Odd.
Scaremeister Stine offers a graphic chiller about weird middle schools in parallel universes.
Dressed in infantilizing school uniforms with shorts and Mandarin jackets, Drake, Leeda, and their tag along, Buddy, find themselves in the parallel world of the Scare School, which has a very strange principal but more-conventionally attired students. Pursued by an insectile robot and betrayed by Buddy, an undercover captain in the student guard, Leeda and Drake are forced back into their own school universe to await an ominous punishment at the hands of the Master Dean. Back in the Scare School world, Jess, her twin brother, Josh, and his snarky best friend, Marco, accidentally fall into the portal that lands them in Leeda and Drake’s school. Though the students in Leeda and Drake’s school are also middle schoolers, their lessons are kindergarten level, as the Master Dean mysteriously keeps the students from growing up. After the kids from both realities are locked together in an empty room with bars on the window, they band together to destroy the Master Dean. This diverse cast includes brown-skinned Leeda and Marco; Drake, Jess, and Josh present white; the quisling Buddy presents Asian, unfortunately. The cluttered and confusingly paced illustrations have the feel of second-rate anime and do a disservice to this graphic-novel script, which has a bit of a Twilight Zone appeal. The open ending hints at a second installment that may offer more clues to this rather bizarre middle school wormhole.
Odd. (Graphic horror. 8-12)Pub Date: Sept. 3, 2019
ISBN: 978-1-68415-416-6
Page Count: 144
Publisher: BOOM! Studios
Review Posted Online: June 15, 2019
Kirkus Reviews Issue: July 1, 2019
Telgemeier’s bold colors, superior visual storytelling, and unusual subject matter will keep readers emotionally engaged and...
Catrina narrates the story of her mixed-race (Latino/white) family’s move from Southern California to Bahía de la Luna on the Northern California coast.
Dad has a new job, but it’s little sister Maya’s lungs that motivate the move: she has had cystic fibrosis since birth—a degenerative breathing condition. Despite her health, Maya loves adventure, even if her lungs suffer for it and even when Cat must follow to keep her safe. When Carlos, a tall, brown, and handsome teen Ghost Tour guide introduces the sisters to the Bahía ghosts—most of whom were Spanish-speaking Mexicans when alive—they fascinate Maya and she them, but the terrified Cat wants only to get herself and Maya back to safety. When the ghost adventure leads to Maya’s hospitalization, Cat blames both herself and Carlos, which makes seeing him at school difficult. As Cat awakens to the meaning of Halloween and Day of the Dead in this strange new home, she comes to understand the importance of the ghosts both to herself and to Maya. Telgemeier neatly balances enough issues that a lesser artist would split them into separate stories and delivers as much delight textually as visually. The backmatter includes snippets from Telgemeier’s sketchbook and a photo of her in Día makeup.
Telgemeier’s bold colors, superior visual storytelling, and unusual subject matter will keep readers emotionally engaged and unable to put down this compelling tale. (Graphic fiction. 8-12)Pub Date: Sept. 13, 2016
ISBN: 978-0-545-54061-2
Page Count: 256
Publisher: Scholastic
Review Posted Online: July 1, 2016
Kirkus Reviews Issue: July 15, 2016
Like the pathfinders, readers will be crying, “Plus Ultra!” and hoping for the next adventure.
Five intrepid, young pathfinders explore the environmentally volatile Windrose Valley in search of a fabled treasure.
Deep in Windrose Valley awaits an adventurous summer at Camp Pathfinder, founded by a renowned, eccentric pioneer named Henry Merriweather. Merriweather’s fixation on finding the legendary Windrose treasure serves as a grand catalyst for the campers’ quest. The eclectic group of campers—newcomer Kyle, history buff Beth, zany magician-in-training Harry, cheerleader/math queen Vic, and tinkerer Nate—sets off, running all over town to find Merriweather’s baroque tile markers. Eventually, their efforts lead them to the Merriweather Estate, where the campers slowly uncover the mystery behind the Moon Tower catastrophe. Shortly after the bizarre incident, Merriweather disappeared, and the town’s fortunes failed. As the adolescent pathfinders near the trail toward the Moon Tower and inch ever closer to the treasure, they learn more about the mythical Merriweather and his infamous obsession. Sedita, Seraydarian, and Hamaker’s series debut zips along nicely, mixing cryptic teases with affable characters. Though the quieter moments rarely make much of an impact, the authors’ exposition-heavy worldbuilding incites enthusiasm for the campers’ endeavor. The hints of magic in the snappy illustrations add another layer of allure. Featuring flashes of time slips and a racially diverse cast, this graphic novel hits all the right spots for the inevitable sequel.
Like the pathfinders, readers will be crying, “Plus Ultra!” and hoping for the next adventure. (Fantasy. 8-12)Pub Date: April 21, 2020
ISBN: 978-0-425-29186-3
Page Count: 176
Publisher: Viking
Review Posted Online: Jan. 20, 2020
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Feb. 15, 2020
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