Graphic Novel Pick: Nat Enough

Nat Enough
By Maria Scrivan
Illustrated by the author
Graphix
Scholastic
2020
240 pages
ISBN: 9781338538212

Available April 7, 2020

Charming illustrations by the author and believable middle school drama and angst will delight graphic novel readers. Natalie (Nat) has never believed she is enough: not smart enough, not pretty enough, not talented enough. This theme will resonate with every middle school reader! Even though she's nervous about going to a new school, Nat has high hopes since she'll be joining her BFF Lily, and they can face middle school obstacles together.

The first day and days following don't go as planned. Suddenly, Nat is not cool enough to be Lily's BFF. In fact, Lily is downright mean to Natalie. First by ignoring her, and then by leaving Nat toxic and hurtful notes. Worse yet, Lily is hanging with cool girl Alex who is good at everything she does.

Nat is going to have to "find" her voice and be who she is, not who Lily wants her to be. She takes a chance and enters a book contest, winning first prize and a trip to the state capitol! Even cute boy Derek takes notice. Through her art, Natalie finds her voice and wins the praise of her peers.

Recommended for graphic fans and anyone else in middle school! Grade 5 and up. This title will be on Scholastic Book Fairs next year.

FTC Required Disclaimer: I received the ARC from the publisher. I did not receive monetary compensation for this review.

Graphic Pick: Making Friends

Making Friends
by Kristen Gudsnuk
Graphix/Scholastic
272 pages; full color illustrations
2018
ISBN: 9781338139211

Available July 31, 2018

Danny had her tight circle of friends in sixth grade but now that she's in middle school, she's a little lost. Everyone has a different lunch shift and different classes than she does. She's feeling a little left out--a lot left out! When she "inherits" her great aunt's sketch book, she discovers that her kooky aunt might actually have had magical powers. Danny accidentally creates her new best friend. Suddenly "Making Friends" is exactly that! Creating a new person!

For fans of graphic novels and ages 8-12 should enjoy this spirited romp.

FTC Required Disclaimer: I received this ARC from the publisher. I did not receive monetary compensation for this review.

Graphic Pick: Baby Monkey, Private Eye

Baby Monkey, Private Eye
by David Serlin
Art by Brian Selznick
Scholastic Press
2018
192 pages
ISBN: 9781338180619

Available February 27, 2018

"Irresistible"--Booklist, Starred review

Brian Selznick continues to amaze readers--both young and old, artists and art lovers with his black and white (and red) illustrations that depict a range of emotions and pack a wealth of  information in each illustration. Baby Monkey, Private Eye reads like a picture book, but the art makes it a graphic novel and an art study. Targeted audience is ages 4 and up, but younger children will love Baby Monkey's antics, his struggle to put on his pants for each case, and his wide-eyed wonder captured so brilliantly by Selznick.

The repetitive nature of the text makes it an easy read and first time readers will guess what will happen before the page is turned. That is fun and also a treat when they discover that sometimes the repetition changes. At 192 pages, it is a longer read for the  youngest readers but they will discover more and more with each reading. Baby Monkey takes on each case, and the decor art in his office changes. For the opera jewelry theft, paintings and art are: singer Maria Callas, A Night at the Opera (Marx brothers), and a bust of Mozart.

Baby Monkey, Private Eye is a joy to behold and a triumph of mixing art, storytelling and elements of both picture books and graphic novels. Selznick continues to deliver books that defy pigeonholes and genres.

Highly, highly recommended and a MUST!

Ages 3 and up. This book is several art/history lessons.

FTC Required Disclaimer: I received the ARC from the publisher. I did not receive monetary compensation for this review.

Graphic Pick: The Witch Boy

The Witch Boy
by Molly Knox Ostertag
graphic novel; full color illustrations
Graphix
2017
224 pages
ISBN: 9781338089523

Masterful illustrations by debut author Molly Knox Ostertag position The Witch Boy to be the graphic darling of 2018. The late 2017 publication date insure that this title will be considered for both years.

Aster's family has always taught their daughters and girls magic. It is the rule. When Aster shows his interest, he is berated and bullied by his male relatives and chastised by his female relatives. Aster is headstrong and actually shows a penchant for "girl's" magic. He has not yet been able to see his shape. Boys in his family are shapeshifter, yet Aster has not had any luck realizing his shape. Then two of his boy cousins disappear and the family worries that a dangerous spirit may be at work. It may be up to Aster to discover his cousins' plight and rescue them from an evil entity. For him to be successful, he'll have to embrace magic and find his power.

