I’m not usually a big fan of graphic novels. I did enjoy a few of the Bone books, by author Jeff Smith, that we had around the
house and my son loved the Sardine in Outer Space books by Emmanuel Guibert books when he was younger,
but I rarely read or request graphic novels now. Scholastic recently sent me a few graphic novels
(uncorrected proofs) that I hadn’t asked for, so I thought I’d just take a
quick look when I had a few minutes.
The first one I read was Cardboard by Doug Tennapel, and I
was impressed by its clever premise and creative story.
Mike is a single father without a job. The opening panels make it clear that
he is a good guy and a skilled carpenter, but he can’t find work in the
depressed economy and is becoming desperate. Today is his son’s birthday, and he wants to get Cam
something special, but he doesn’t even have enough money for food. On his way home, he sees a roadside
stand where a mysterious man is selling toys, but he can’t afford any of
them. When he mentions that his
son is a really good boy who deserves a good birthday present, the man offers
him an empty cardboard box for exactly the amount of change in Mike’s
pocket. Mike thinks it’s pretty
lame, but he figures he and Cam can do some sort of creative project with the
cardboard box.
He brings it home, and Cam good-naturedly suggests they
build a boxer out of the box, so father and son work together late into the
night to build a cardboard man.
While they are sleeping, the cardboard man comes to life and announces
that his name is Bill. Mike and
Cam are astounded but thrilled with the magical cardboard that brought their
new friend to life, but the neighborhood bully, Marcus, discovers their secret
and wants the magic for himself.
The story turns into a fantastical adventure, with all sorts
of cardboard creations coming to life and wreaking havoc on the
neighborhood. It’s a battle of
Cam’s (and Bill’s) goodness versus Marcus’ evil, and things quickly get out of
hand until the boys are no longer in control. As I said, I’m certainly not a graphic novel expert, but I
enjoyed reading this and thought the drawings and text told an interesting
story. The novel is filled with
action and is fast-paced, an original and exciting story sure to please young
boys and reluctant readers in particular.
285 pages, Scholastic
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