Ricketts's style is vibrant, bright and engaging. And though the storyline is loose, it allows Rickets to really do what he does best draw some iconic Maine stereotypes in ways they've never been seen before. He takes on the rough roads, black flies and Galloway cows all through the eyes of a precocious kid. His artistic style alternates from the bright clean lines and graphic novel styles, to a sketch style representative of Joe's top-secret journal, with marginalia that is insightful and hilarious.

But one of the book's best features is reading between the lines. Each of the illustrations is just filled with subtle humor and detail (The massive coon cat that blocked the road earlier in the book can be seen in the skyline later in the story; you'll also spy lobsters making a break for it from the lobster pound).

This is one of those rare books that will be fun for both kids and adults to enjoy over and over whether you're from Maine or coming in from away.