Reviewed by Carrie Spellman for TeensReadToo.com

Rollo loves NuttiNutz Bars (much better than any regular meal) and manga/comic books (especially Su-ichi Samurai Swordboy). He's not a huge fan of his family, particularly his big sister, Noreen.

But, when his mom is abducted by trolls during a family picnic, Rollo is shocked to realize that he is the only one who is overly concerned. Every one else seems to be content to mourn her briefly and then move on with life. Noreen has no problem overtaking her mom's closet and jewelry collection. Rollo's dad even appears to be dating again, and his new girlfriend comes complete with an evil poodle. It's up to Rollo to set off to rescue his mom.

To boost his confidence, he turns himself into his very own manga character, Samurai Stickboy. Armed with a hockey stick, some NuttiNutz Bars, and determination, Rollo sets off on his quest. On his way, he is both helped and hindered by Marv and Harv Tweety, twin brothers who are more confusing than they are useful (especially when one of them dies), a set of talking teeth that Rollo begins to hate, and some strange directional signposts. With a little luck Rollo will be able to figure everything out and be able to rescue his mom before it's too late. If not, well...

This book is half comic book/half written-out manga, with enough non-stop action to keep just about any boy interested. It definitely keeps you guessing; you never know what might happen next. It's like a whirlwind that picks you up, sucks you in, spins you all over the place, and then spits you back out. ( )