Stephan Pastis

In Which Things Happen

Stephan Pastis writes and illustrates a humorous comic strip style graphic novel about the ironies of the small actions that cause big problems. Wendy the Wanderer wants to live up to her name and experience the world, but her overprotective father Worried Willy will not let her go anywhere without supervision. When he has to go out of town, and her babysitter turns out to be quite lax, Wendy the Wanderer takes her chance to visit the home town of Trouble. Where she gives a local squirrel a sugary drink called mooshy, and causes a chain events that really causes trouble in Trouble town.

Stephan Pastis uses a very minimal style of comic strip art to create his story. Relying on simple characteristics, bright colors, and a lot of dialogue to progress his story. Separated by many hyperbolically titled chapters. The story is formatted through various everyday occurrences in the town of Trouble. Starting with Wendy and then adding new characters along the way as Wendy’s choices effect the town. It all starts when Wendy the Wanderer asks “What good does it do to always fear everything?” a question that ends up causing a lot trouble in trouble town.

There are numerous troublesome incidents, in which squirrels are guilty before proven innocent, and the citizens of Trouble town learn to take responsibility for how the town is run. Inaction, fear, and neglect is no way to help a town thrive. Or if anything, the towns people get a lot of exercise chasing after Squirrely the squirrel. Trouble Town: Squirrel Do Bad does not take itself too seriously, which makes it a fun read when life becomes a little too serious.… (mais)