costumes. The only problem is the Mighty MoJo's powers have been split too. One costume has the magnetic boots, while the other has MoJo's stretchable arms. Who has the better powers?
That's when Saw-Jaw shows up, the Mighty MoJo's arch-nemesis, and he's dead set on ruining the city parade. As he's about to destory the giant hippo balloon, Mo and Jo each try to stop him before the other does. They compete to stop crime!
Finally, they figure out that cooperation, not competition, is the super power they need. Their selfish actions almost allow Saw-Jaw's destruction to succeed, but their cooperation brings an end to his dastardly deeds.
Hooray TEAM MoJo!
—Help Readers Love Reading!
Teens Read Too
December 22, 2008
Joey and Mona are typical siblings. They argue - a lot. They fight over the video game controller - a lot. They make fun of each other - a lot.
There's one thing they can agree on, though. Might MoJo is the most awesome superhero ever. And when they discover the secret behind MoJo's identity, and are given his superpowers to fight evil, you'd think the arguing between Joey and Mona would stop.
But it doesn't, until they realize they'll have to work together to use MoJo's power to protect the world.
Mo and Jo: Fighting Together Forever is the perfect book to introduce children to comics and graphic novels. My daughter, who is almost eight, loves the format of these types of books, but since they're usually written for older teens, the content isn't always appropriate. This one was perfect for her, and, as the younger sister of a nearly-teen brother, she could perfectly relate to the storyline, as well.
A great book with wonderful, full-color illustrations, you don't want to miss this one!
—Jennifer Wardrip, aka "The Genius" for kids @ TeenReadsToo.com
Book Loons Reviews
December 22, 2008
What is a child without a comic book?
For generations, kiddos have been so busy cheering on their favorite hero in red tights that they never realized they were often developing a love of reading at the same time. Now, a publisher wants to make the connection more apparent.
Recently, the Little Lit Library launched a new series called Toon Books, comics in hard cover for children ages four and up. This is the first attempt by a publishing company to put such comics in the hands of emerging readers.
One of the first books is Mo and Jo: Fighting Together Forever. The story by Jay Lynch sketches out the tale of a young brother and sister with a severe case of sibling-rivalryitis. Their only hope of overcoming this, and defeating the enemy lizard ballooning over their city, is to end their squabbling and use their mojo. Artist Dean Haspiel does a superb job with these illustrations. The drawings are as lively and action-packed as the storyline.
Children will undoubtedly love this Toon Book and the others on the market.
—Michelle York
CBR Reviews
November 11, 2008
Like earlier Toon Book "Otto's Orange Day," this one is written by Underground comics legend Jay Lynch. While "Mo and Joe" isn't quite as much as the "Otto" book, Lynch does tell a fast-paced tale of sibling rivalry and, ultimately, teamwork. It's the kind of book that a young reader might enjoy, and it's a good read-aloud book for ages 4-8.
"Mo and Jo" begins with young siblings Joey and Mona fighting over a video game controller, and their quarreling soon escalates when Mr. Mojoski, the mild-mannered moustachioed mailman, reveals that he is the superhero known as the Mighy Mojo. And he's retiring. Because Mona and Joey are such huge Mighty Mojo fans, he leaves his costume with the two of them, before heading off to Miami. The costume has the Mighty Mojo's powers built into it, and the two kids accidentally tear the costume in half while tugging on it.
All this happens in the first five pages, just to give you an idea about the pace of this story. Why would the costume so easily tear exactly in half? None of these questions matter in the larger scheme of things, and the story sprints forward as Mona and Joey's mom turn the torn costume into two separate, kid-sized costumes, so the kids can go off and play superheroes.
This isn't a book built on pervading logic, nor should it be. It's full of childish whimsy as the two kids, with costumes labeled "Mo" and "Jo" fight the supervillian Saw-Jaw whose sinister plan involves popping a gigantic hippopotamus parade balloon. The story is really a parable about the importance of teamwork, but as a parent, I appreciate that the lesson isn't so heavy-handed as to ruin a good story. The kids couldn't win without teamwork, but Lynch and Haspiel don't hit the reader over the head with the message any more than necessary. This is a book that revels in the silliness of kid superheroes fighting a lizard guy who's trying to pop a giant balloon, and it's all the better for it.
