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Kel Gilligan’s Daredevil Stunt Show | December 19, 2012

by Michael Buckley illustrated by Dan Santat (Abrams Books for Young Readers, Sept. 2012)

Ever wonder what Evil Knievel might have been like as a child? Of course, you do! Well, in Kel Gilligan’s Daredevil Stunt Show, young readers get to meet Kel — a preschool-aged, spitting image of the renowned vehicular acrobat. This “Boy Without Fear” (Kel’s self-imposed moniker) takes us through a day in his life. His daring feats may look like just your average, run-of-the-mill daily activities, but don’t be fooled. Kel laughs in the face of danger. Kel takes the bull by the horns. Kel is a bona-fide stuntman who manages to eat broccoli, face the Potty of Doom, and get dressed all by himself!

Along the way, Kel is cheered on (and questioned) by his captivated audience (aka his family), who shout things like, “Has he lost his mind?” when Kel makes his attempt to eat broccoli. The excitement and faux-tension build until Kel is ready for his most daring and dangerous stunt of all: going to sleep all by himself — without checking for monsters. Ultimately, though, Kel learns that no matter how brave you are, sometimes it’s better to leave some stunts to the professionals (aka Mom and Dad).

Michael Buckley’s hilarious text is paired perfectly with Dan Santat’s energetic and expressive illustrations, which I discovered — by doing a little digging in the copyright page — were not only made in Adobe, but also with 100% awesomeness. Obviously!

Kel Gilligan is a beacon of bravery for children everywhere — an inspiration for any child afraid of the simple things in life. I look forward to more adventures from this pint-sized daredevil!

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