The Witch Boy  and Aster embrace the differences in children. Aster won't accept his family's social norms and he breaks them. By breaking out, he is able to save his cousins, show his family that he is normal and show them that different is okay.

Recommended grade 4 and up.

Graphic Pick: Fish Girl

Fish Girl
by Donna Jo Napoli
Illustratons by David Wiesner
Clarion Books
2017
192 pages
ISBN: 9780547483931


Ethereal illustrations by David Wiesner capture the beauty of Fish Girl and her aquarium home. Colorful sea creatures are realistic and beautiful. A friendly orange octopus is the epitome of a true friend. Fish Girl is a captive in an aquarium. Caught as a baby "mer-son," Fish Girl owes her life and sustanence to Neptune, the sea god. Neptune is the only parent figure Fish Girl has ever known, and he claims he saved her from death, giving her a home at the aquarium. The only thing he asks is that she "perform"--allowing visitors to glimpse a sighting of her. She is not allowed to fully  appear to anyone and cannot interact with the human guests. Neptune warns her that if people really believe that she's a mermaid, someone will come and take her away to study and cut open. This is enough to frighten her into subservience.

One day, this all changes when a curious twelve year old named Livia bonds with her. Fish Girl cannot speak and has no legs to walk, but she dreams of being human. What would it be like to have legs and walk on dry land and wear real clothes and  attend a yoga class? Livia continues to sneak visits with Fish Girl whom she names Mira (short for Miracle) and wonders where Fish Girl came from and just who Neptune really is. After one of her visits, Mira questions her keeper's intentions as well. She searches Neptune's office and finds overdue bills and a photo of Neptune fishing on a boat.Mira realizes her "father" is not the god of the sea but a common fisherman and he's been lying to her about everything.

Mira  decides she wants out and enlists the help of Octopus in her foray. Her friend will do anything for her and does.

Fish Girl is the strange but wonderful story of a mermaid and a human who become friends and later sisters. It is full of friendship, hope, possibilities and love.

Magnificent art will win over even "boy" readers who thinks that Fish Girl is a "girl" story. One reviewer on Amazon reported that her son said, "while he said this was a "girl story" (a huge insult for a 4th grade boy), he eventually succumbed to mom's pleas and read it and called it, "pretty good, but still would have been better with boys" ... Which is basically a rave review for him..." That being said, if boys are led to this book, they will likely enjoy the story and the fantastic graphic content. 


Highly, highly recommended for fans of graphic novels and middle school readers. 

FTC Required Disclaimer: I received this book from the publisher. I did not receive monetary compensation for this review. 

Book and Swag Giveaway: Dog Man Unleashed

See my review here

I have FIVE FREE copies of Dog Man Unleashed to giveaway to lucky winners! Winners will also get a Dog Man poster and Dog Man tattoos! This is epic, people!

All you have to do for your chance to win is write a comment to this blog. Please include your first name, city, state and email. I need your email contact in case you win. It will not be used for anything else. Comments await publication, so it may take a day or two if you post on the weekend, but your comment will be published in the order it was received. 

Deadline for posting a comment is noon MST Feb. 27. Winners will be chosen randomly by Randomizer and notified on Feb. 27. Please check your email on that date in the afternoon. Winners have 24 hours to respond to my email. Books, posters and tattoos will ship from New York . 

Now, good luck and start posting. Hooray for Dog Man! 

Reluctant Reader Pick: Dog Man Unleashed (book 2)

Dog Man Unleashed
by Dav Pilkey
Graphix
224 pages
2016
ISBN: 9780545935203

Kids don't need to be told: Dog Man Unleashed is the real deal! Dav Pilkey just keeps getting it right for those reluctant readers who just need a reason to pick up a book. This second book is even more fun than the original.Inane, silly, charming, ridiculous, and did I say silly? Well, fun then. Sheer fun!

 Pilkey does the amazing: he makes everything possible: a T. Rex skeleton becomes reanimated and dances around , a cat can be an evil genius, a police chief is so bumbling that he needs the assistance of Dog Man to solve even the silliest of crimes. In a graphic novel that reads more like a "Rocky and Bullwinkle" cartoon with evil Natasha and Boris, Dog Man is your hero. Pilkey must have spent every Saturday morning glued to his television watching the roadrunner outsmart Wile E. Coyote.