—Timothy Callahan
metaDad
November 4, 2008
Author Jay Lynch does a superb job capturing the high-pitched hum of tension found between rivaled siblings in this fractured fairy tale about the brother and sister Superhero Team, Mo and Jo. Strangely, enough this sibling bickering struck a cord with my sons. Yeah my boys know how to bicker like the best of them. They seemed to enjoy (dare I say relish) the arguments happening between brother Mo, and sister, Jo. Mo and Jo are granted the gift of super powers from their aging mailman/superhero, who bestows on them his prized suit (which holds all his powers), of course they get in a scuffle and tear it in half. Mom comes to the rescue (they always do) and sews it into two outfits, thus dividing the super powers between the two suits. Mo has the magnetic boots and Jo becomes super stretchy.
Dean Haspiel illustrated Mo and Jo Fighting Together Forever but it certainly isn't the first project he has inked. He has illustrated Pulitzer Prize-winning author Michael Chabon's The Escapist and draws super heroes for Marvel and DC Comics.
The flow of the pages drew my boys right into the book, understanding that developmentally they are obsessed with all things having to do with "good guys" and "bad guys" (which makes for interesting conversations with them in the grocery store) and this is one of their first experiences with the comic book format.
Of course, Mo and Jo are immediately put to the test by arch nemesis Saw Jaw and find themselves on the losing end of the stick until they stop their in-fighting and work as a team. The suggested reading age is 4-8 years. Assuming your kids haven't already been steeped in the rich history of pulp and comic books, they will probably find Mo and Jo a really fun ride.
I will admit, growing up with both the mainstream and underground comic scene this storyline is formulaic. But then, I remind myself as I watch my son flip through the pages after I'm done reading it to him, "the book is not for me, it's for him
—metaDAD, meta-dad.com
Eclectica
October-November 2008
Dean Haspiel and Jay Lynch have two quarrelsome siblins to deal with in Mo and Jo. From the beginning it is clear these two cannot agree on anything, and this dynamic continues through much of the book. Things take a decidedly exciting turn when their mailman shows up, delivers some "Mighty Mojo" merchandise and then announces that he is the real Mojo and has decided to retire. He gives the kids the costume which has all his powers and then heads for Miami. The kids, of course, immediately rip the thing in half. Their mother ends up making two new costumes from the pieces (unaware of course that this is THE Mojo costume) and in the succeeding chapters Mo and Jo find that they must work together to thwart evil as they each only have half of the Mighty Mojo's powers.
It's quick, it's funny, and it's action-packed. The kids are completely typical and nearly get eaten by "Saw-Jaw" before they decide that a coordinated attack is a good idea (old habits die hard). There's plenty of ZAP and POW type graphics but also a lot of standard sibling banter. It's particularly nice to see that Mo and Jo have equal powers and act literally the same; neither gender overpowers the other or comes across as subservient. Basically it's a take on the "kids as superheroes" idea where you spend as much time focused on the good guys' relationship as you do the over-the-top villain. For kids who like their plots fast-paced, this one will be most welcome.
—Colleen Mondor
Read About Comics
September 12, 2008
If there's one thing that kids are good at, it's fighting with siblings. No matter how much or little they may like each other, I'm willing to wager that at some point they've ended up bickering with each other - it's probably some sort of genetic imperative. Jay Lynch and Dean Haspiel certainly had that very much in mind when they created Mo and Jo: Fighting Together Forever for the Toon Books line; what better conflict can you have with superheroes when it's a duo that are also brother and sister?
Mona and Joey's favorite superhero is the mighty Mojo, with super-stretch arms and has ultra-powerful magnetic boots. When Mojo decides it's time for him to retire, he offers his biggest fans the suit... but the two fighting over who gets to be Mojo end up tearing the suit in half. Now (thanks to their mother's sewing machine) they each have one of Mojo's two powers; Mona can stretch her arms impossibly long, while Joey can us the magnetic boots's abilities. But can Mona and Joey stop fighting long enough to stop the evil Saw-Jaw from ruining the city's parade?
Mo and Jo: Fighting Together Forever follows a familiar pattern; kids get powers, kids fight with each other, kids learn to work together to stop the bad guy. What makes Mo and Jo's story fun, though, is how well Lynch writes his bickering twosome. Their sibling rivalry is in good form here, each using their new ability to prove why they're the superior of the two. So sure, it's a predictable book in terms of the broad strokes of the plot, but it's that bickering that made it fun for me.
Haspiel's classic square-jawed art is a good match for Lynch's script. It's a clean, easy-to-read art style, and moves briskly across the page. I especially like how Haspiel draws Mona's stretching arms; there's a scene early on where she has them looping around herself as well as Joey and the groups of rings is almost mesmerizing. He does a nice job with the non-super moments as well; the scene of the two of them asleep with prized comic and action figure in each one's arms is especially cute.
