PRINCESS GWENEVERE AND THE JEWEL RIDERS

The Jewel Riders protect their kingdom from wild magic and a villain’s resurgence in Bellaire’s YA graphic novel, a tie-in to the mid-1990s American television series.

Princess Gwenevere is the future queen of Avalon. But she doesn’t wish to marry her fiance, Drake, even if their union would guarantee stability for the kingdom—not if that means she’ll no longer be a Jewel Rider. Gwenevere and her Jewel Rider friends wield magic stones and ride on winged unicorns, like purple-haired Fallon’s purple-maned companion, Moondance. Something is amiss in Avalon—creatures suddenly attacking the kingdom only mark the beginning. Gwenevere’s fellow Jewel Rider Tamara worries about the wizard Merlin, who’s giving her magic lessons, as his atypical grumpiness seems to be hiding an unexplained resentment. At the same time, there’s a potential wild-magic outbreak starting in the forest. When a dark-magic-using villain makes a shocking return, Gwen may once again have to don her helmeted Jewel Rider ensemble and join Tamara and Fallon in defending Avalon from evil (“There was no telling what measures we’d need to take”). Bellaire develops the cast exceedingly well as the females take the story’s reins, with Gwen craving independence and Fallon leading “the Pack” of wolf-riding warriors. The male characters, including Drake, the king, and the entertainingly unpredictable Merlin, shine just as brightly. This story captures the animated television series’ essence while making subtle contemporary updates, such as the king learning to greet with fist bumps. There’s an unmistakable positivity to the narrative, which encourages openness and demonstrates that vulnerability isn’t always a weakness. Tamara, who catches on to the kingdom’s general unease faster than anyone else, easily steals this opening volume. There’s plenty more for future books to explore, like Fallon’s duties as Pack leader and the villain’s origin. Carreon’s illustrations portray characters in the style of Japanese anime, with doe eyes and exaggerated facial expressions. The images deftly exemplify character, like the persistent clutter in Merlin’s isolated cottage, and are rendered in lavish pastels.

Sparkling characters highlight this diverting illustrated fantasy tale.