Poor Dog Man. He is half Dog (the head and dog instincts) and half human (the human body). In a  freak accident, Officer Knight and Greg the Dog get blown up, and  the ambulance takes them to the hospital with the siren sounding, "Wee-OOO-Wee_OOO" --never has anyone found a way to write a siren sound that was legit before Pilkey--so applause for that alone! The ER doctors say that the only way to fix Greg the Dog and Officer Knight is to combine them into one. This seems far-fetched, but it is laugh out loud funny!

Dialog is tongue-in-cheek with 80's and 90's references. It is irreverent and hysterical. Two kids are  passing by, a boy and a girl, and see the cat villain stealing treasure chests. A  mysterious stranger wants to stop him by  using  his mind powers to pick up a phone booth to throw at the cat. The kids ask, "What's a phone booth?" Next he picks up a stack of newspaper and a mailbox then "he grabs some other stuff with his brain" from Lulu's Obsolete Goods. The kids wonder what each obsolete item is and that's the fun of it! Adults will chuckle along with their reluctant readers--if they are lucky enough to be reading along, that is!

Dog Man is the perfect cop...except for the fact that every time he sees a bone, he wants to lick it and every time he sees a ball, he wants to chase it and catch it. Pilkey has included flip pages with instructions for readers to flip the pages and see the "action" cartoon. Readers will be delighted!
How to draw pages in back teach readers how to draw main characters and Pilkey's website has more content to interest young doodlers and dreamers.

Dav Pilkey's Captain Underpants series made readers out of a generation of reluctant readers two decades ago; Dog Man will take this generation by storm. Hooray for Dog Man!

Highly, highly recommended for all reluctant readers and anyone who needs a laugh. This is sheer silliness for the fun of it! Don't fight it! Give in to Dog Man!

FTC Required Disclaimer: I received the ARC from the publisher. I did not receive monetary compensation for this review.

Graphic Pick: The Babysitter's Club: Kristy's Great Idea

The Babysitter's Club: Kristy's Great Idea
by Raina Telgemeier
based on the novel by Ann M. Martin
Graphix (Scholastic)
2015
192 pages with full color illustrations
ISBN: 9780545813860

Available April 28, 2015

Fans of Sisters, Drama, and Smile will be delighted to read and enjoy Telgemeier's newest graphic novel although they may miss her quick wit and her storytelling. Retelling a story by Ann M. Martin as a graphic novel is a novel idea but it is apparent that the characters suffer.

Formed out of necessity and ingenuity, The Baby Sitter's Club keeps the girls busy and out of trouble. And it's not  a bad way to make extra spending money either.

Kristy's great idea is for the girls to start a babysitter's club. Friends Kristy, Claudia and Mary Anne reach out to new girl Stacey. They figure four heads are better than one, and the girls will offer their babysitting skills, advertise to reach more parents and work together in manning the phones and taking the jobs.

The characters never fully develop as they can in prose. Readers may not even discern any differences in the girls and probably won't have a favorite character.

I miss Telgemeier's easy tales of growing up and fighting with her sister that we have come to expect. Her graphic art saves this book.

Recommended for fans of The Babysitters Club.

Grade 5-up.

FTC Required Disclaimer: I received the ARC from the publisher. I did not receive oneary compensation for this review.

This review has been posted in compliance with the FTC requirements set forth in the Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising (available at ftc.gov/os/2009/10/091005revisedendorsementguides.pdf)

Graphic Pick: Sisters

Sisters
by Raina Telgemeier
Graphix (Scholastic)
2014
208 pages
full color
ISBN: 9780545540067

Available August 26, 2014

Raina Telgemeier has done it again! She continues to reach tween and teen readers with her humor, candor, teen angst, sister sibling rivalry and captivating art.

Only child Raina dreams of becoming a big sister, but she has no idea how horrible her life is about to become. From the time baby Amara arrives, Raina's world is turned upside down. Not only is she not the center of her parents' universe, she is expected to act like an older sibling. As a toddler and small child, Amara has nothing in common with Raina.

Both girls set off on a road trip with their mother and little brother. The trip takes several days and they see the glorious southwest. The travel by day and camp out at night. Once their van breaks down, the girls are left behind to wait in the car for help or their mother's return. This is just what the two girls needed--time to stew over their troubles and an enclosed territory. They both realize that they are sisters and family and family sticks together through thick and thin.