Mo and Jo: Fighting Together Forever is a straight-forward and to-the-point book for younger readers. While they'll see the ending coming, it's the journey in getting there that will no doubt entertain them (as well as adults) a great deal. It's cute and fun, and I think it succeeds in its purpose quite admirably.
—Greg McElhatton
Ain't it Cool
September 3, 2008
This is the third offering from Toon Books I've had the pleasure of reading and I think it's probably my favorite. Not that the other two, STINKY and JACK AND THE BOX weren't great reads, but those books were specifically geared towards kids while this one has that universal feel that one often gets while watching a good Disney or Pixar film. Mo and Jo are siblings and they do not get along. The only thing they agree on is that Mojo is their favorite superhero. When a strange mailman comes knocking on their door to deliver a package, they are given the powers of their favorite hero. I liked the way these two ornery kids fought each other and found themselves in situations many kids will find familiar. Creators Dean Haspiel and Jay Lynch have created a pair of super-kids who have problems like any pair of siblings, which makes the story all the more fun. I've said this about the last two Toon Books I reviewed and it applies with this book as well: if you're looking to start kids on comics early, you can't go wrong with Toon Books. Perfect for that story before bedtime and completely kid safe. Recommended for the young and young at heart.
—aintitcool.com
Foreward Magazine
September 2008
Sibling rivalry is an age old theme in children's books. Dean Haspiel and Jay Lynch give it a rousing twist with their cartoon characters, Mo and Jo. Mo and Jo, Fighting Together Forever, combines familiar sibling arguments with bad guys and super heroes to create a book young children will relish.
The story starts with the typical brother and sister who fight over just about everything. Their favorite super hero is Mojo. In the first three pages they discover their mailman; Mister Mojoski is actually the real Mighty Mojo! He retires to Miami and gives his suit and all his powers to the stunned brother and sister.
They fight over the suit and end up tearing it in half. The battle over who has the better power begins. When they face real trouble and try to fight it separately, they learn how much more power they have together.
The full color cover draws attention with Mo and Jo in brightly colored red and yellow super hero costumes. Mo has the upper - very stretched out - hand on her brother Jo. The comic book layout with speech bubbles makes the story easy to follow and keeps the action moving at a quick pace.
Lynch helped create Wacky Packages and Garbage Pail Kids. Haspiel illustrated Pulitzer-Prize winning author Michael Chabon's The Escapist.
Children are forever trying to discover who they are and find their own talents. The constant bickering may get tiresome for the adults, but Lynch and Haspiel have tapped into emotions and excitement that are relevant to their desired audience. Their combined enthusiasm for comic book characters helped to create a book with illustration and story depth.
—Troy-Michelle Reinhardt
School Library Journal
September, 2008
Mona and Joey are constantly fighting but they both share a love for the superhero Mojo. One day, out of the blue, their mailman reveals that he is actually their revered hero in disguise. Ready to retire, he offers the children his costume, which contains his special powers. The siblings fight over it until they rip it in half, but their mother creatively transforms the pieces into two costumes, each containing one of Mojo's powers. When the town parade is threatened, the children must learn to work together, becoming the team "Mojo." The dynamic cartoon art successfully conveys the excitement and action of the plot, and children will love the simple graphic format. However, though young readers will probably be drawn into the narrative by the dynamic artwork, some of the text might be difficult for them to decode. Also, the siblings' bickering is grating, making the characters somewhat unappealing, and the central message that the children need to work together is a bit heavy-handed.
—Mari Pongkhamsing, schoollibraryjournal.com
Mo and Jo: Fighting Together Forever
August 1, 2008
The newest addition to the Toon Book early-reader series presents brother and sister Joey and Mona, who are always fighting. The only thing they agree on is their favorite superhero, the Mighty Mojo. The kids are astonished to learn that the mailman is Mojo in disguise; retiring to Miami, he bequeaths to them the red-and-yellow costume containing their superpowers. When the squabbling siblings rip the costume, Mom sews two costumes from the halves, and now they each have one superpower; Mona's arms stretch and Joey has powerful magnetic boots. Called to action, they must save the star of the parade, the giant inflatable hippo, from the villainous gator-thing Saw Jaw! Still bickering, the siblings almost botch the job until they realize that working a a team is a better way to fight crime. Lynch provides classic comic-book repartee in beginning-reader-friendly vocabulary ably matched to Haspiel's bold images and zippy colors; the high-quality production supplies good, old fashioned fun and a superhero lesson that packs a wallop. (Graphic early reader. 6-9)
—Kirkus Reviews
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