Familiar fare but will hold the attention of fantasy readers and horse lovers alike.
A powerful prophecy brings an unlikely group of heroes together in this series-starting graphic novel.
Divided for centuries into four separate kingdoms, the warring realms of Horsa have not enjoyed harmonious relations. The horses in the Aqua, Solar, Firma, and Derecho herds possess magical powers—related to water, fire, earth, and wind, respectively—which allow them to thrive in their realms. That careful division comes to an end with the uncharacteristic rising of a pink sun, a portent of magic coming to Horsa. Four horses—one from each realm—are tasked with locating the prophesied yearling and bringing them safely back using only a magical map to guide them. Dubbed the Guardians of Horsa, the group must overcome decades of distrust to accomplish their mission. Readers will be forgiven for thinking this sounds reminiscent of the TV series My Little Pony: Friendship Is Magic (talking horses with elemental talents, a plotline and prophecies, the importance of collaboration). Though the tales have some similarities, there is an omnipresent suspicion among the Guardians that adds the possible threat of impending betrayal, the likes of which the MLP gang couldn't imagine. And while the Horsa herds do have fantastical, elemental manes, their bodies have a much more equine trim, which may have some crossover appeal for realistic horse fiction fans. Together, the art and story build a solid foundation for what promises to be a thrilling series.
Familiar fare but will hold the attention of fantasy readers and horse lovers alike. (Graphic fantasy. 6-9)Pub Date: Jan. 24, 2023
ISBN: 9781665931564
Page Count: 144
Publisher: Little Simon/Simon & Schuster
Review Posted Online: March 28, 2023
Kirkus Reviews Issue: April 15, 2023
What a wag.
What do you get from sewing the head of a smart dog onto the body of a tough police officer? A new superhero from the incorrigible creator of Captain Underpants.
Finding a stack of old Dog Mancomics that got them in trouble back in first grade, George and Harold decide to craft a set of new(ish) adventures with (more or less) improved art and spelling. These begin with an origin tale (“A Hero Is Unleashed”), go on to a fiendish attempt to replace the chief of police with a “Robo Chief” and then a temporarily successful scheme to make everyone stupid by erasing all the words from every book (“Book ’Em, Dog Man”), and finish off with a sort of attempted alien invasion evocatively titled “Weenie Wars: The Franks Awaken.” In each, Dog Man squares off against baddies (including superinventor/archnemesis Petey the cat) and saves the day with a clever notion. With occasional pauses for Flip-O-Rama featurettes, the tales are all framed in brightly colored sequential panels with hand-lettered dialogue (“How do you feel, old friend?” “Ruff!”) and narrative. The figures are studiously diverse, with police officers of both genders on view and George, the chief, and several other members of the supporting cast colored in various shades of brown. Pilkey closes as customary with drawing exercises, plus a promise that the canine crusader will be further unleashed in a sequel.
What a wag. (Graphic fantasy. 7-9)Pub Date: Aug. 30, 2016
ISBN: 978-0-545-58160-8
Page Count: 240
Publisher: Graphix/Scholastic
Review Posted Online: May 31, 2016
Kirkus Reviews Issue: June 15, 2016
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
SEEN & HEARD
BOOK TO SCREEN
Readers will go for these pals who stick together in a bond as solid as stone.
More fun with Stick and Stone!
The BFFs whose exploits were chronicled in two earlier picture books (2015, 2021), illustrated by Tom Lichtenheld, have joined the graphic-novel universe. This second graphic novel starring the duo, after Stick and Stone Explore and More (2022), is divided into two chapters, each followed by appealing, simple activities. The first chapter finds the pals picnicking with friends near a cave. Timid worrywart Stone has misgivings, but those issues are resolved satisfactorily. Once over those hurdles, Stone confronts spelunking, a word he loves (as will readers) until he learns what it entails. Stone’s not into cave exploring, but what he discovers when he finds himself in a cave are unexpected—and not entirely unpleasant—surprises and, afterward, a burgeoning new friendship. In the second chapter, Stone effects a daring rescue as he extracts Stick from the jaws of an overly enthusiastic puppy, an adventure that leads the pair to adopt a “pet” that undergoes a spectacular transformation, necessitating a tender farewell. This charmer is chock-full of humor, heart, adventure, and the joys of friendship. Stick and Stone are endearingly winning characters with distinctive, expressive personalities. Kids will savor the dynamic, funny digital illustrations; follow the panels and speech bubbles easily; and appreciate the font, which varies with the narrative’s onomatopoeia.
Readers will go for these pals who stick together in a bond as solid as stone. (Graphic fiction. 6-9)Pub Date: Feb. 7, 2023
ISBN: 978-0-358-54938-3
Page Count: 96
Publisher: Clarion/HarperCollins
Review Posted Online: Dec. 23, 2022
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Jan. 15, 2023
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