Tweens and graphic novel enthusiasts will love Sisters. Even though I have no sister, I could empathize with the rivalry between the girls; it's no different with my brothers. All kids vie for their parents' attention and love.  Recommended for reluctant readers and visual learners.

Grade 5-up.

FTC Required Disclaimer: I received the arc from the publisher. I did not receive monetary compensation for this review.

This review has been posted in compliance with the FTC requirements set forth in the Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising (available at ftc.gov/os/2009/10/091005revisedendorsementguides.pdf)

Cool Graphic Pick: Dogs of War

Dogs of War
by Sheila Keenan and Nathan Fox
Graphix
2013
208 pages
full color illustrations

Available November 2013

If you purchase one graphic novel this year, make sure it's Dogs of War! Did you know that dogs have trained and have gone to battle with armies as far back in history as the height of the Roman empire? Navy SEAL team 6 traveled with war dogs, too. Dogs used by the military often carry messages, ammunition and supplies. Because of their incomparable sense of smell, dogs can be used as scouts to sniff out danger like bombs and traps.

Dogs of War tells the stories of three brave dogs. Boots shows bravery in World War I. Loki serves in World War II and Sheba serves in the Vietnam War. Each story is brilliantly brought to life by talented illustrator Nathan Fox.

Reluctant readers will be drawn to this book. Who doesn't love a great dog story?

This graphic novel brings to light the valiant canines who fought alongside American soldiers. In Vietnam alone over 5,000 dogs served as sentries and trackers. Some dogs were trained to signal booby traps. Sadly, very few dogs came home from Vietnam since they were considered "equipment."

Today, there are over 2,700 war dogs helping military forces. These are the heroes who save soldiers lives on a daily basis and they are the true Dogs of War.

Highly, highly recommended for all graphic collections grade 6-up.

FTC Required Disclaimer: I received the ARC from the publisher. I did not receive monetary compensation for this review.

This review has been posted in compliance with the FTC requirements set forth in the Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising (available at ftc.gov/os/2009/10/091005revisedendorsementguides.pdf)

Graphic Novel Pick :Chickenhare

Chickenhare
Author and Illustrator Chris Grine
Graphix (Scholastic)
2013
160 pages

Available February 1, 2013

Two friends—a bearded turtle and a chickenhare—are captured by a bounty hunter and taken to Mr. Klaus who pays big money for rare pets. Since his favorite pet goat Buttons deserted him years ago, Klaus has been stuffing all his animals so that they will never be able to leave him again.

Chickenhare and Abe (the turtle) are thrown in the dungeon with two others—Meg and a monkey named Banjo. The four form a friendship and agree to help each other escape. They defeat Klaus’s guard and butler and take off into the snow.

When they happen upon a cave, they explore. Chickenhare falls into a crevice and is greeted by the ghost of Buttons who explains that he’s happy to see Chickenhare. Buttons remains as a ghost because he had unfinished business and must save other creatures from Klaus’s evil taxidermy.

Spunky and funny dialog will captivate readers and good graphic detail with full color illustrations throughout the text make this a stunning book. I would also recommend this title for reluctant readers.

Highly, highly recommended for all graphic collections grade 6-up. Any graphic novel fan will want to read this one.

FTC Required Disclaimer: I received this book from the publisher. I did not receive monetary compensation for this review.

Graphic Novel Pick: Cardboard

Cardboard
written and illustrated by Doug Tennapel
Graphix (Scholastic)
2012
288 pages

This cautionary tale by Doug Tennapel unfolds in blatant, in-your-face full color illustrations that are both creepy and cool. Out of work carpenter Mike is down to his last seventy-eight cents and it’s his son Cam’s birthday. He happens upon a strange toy booth where a creepy and pushy elderly toy seller fulfills his need. It looks like only an empty cardboard box but old man Gideon promises that the box is full of ideas, adventure, and projects and it only costs seventy-eight cents, exactly the amount in Mike’s pocket. Coincidence, right? BUT. There. Are. Rules. 1. Mike must return every scrap of cardboard they don’t use, and 2. Mike can never ask for any more cardboard. If he agrees to the rules, he gets the box for Cam’s birthday. He hates that he feels like it’s the worst present ever, but he resigns himself to the fact that he’s dead broke.

