Two jelly bean-shaped creatures, one blue, one pink, delve into the intricacies and duplicity behind one of the most insidious and pervasive issues of our time, and the first chapter of this middle-grade comic dives right in: "What Is Fake News?" Gravel (Arlo Pips, rev. 1/21) does a fine job breaking down complex ideas, beginning with the definition of news ("information about important stuff that's happening in the world right now") and explaining that while disinformation is not new ("Hear ye, hear ye! An evil magician turned the king into a goat!"), the internet and other modern technologies have made it much easier to make lies look real and to intentionally spread them. The hows and whys are explored using specific, goofy fictional case studies; and people's motives (e.g., "Reason 1: To make money...Reason 2: To make money and get famous," etc.) are plainly laid out. Though the examples aren't necessarily serious, the consequences are: "So far, I have given you a bunch of silly examples of fake news," says the pink protagonist, "but fake news is not funny at all. It can actually be very dangerous." The tone is non-blame-y of consumers (but not purveyors) of fake news, with acknowledgment of the ease of being duped ("Admit it -- you'd be curious, too") and useful advice about thinking critically, examining sources, etc. Well-delineated panel illustrations featuring blobby critters and pastel colors make these thorny concepts relatively easy to get and should leave many readers feeling empowered. Elissa Gershowitz September/October 2022 p.106(c) Copyright 2022. The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.

Basic principles for distinguishing facts from alternate facts. Gravel may insist that "fake news is not funny at all," but with the best will in the world she can't keep a straight face for long--and readers certainly won't either. Relying on made-up examples, Gravel explores how a doctored photo can spark widespread fears of scorpions swarming out of toilets, clickbait headlines like "Governor Marries a Turtle" can raise ad revenues for a website or spread the conviction that underwear is dangerous, and a politician's claim that an opponent pinches puppies can gain more traction through repetition than any denials, no matter how heated. Her cartoon illustrations of googly-eyed jelly beans looking panicked or greasily confident as they spread mis- or disinformation heard on "Wolf News" don't exactly underscore the seriousness of the topic either. Still, even though in pitting reason against human nature she's taken on a tall order, her insights into how fake news are fueled by a combination of fear and confirmation bias but can be countered by common sense and by careful evaluation of actual sources are spot-on. And, had she chosen to use real-world examples, at least half of her potential audience (or at least the adult voters) would have shrugged her off as just another liberal whiner. Beneath the goofiness, an earnest call for logic and better judgement. (Graphic nonfiction. 7-10) Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.

In a useful, funny graphic novel guidebook, Gravel (the Arlo & Pips series) offers examples of how disinformation can prove high-stakes, adversely affecting the environment, democracy, and even individuals' health. But with vigilance, practice, and some self-awareness ("Never forget that you have confirmation biases," Gravel writes, providing an easy-to-grasp explanation of this concept), the book shows how readers can navigate disinformation. In six chapters rendered in the creator's signature cartoon style, a pink creature tutors a blue one--and readers--in why disinformation is so powerful and how it works, explaining that it preys upon vulnerabilities (one character becomes deathly ill after being convinced that shampoo is a cure-all and "doctors are evil") and offers big economic rewards to those who wield it effectively ("Social media companies want people to stay on their apps because the longer you stay, the more ads you see, and the more ads you click on, the more MONEY the companies make"). A wrap-up includes 10 evaluative tips, from "Check your source" to asking "Is it fact or opinion?" Gravel employs humor and downright goofiness to make this topic feel approachable, profound, and urgent. Ages 8--12. Agent: Lori Nowicki, Painted Words. (Sept.)