Kev and Trev: Snot Funny Sea Stories!

Kev and Trev: Snot Funny Sea Stories! written and illustrated by Kylie Howarth, (Affirm Press), Junior Graphic Novel $16.99 9781923022157

Reviewed by Karen Hendriks

Kylie Howarth is an award-winning internationally published children’s author and illustrator from Western Australia. Her picture book Chip won the 2018 WAYRBA Hoffman Award. It’s sequel Chip the Lifeguard listed as a CBCA Notable, as well as Fish Kid and Lizard Ninja. She also won the 2024 Western Australian Writer’s Fellowship. This is her first graphic novel in this series. The textures in Kylie’s book illustrations are created with her two adventurous boys during their backyard art sessions.

Kev and Trev are trying to be famous and believe in faking it till you make it. They think they’ve cracked the code because they’re going to write a book. Mr Happy is recruited to help them. Their potential puglisher (yes not publisher) makes a request that sends them on an adventurous trip hunting for merpugs to help them achieve their publishing dream. This story is about finding fame, but the true message I think is follow your dreams.

Howarth certainly has a way with words. Word play and rhyme feature strongly in this light-hearted, graphic novel. Beginner readers can often confuse letters like b, d, p, and g so Howarth has added this into the mix with the word play. The problem is clear from the start, Kev and Trev want to be famous and will do anything to get there. As their adventures unfold, we met new characters and new situations.

The page turns keep building layers of fun with onomatopoeia and little problems that need solving. Once Kev and Trev decide to write a book, the puns roll in about writing and writer’s block. All sorts of things to do with the sea are included. They say you should write what you know. So, our book will be about the sea. This invites the reader to also use their knowledge of the sea. Kev and Trev talk to the readers to keep them engaged. Kev is the writer and Trev is the illustrator.

Kids love mix ups and Howarth plays to this beautifully in the text with both words and the characters. Howarth’s imagination brings in wonder and makes perfect sense in the story. Soon Cob Fish heard pop! Pop, pop, pop, pop, pop! Each bump had now grown into a cob clone! So Cob Fish went back to school in a pack. I love that Kev and Trev’s houseboat is powered by popcorn. It just makes me smile. The text is also written to encourage reluctant readers to engage with the book.

Howarth’s illustration style is playful and fun. Because she is also the author her illustrations really enhance the text and story arc. The cartoon-like black and white illustrations are expressive and the use of panels and page spreads works well depending on if the scene or character is up close or far away. The expression and body language make the characters loveable and likable. Howarth’s sense of humour comes out to play and some images just make you laugh out loud -- like a nude turtle swimming away. Her simplistic style looks easy but I’m sure it's not. The text design has been meticulously considered by Howarth to maximise readability and it shows.

 Kev and Trev: Snot Funny Sea Stories! is a graphic novel that brings laughs and connects to younger readers with the theme, fun visuals and text that appeals to readers of many abilities. This book is great for a readership of 5 years up. I look forward to the next book in the series.