Combine a cuddly purple dragon, much sharing of cookies, abundant humor, and two distinct and appealing heroines, and you...
Someday your princess will come—and she’ll be rocking a mohawk-mullet, wearing a jaunty tunic complete with epaulets and cravat, and riding a disdainful pink unicorn.
Trapped in a tower, “big-boned” Princess Sadie, a white girl with long blonde hair, is tired of fending off unsolicited rescue attempts by princes. But when dapper, dark-skinned Princess Amira and her unicorn arrive, Sadie overcomes the inner fears and self-doubts that had imprisoned her psyche as thoroughly as the tower had her body. The two embark on adventures that include coming to the aid of an embarrassed prince, sweet-talking a sadly misunderstood ogre, and confronting Sadie’s wicked older sister. The princesses’ affection for each other deepens with every challenge—and every round of snappy banter—and when wedding bells ring, they’re for a couple who truly know and have freely chosen one another. O’Neill delivers an alternative fairy tale that challenges conventions with every twist of the plot but doesn’t veer into heavy-handed preachiness that pulls readers out of the story. The bright illustrations, clear layout, and easy-to-read type make this an inviting read.
Combine a cuddly purple dragon, much sharing of cookies, abundant humor, and two distinct and appealing heroines, and you have a royal winner. (Graphic fantasy. 8-13)Pub Date: Sept. 20, 2016
ISBN: 978-1-62010-340-1
Page Count: 56
Publisher: Oni Press
Review Posted Online: May 13, 2016
Kirkus Reviews Issue: June 1, 2016
A clumsy graphic biography of the renowned illusionist. Capturing the last six weeks or so of Houdini’s life, it shows him as a hardworking perfectionist with the ultimate “show-must-go-on” attitude. Taking a young apprentice under his wing, Houdini teaches him the art of magic, up to his untimely death. The boy’s uncle, a fan, contributes interstitial “journal entries.” As biography, this book is hugely problematic. Odd inconsistencies within the narrative include a faux–New York Times article from the day of Houdini’s death; readers may well think the text is from the actual publication, when in fact it is not. With no source notes or other background information provided, there is no way for readers to know where the author has taken artistic license. Also conspicuously missing are any recommendations for further reading or suggestions of websites to visit. Singh’s art is bland, leaving a dull patina on typically exciting subject matter. Skip this altogether and grab Jason Lutes and Nick Bertozzi’s exquisite—and better-researched—Houdini: The Handcuff King (2007). (Graphic biography. 9-12)
Pub Date: July 27, 2010
ISBN: 978-93-80028-25-5
Page Count: 80
Publisher: Campfire
Review Posted Online: May 31, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: June 15, 2010
A vivid double character portrait, enhanced by equally sharp glimpses of climbing techniques, strategies and hazards....
The exploits of two young men mad for climbing mountains are retold in graphic panels.
Trading off narrator duties, Norgay and Hillary trace their childhoods and early lives. The Sherpa was a driven youth who earned a reputation for solid reliability working for European expeditions tackling various Himalayan mountains, while the Kiwi was the restless son of a beekeeper, who satisfied his yen for heights and adventure by making connections with renowned climbers. A third-person voice takes over for their ultimate meeting on Everest’s slopes and the heroic trek to the summit. Tayal captures their likenesses in flurries of small but visually varied cartoon scenes, often placing figures in front of reworked photos of forbidding ice fields and peaks. Helfand fills the dialogue-heavy narrative with specific biographical details and exciting accounts of some of the great triumphs and tragedies of Himalayan mountaineering. He rounds out the lives of his two subjects with highlights of their later careers and closes with quick looks at modern teenagers who have climbed Everest.
A vivid double character portrait, enhanced by equally sharp glimpses of climbing techniques, strategies and hazards. (Graphic nonfiction. 11-13)Pub Date: Aug. 16, 2011
ISBN: 978-93-80741-24-6
Page Count: 96
Publisher: Campfire
Review Posted Online: May 20, 2011
Kirkus Reviews Issue: June 1, 2011
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