The most successful shift between formats and audiences I’ve seen in authors is the transition of picture book creators to graphic novelists. Many picture books already incorporate some of the basics of comics, from word balloons to panels, and creators used to telling a story in a few pages, largely via their art, seem to do well in storytelling in the graphic novel format. Murguia’s debut graphic novel is a good example of this, as she produces a delightful and attractive book for young readers after over ten years of creating a fun variety of picture books.
The story features two main characters, Thunder, a short-haired, hound-type dog, and her young human Sage, who has short purple hair and a big imagination. The story is told from the viewpoint of Thunder and begins with the highlight of her day, the arrival home from school of Sage. The blissful reunion of their little pack is interrupted by Sage’s interest in a magazine that has arrived in the mail. Thereafter, while Sage pursues the goal of getting a magic cloak and seeing enchanted creatures, Thunder interprets her human’s actions in her own doggy fashion. Things get more complicated when the wolf from Thunder’s ancestry shows up—and the things she tells Thunder to do get her into a lot of trouble! The story moves briskly through Thunder’s simple adventures, the battle between her training and instincts, and Sage’s eventually realization that Thunder is all the enchanted creature anyone could need. Between chapters, Murguia includes one-page comics of “Pack Manners,” which demonstrate the behavior Thunder is using to bond her pack, but which sometimes backfires.
Murguia’s soft wash of watercolors, focusing on lavender and sage green, make the rusty brown of Thunder’s coat pop off the page. Her interactions with her inner wolf, as she learns about her history and instincts, are colored in deeper purples and grays, while more modern feelings and interactions with humans swirl with soft yellows and oranges. Sage appears to be elementary-school age, young enough to imagine finding a unicorn, but old enough to sew a magic cloak and care for a dog. The story can be poignant, brushed with soft grays and lavenders as Thunder’s tail droops, then brightening as she bounces into hilarious contretemps, tail whipping back and forth, tongue lolling, and action lines surrounding her wild movements. A history of dogs and “in-FUR-mation” about dog behavior is included in the back.
This lands in that sweet spot between readers who are finished with easy readers and beginning chapters but not quite ready to tackle a full-length chapter book. Dogs are a perennial interest for kids and the smooth blend of fiction and nonfiction is very well done. Sage is a relatable character, not least because she is a secondary character to the story, which focuses on the dog’s feelings, actions, and choices, and allows kids to imagine how their dogs—real or desired—view them. This will definitely be popular with fans of animal-themed comics like the PAWS series by Nathan Fairbairn, Animal Rescue Friends, and a plethora of animal-themed beginning chapter books.
The Adventures of Thunder and Sage Vol. 1
By Bethanie Murguia
Macmillan Roaring Brook, 2024
ISBN: 9781250908735
Publisher Age Rating: ages 6-10
NFNT Age Recommendation: Easy Readers (5-9), Middle Grade (7-11)