Neighbors Marcus and Pink Eye bully Cam and laugh at his “present.” Cam is disappointed, but he knows they’ve fallen on hard times. He decides to make the best of it. His dad’s a carpenter after all. They go to work making a life-size human looking boxer. They measure and cut, and soon “Bill” is born. Bill comes to life! It’s going to be hard to keep a secret in this neighborhood; a man made out of cardboard who can walk and talk and who has feelings and wishes?

Cam can’t help but make Marcus jealous, and Marcus is not a “nice” boy. He tries to kill Bill, and when that doesn’t work, he steals cardboard scraps. The scraps seem to have a life of their own and soon Marcus’s house is overrun with “living” cardboard inventions hell-bent on destroying his house and the entire neighborhood. The creations have run amok; see what happens when someone breaks the cardinal rule?—which was return all the scraps to Gideon?
Soon, Marcus is seeking Cam and Mike’s help. Can Bill, Marcus, Mike, and Cam stop the evil cardboard army? What will happen to Bill if the cardboard meanies are defeated?

Highly, highly recommended for fans of graphic novels grades 5-8 and older kids who love well-imagined and beautifully designed graphic novels.

FTC Required Disclaimer: I received this book from the publisher. I did not receive monetary compensation for this review.

This review has been posted in compliance with the FTC requirements set forth in the Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising (available at ftc.gov/os/2009/10/091005revisedendorsementguides.pdf)

Graphic Pick: Drama

Drama
By Raina Telgemeier
Graphix (Scholastic)
2012
240 pages
Full color illustraions (graphic novel)

For all theater GLEEks and musical theater buffs, for all the stage crew, lighting peeps, sound dudes, scenery builders, and costume designer GLEEks, Raina Telgemeier has created a fun graphic novel about your world.

Callie loves the theater but soon realizes that she is not gifted with a voice that will earn her parts in the middle school production. She’s happy to be on the team anyway; she is proud to build the set and props for her school’s productions of “Moon Over Mississippi.” When cute twin brothers Justin and Jesse appear on the scene, Callie starts crushing. She’s not the only one interested in the brothers either.

Justin is the outgoing one, the talented one; Jesse is the shy brother who doesn’t seek the footlights and the greasepaint. Callie befriends both brothers and is surprised when Jesse spills his secret.

When leading roles are passed out, Justin is disappointed. There’s a big dance coming up and Callie hopes that Justin will ask her.

Drama happens on the stage and behind the scenes. The show must go on; Jesse uses his hidden talents to save the production.

Telgemeier tells a teen tale full of heart through her words and heartfelt illustrations. Smile, her first graphic novel , got rave reviews. I have no doubt, Drama will satisfy teen readers. Several cultures are represented by her characters, and fans of LGBT genre will identify with some characters and their problems.

Recommended grades 7-up. LGBT content. One main character clearly identifies himself as “gay.” The other teen characters do not “freak out” when he admits it. It is not a big deal for any of the kids. No sex. No language.

FTC Required Disclaimer: I received this book from the publisher. I did not receive monetary compensation for this review.


This review has been posted in compliance with the FTC requirements set forth in the Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising (available at ftc.gov/os/2009/10/091005revisedendorsementguides.pdf)

Graphic Pick: Explorer: The Mystery Boxes

Explorer: the Mystery Boxes
Edited by Kazu Kibuishi (creator of the Amulet series)
Amulet
2012
127 pages
Color illustrations (graphic novel)

Available March 1, 2012

Beautiful art and design and fantastic and imaginative tales will make any reader a graphic novel fan. Seven stories by very different artists all have one thing tying them together: a box. What could be in that box? It is human nature to wonder and worry about what is unknown, and it's human nature to open the box--remember the myth of Pandora's box?

"Spring Cleaning" is a light hearted story of a boy who happens upon a box and gets much more than he bargained for. "The Keeper's Treasure" is one of the most beautifully rendered artistic graphic stories I've ever seen. Kazu Kibuishi's story "The Escape Option" is beautifully designed and well-thought out; it is a thought-provoking lesson in humanity and ecology.

"The Soldier's Daughter" is an effective story about the trials and brutality of war and the ones who are left behind when a soldier dies in battle.

