Scout Underhill

Role-playing games get a new direction with plenty of snacks and doggy fun.

Four friends are ready to enter the adventure and show what they have: Pickles as the fighter, Tonka as the bard, Zoey as the cleric, and Magnus as the game master. With the proper dice in hand and Magnus' notes holding the dangers they'll face, they embark to complete their quests. But no quest is perfect without fitting snacks, surprise parties, and more than a little banter between friends. Still, they can't forget what's at stake, especially when every squeaky toy in town has disappeared...right along with a friend, who might be part of the imagination but that doesn't make the adventure less fun.

Fans of role-playing games will quickly recognize what's happening and easily sink into the situations and predicaments. Those, who aren't so familiar with Dungeons and Dragons and such, won't find themselves left too far behind. With a quick introduction of each of the four dogs and their roles, the story pulls right in with the first quest against a bog monster. Imagination and action hit but only for a few moments at a time. With surprising smoothness, the story flips back and forth between the imaginative game and the real-life (well, in so far that talking dogs sitting at a table playing a game can be considered real) as Magnus reads and explains what's happening, while the other three roll their dice or declare what actions they are about to take. At first, I thought this might be a bit jolting, but it not only works but makes it that much easier to like each of the friends, since their personalities really shine from several directions.

While the tale goes through adventures, action, silly moments, and more, tips to game play (explanations of dice, numbers, etc.) slide naturally into the flow, making the entire roll-play gaming thing a bit more understandable and accessible. There are also subtle messages surrounding sportsmanship as the four don't always agree on everything. Then, there's the addition of snacks...which probably doesn't hold an important message or point, but food is always a plus and adds a smile.

The graphics bring both sides of the adventure to life and allow the interaction of the friends to come across nicely. There's a good balance between text and imagery, and each carries its part in the plot. The changes between tension and humor added change-up to keep things interesting, although one or two banters did stretch (maybe) a little long.

It's a fun beginning to a new series, and thanks to the imaginative end of the plot, leaves many doors wide open for the adventures to come. Plus, these four dogs are very fun and cute. I received a DRC and am excited to see what happens to these friends next.… (mais)