Smurfs #17: The Strange Awakening of Lazy Smurf, The (The Smurfs Graphic Novels, 17) Paperback – March 25, 2014

"The Strange Awakening Of Lazy Smurf" is a collection of stories from Peyo, one of which is actually an adaptation of a cartoon show episode.The title story is simply a condensed version of "Smurf Van Winkle". Lazy is made to believe that he has slept for a few hundred years and his fellow Smurfs have aged around him to the point where they need him to do everything that they can no longer do anymore. Of course, Lazy soon finds out that he's been duped and so decides to play a joke back on them, claiming that he has given them a de-aging formula in their meal. This is different from the cartoon show episode where he actually does give them a de-aging formula but doesn't find out that they were just fooling him with the Rip Van Winkle scenario until he sees them all as little Smurflings. Still ends up with Gargamel becoming an old man when he gets in the middle of this scenario."Disco Smurf" is the story of the Smurfs finding a place to practice and enjoy their music together, eventually settling on a place outside the village which they renovate and turn into their own private little nightclub. Gargamel comes after them and wrecks the Disco Smurf, but the Smurfs turn the tables on him by the end of the story."The Ogre And The Smurfs" is Gargamel and the Smurfs dealing with a hungry ogre who is a cousin of Bigmouth, who in "Smurf Soup" is said to be a giant. Papa Smurf tries to keep his little Smurfs calm about the ogre approaching their village and in the end gets the ogre to leave the Smurfs in peace while he goes after Gargamel."Gargamel's Twin Brother" and "Gargamel's Nephews" are two stories about Gargamel dealing with his lookalike relatives, one of them being his brother who is his twin brother and the other who are his three nephews. Of course, none of his relatives in those stories were any help for Gargamel trying to catch the Smurfs."Smurf Surfing" is the sequel to "The Smurfs Vacation", where the Smurfs return to the beach for a day of fun in the sun, and also Gargamel's cousin Barbapapa returns with another scheme to capture the Smurfs.All six stories are enjoyable to read, though Grouchy's "me, I don't like" still pops up as "me, I hate"...a slight improvement, but still a clunky English translation that makes it awkward for English audiences who are more used to Grouchy's more natural "I hate" statements. I recommend this for any Smurf fan.

I thought the kids would enjoy the Smurfs and they did!

THE STRANGE AWAKENING OF LAZY SMURF is the 17th volume in the Smurfs graphic novel collection from Papercutz. The collection contains six Smurf stories:"The Strange Awakening of Lazy Smurf" – the rest of the Smurfs decide to play a practical joke on Lazy Smurf and while he takes a long nap, they put on wigs and makeup and make Smurf village look like it has aged 200 years. When Lazy awakens from his nap, they tell him he has slept for two hundred years and they have grown too old to continue their chores, but now that he has awakened from "The Great Sleep", he can help them. The joke doesn't go exactly as planned and chaos ensues."Disco Smurf" – the Smurfs open up a club outside the village where they can practice their music and not disturb Papa Smurf. However, Gargamel finds out about their little music and dance hall."The Ogre and the Smurfs" – Bigmouth the Giant's cousin, an ogre, tries to eat Gargamel, but brings him along as a "snack" just in case as he tries to find the Smurf village so he can find some Smurfs to eat."Gargamel's Twin Brother" – Gargamel's twin brother, Gourmelin, makes a surprise visit to his brother. Unlike Gargamel, Gourmelin is a friendly person. Gargamel tries to get his brother to help him capture Smurfs."Gargamel's Nephews" – three of Gargamel's nephews are staying with them and he tries to get them to hunt and capture Smurfs for him. The three boys are at first terrified of the creatures because they've been lead to believe by Gargamel that they are the most terrifying creatures in the forest."Smurf Surfing" – this story is a sequel to the story "The Smurf's Vacation." The Smurfs return to the beach for a short vacation. Gargamel's cousin, the Ice Cream Vendor, is there, too and he forms a plan to capture the Smurfs.Overall, a nice collection of Smurf stories. There's a nice variety of tales here with a wide variety of main characters.

I buy the Smurfs series for my daughter.We started collecting this series when she was eight, and a slow reader. She never had the interest in books like her older sister. In fact she said she 'did not want to read', that was ' her sister's job'.So we landed on this clever french series, as 'something different'.In the 12 months we have been reading these books, collecting the entire set. We have become smurf - addicts. More importantly Hazel has become a competent reader, and has completed the Harry Potter series and now reads pretty much anything.

Smurfing?

Made my day

Love

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