With a scenario this engaging, every path is a winner.
Shiga’s latest in the series is a Choose Your Own Adventure–style tale of vengeance.
Following an instructional introduction about how to navigate the winding panels of this graphic novel, readers assume the perspective of an infant in 1798 Nagoya, Japan. The baby’s father tells him to decide between two objects; humorously, both lead to a life devoted to revenge. Years pass, and the young boy must choose whether to train as a samurai like his father or to follow in his mother’s footsteps as a ninja. The protagonist’s upbringing determines which special abilities he’ll possess as he makes his way through Nagoya Castle, where he attempts to steal and then get rid of a bracelet that imbues its wearer with magical powers. Along the way, readers encounter pitfalls and complications. This is a more tricky, cerebral adventure than “hack and slash”–type games. Shiga cleverly allows readers to play through the same scenarios as either a samurai or a ninja; the author/illustrator alternates between gray and green shading to distinguish between the two roles. Different approaches to puzzles, games of chance, and more will have readers racing to unlock all the endings. Shiga’s artwork is minimalist but elegant. Like previous books in the series, this is a stand-alone adventure that can be enjoyed on its own, but those eager for more should pick up the earlier installments.
With a scenario this engaging, every path is a winner. (Graphic fiction. 8-12)Pub Date: Aug. 27, 2024
ISBN: 9781419757839
Page Count: 160
Publisher: Abrams
Review Posted Online: June 15, 2024
Kirkus Reviews Issue: July 15, 2024
Readers can still rely on this series to bring laughs.
The Heffley family’s house undergoes a disastrous attempt at home improvement.
When Great Aunt Reba dies, she leaves some money to the family. Greg’s mom calls a family meeting to determine what to do with their share, proposing home improvements and then overruling the family’s cartoonish wish lists and instead pushing for an addition to the kitchen. Before bringing in the construction crew, the Heffleys attempt to do minor maintenance and repairs themselves—during which Greg fails at the work in various slapstick scenes. Once the professionals are brought in, the problems keep getting worse: angry neighbors, terrifying problems in walls, and—most serious—civil permitting issues that put the kibosh on what work’s been done. Left with only enough inheritance to patch and repair the exterior of the house—and with the school’s dismal standardized test scores as a final straw—Greg’s mom steers the family toward moving, opening up house-hunting and house-selling storylines (and devastating loyal Rowley, who doesn’t want to lose his best friend). While Greg’s positive about the move, he’s not completely uncaring about Rowley’s action. (And of course, Greg himself is not as unaffected as he wishes.) The gags include effectively placed callbacks to seemingly incidental events (the “stress lizard” brought in on testing day is particularly funny) and a lampoon of after-school-special–style problem books. Just when it seems that the Heffleys really will move, a new sequence of chaotic trouble and property destruction heralds a return to the status quo. Whew.
Readers can still rely on this series to bring laughs. (Graphic/fiction hybrid. 8-12)Pub Date: Nov. 5, 2019
ISBN: 978-1-4197-3903-3
Page Count: 224
Publisher: Amulet/Abrams
Review Posted Online: Nov. 18, 2019
SEEN & HEARD
Hugely entertaining, timely, and triumphant.
Robot Roz undertakes an unusual ocean journey to save her adopted island home in this third series entry.
When a poison tide flowing across the ocean threatens their island, Roz works with the resident creatures to ensure that they will have clean water, but the destruction of vegetation and crowding of habitats jeopardize everyone’s survival. Brown’s tale of environmental depredation and turmoil is by turns poignant, graceful, endearing, and inspiring, with his (mostly) gentle robot protagonist at its heart. Though Roz is different from the creatures she lives with or encounters—including her son, Brightbill the goose, and his new mate, Glimmerwing—she makes connections through her versatile communication abilities and her desire to understand and help others. When Roz accidentally discovers that the replacement body given to her by Dr. Molovo is waterproof, she sets out to seek help and discovers the human-engineered source of the toxic tide. Brown’s rich descriptions of undersea landscapes, entertaining conversations between Roz and wild creatures, and concise yet powerful explanations of the effect of the poison tide on the ecology of the island are superb. Simple, spare illustrations offer just enough glimpses of Roz and her surroundings to spark the imagination. The climactic confrontation pits oceangoing mammals, seabirds, fish, and even zooplankton against hardware and technology in a nicely choreographed battle. But it is Roz’s heroism and peacemaking that save the day.
Hugely entertaining, timely, and triumphant. (author’s note) (Fiction. 8-12)Pub Date: Sept. 26, 2023
ISBN: 9780316669412
Page Count: 288
Publisher: Little, Brown
Review Posted Online: Aug. 26, 2023
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Sept. 15, 2023
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