Other stories are "Under the Floorboards," "The Butter Thief," and "Whatzit." The collection is so diverse and the art so wonderfully different, that a teacher could spend entire lessons on effective art and design and how each story varies and why the artwork is different for a light-hearted story than it is for a darker tale like "The Soldier's Daughter."


Highly, highly recommended for all graphic novel collections and grades 6-up. Younger students may not understand the lesson of The Keeper's Treasure" or "The Escape Option" although they still may enjoy the art. No language, no sex.

FTC Required Disclaimer: I received this book from the publisher. I did not receive monetary compensation for this review.

Spooky Pick: Morpehus Road: The Light

Morpheus Road: the Light
by D.J. MacHale
Aladdin
2010
341 pages

Book Two: Morpheus Road: The Black just published in April 2011

Spooky cool and heart-pounding, Morpheus Road: The Light is a thriller not to miss!

This is the first book in the series and after reading this one, readers will surely want to read more of Marshall Seaver's strange adventure of being haunted by a figment of his artistic imagination: Gravedigger. Marshall is a fan of graphic novels and comics and reads them with an artist's eye; art seems to run in his blood. His mother was an award winning travel photographer until her tragic death in an earthquake. Marshall keeps drawing the same character over and over again: Gravedigger.

When things start going bump in the night and Marshall sees visions and creepy faces at the window, he knows he's got to get out of his house. Marshall agrees to team up with Sydney, sister of his best friend Cooper to find out where Cooper could be. Cooper has been missing for two days when the pair set out to find him. Weird forces from beyond seem to be helping them, but evil forces seem to want to harm them. In a classic battle of good versus evil, who will win?

The book ends in an open question: Can Cooper help Marshall find the answers? What will Marshall have to risk? Who or what is behind Gravedigger? Who will travel Morpheus Road?

Highly, highly recommended grades 7-up.
FTC Required Disclaimer: I received this book from the publisher. I did not receive monetary compensation for this review.

Graphic Novel Pick: The Never Weres

The Never Weres
by Fiona Smyth
Annick Press, 2011
255 pages (illustrated)

This debut graphic novel by cartoonist and illustrator Fiona Smyth is set in the future in a world where no new babies are being born; the youngest children are fifteen and the aged population of the "oldies" is dying out. With no new citizens, the world will surely die out in a generation. Geneticists and scientists are working fervently to find a solution to this dilemma including finding a safe way to clone humans.

Friends Xian, Mia, and Jesse stumble upon an sixty year old mystery of a missing teenager and a series of tunnels under the city. When they find strange symbols and graphitti, they know they are onto something. Government bots are tracking their progress, and government agents are searching Xian's house and computers.

When Jesse's mother is questioned by the authorities, the kids go into hiding staying just a couple of steps ahead of the agents. What they discover will change the world as they know it.

Exciting and visionary, The Never Weres is a great graphic read. Artwork is compelling and just plain fun. Each layout has so much going on, that readers will want to slow down and study the art. There is great cultural diversity; the three friends represent various ethnic groups and citizens are diverse and unique.

There is one problem in my mind: old computer flash drives or USB drives are found and the characters make fun of them, calling them old-fashioned and joking how ancient the technology is, yet characters still talk on cell phones. If USB drives and PCs are old fashioned, wouldn't cell phones be outdated as well?

Highly recommended for graphic collections grades 7-up.
No language, no sex.

FTC Required disclaimer: I received this books from the publisher. I did not receive monetary compensation for this review.

Graphic Pick

Silverfin: A James Bond Adventure
by Charlie Higson & Kev Walker
Disney (Hyperion Books), 2010 (American publication date)
160 pages (graphic novel)

Beautifully illustrated in full color, the action will keep the pages turning. Young James Bond arrives at Eton for the school year. He is immediately sought to compete in a triathlon with American kid, George Hellebore.

Young James travels to Scotland to see his Uncle Max, who just happened to be a spy--and he warns his nephew against becoming a spy. There's something in the water at Loch Silverfin, and it's up to James to figure out what it is and destroy it. Of course, George Hellebore and his evil father also show up in Scotland.

Readers will love reading about the boy James Bond--when he's young and still vulnerable. Great storytelling and fantastic graphic format. Reluctant readers will be drawn to this books.

Recommended for graphic collections grade 7-up.

FTC Required Disclaimer: I received this book from another librarian who receives ARCs from publishers. I was not influnced by this fact and it does not impact this review in any way. I received no monetary compensation for my review.