Capstone has been doing sets of four fractured fairy tales; so far they’ve done Far Out Fairy Tales with titles like Goldilocks and the Three Vampires, Far Out Fables with The Lion and the Mouse and the Invaders from Zurg, and now they’re tackling folktales. One small quibble—technically, this latest set is tall tales, but clearly they had to stick with the alliteration!
I looked at two titles from this set; Paul Bunyan and Babe the Blue Whale takes the story of Paul Bunyan under the sea. Along with his best friend Babe, Paul Bunyan performs feats of strength, creates natural landmarks under the sea, like mountains and trenches, and defends the merpeople from mean sharks. He’s got his own fans, worried but loving parents (the king and queen of Atlantis), and eventually decides to move up onto land.
In the second title, Johnny Slimeseed and the Freaky Forest, Johnny Appleseed gets a monstrous makeover. Johnny lives in the town of Nightmare, where all the monsters love to get out and scare people. After all, there’s nothing else to do. But Johnny doesn’t think it’s nice to scare people—if only he could find something that was more fun, everyone would do that instead. As he searches in the human world, he meets Sleeka, a worm from Bugsville, who tells him of a wonderful, slimy tree on an island. After a lengthy search, Johnny discovers one last slimy seed and with plenty of green snot, he’s ready to change his world and cover it in slime!
Both books begin with a cast of characters and end with the original tall tale, a visual comparison of the “twists” in the tale (apple seeds swapped for slime seeds for example), and visual questions, showing panels from the book and asking readers to take a closer look. There are also notes on the authors and a glossary.
The art is done by two different creators; Otis Frampton in Paul Bunyan uses a more classic cartoonish style, using lots of blues and earth colors, and showing characters with big cartoon eyes, curly hair, and exaggerated expressions. These are cartoon mermaids, not the beautiful or dangerous mermaids of older stories, and Paul Bunyan combines a stocking cap, plaid shirt, suspenders and belt with his fishy tail. Berenice Munz in Johnny Slimeseed looks more manga-inspired, showing characters with spiky hair, manga-style eyes, and lots of slick, digitized color. The slime is sparkly and goopy and the colors are wild purples and greens. Everything has an extra shimmer, from Johnny’s metal pot hat to his green snot explosions.
The additional resources will make these useful in a classroom setting, especially if teachers are studying tall tales. Kids who have enjoyed the previous titles in these collections will be eager to take a look at these, although they include more exaggerated humor and gross stuff. These would make good additional purchases for a school or library wanting to add to their graphic novel collection or fill out resources for studying tales of different kinds.
Far Out Folktales series (Capstone) Paul Bunyan and Babe the Blue Whale By Penelope Gruber Art by Otis Frampton ISBN: 9781496578426
Johnny Slimeseed and the Freaky Forest By Stephanie True Peters Art by Berenice Muniz ISBN: 9781496578433 Capstone, 2019 NFNT Age Recommendation: Easy Readers (5-9), Middle Grade (7-11) Series Reading Order
Neil Gaiman, known primarily for his comics work and novels, is a master of creating short stories. Long-time Gaiman readers should recognize the stories that inspired these four shorts, two adapted from prose and two from poems, while those new to his writing outside of the world of comics are introduced to these four pieces that celebrate the power of story and storytelling.
The first entry, “The Problem of Susan,” was originally published as text in Flights: Extreme Visions of Fantasy Volume II, edited by Al Sarrantonio (2004) and has been republished several times since then in various collections of horror and fantasy tales. Here, the story is brought to life by illustrator P. Craig Russell with colors by Lovern Kindzierski. An elderly woman, Professor Hastings, is being interviewed about her academic work with children’s literature when she reveals that she is still in mourning for her entire family, who died in a train crash when she was much younger. Although her first name is never mentioned, there are numerous hints in her conversation that imply that she is Susan Pevensie from the Narnia books. While Susan and Narnia are highlighted in the story, there is also a strong focus on the reading of children’s literature through time. This storyteller appreciates the inclusion of conversation fragments such as “…the Grimms’ stories were collected for adults and, when the Grimms realized the books were being read in the nursery, were bowdlerized to make them more appropriate” (16). The fantasy and dream sequences are in bright and vivacious colors, while the scenes with the older woman are in earthier tones. Facial expressions in both realms are exquisite.
“Locks,” an adaptation of a poem, continues the pattern of children’s literature and storytelling. In this reworking of the familiar nursery rhyme, Gaiman offers insight on the storytelling ritual between a father and his young daughter and how the two have quite diverse perceptions of the plot line. Russell was responsible for the illustrations and Kindzierski for the coloring in this adaptation of a story first written for Gaiman’s two-year old daughter (1999).
The third tale, and my favorite, is dedicated to Ray Bradbury. There is a strong echo of the folktale of “The Twelve Months” at the beginning of “October in the Chair,” illustrated by Scott Hampton. The months, in human form, have regular meetings to tell stories. October has the chair and relates the sobering adventures of a young boy, Runt, who runs away from home and is befriended by a young male ghost. The tale of a story within a story, first published in 2002, was written to explore Gaiman’s idea of writing about two young boys, one living and the other a ghost, and preceded his successful novel, The Graveyard Book. The story won the Locus Award for Best Short Story (2003). The illustrations here are much darker and not just because much of the action takes place around the campfire at night. Hampton provides a frightening vision, which adds to the authenticity and effectiveness of the tale and the storytelling session. “And they touched hands as they walked away from the fire’s orange embers, taking their stories with them back into the dark” (68).
The final entry, “The Day the Saucers Came,” with artwork by Paul Chadwick, is a poem comprised of seven splash pages with blocks of text nestled among the fanciful and exotic illustrations. Alien invasions, zombies, Ragnarok, and other calamitous events all go by unobserved by the young woman awaiting a phone call from the individual reciting the poem. Each of the full page illustrations have a great deal to unpack, offering a visual feast and diverse interpretations. Highly recommended for Gaiman fans and those who appreciate the power of story and storytelling regardless of the format!
The Problem of Susan and Other Stories By Neil Gaiman Art by P. Craig Russell Scott Hampton Paul Chadwick ISBN: 9781506705118 Dark Horse, 2019 Publisher Age Rating: 14+
Cautionary Fables and Fairy Tales is the umbrella title for a series of three compilations themed after a specific region of which this one is the third. The first two cover Europe and Africa while the fourth one, on Oceania tales, is in publication. All have been funded through Kickstarter efforts.
I had high hopes for this collection of Asian folktales, but was dismayed to discover that few of them have source notes or any markers for context. The geographic location is mentioned, but no background is provided for readers who may not be familiar with yokai, kitsune, demons, and other supernatural beings from Japan, China, India, Georgia, Laos, Myanmar, Turkey, Iraq and Tibet. I was very pleased, however, with the reworking of “The Ballad of Mulan” which followed the ancient tales rather than the Disney film. Aside from this tale and a few others such as the title story and “Urashima Taro,” most of the stories may not be familiar with young audiences. This is not a criticism, but it is also where source notes could have made this an outstanding addition to the ongoing reworkings of folklore in the comic book format.
The length of the stories varies as does the black and white art work in this anthology. Several of the tales have been modernized to including texting and other nods to contemporary life, but the vast majority have retained the ancient settings; particularly those by a diverse range of illustrators including Gene Luen Yang, Nina Matsumoto, and Carla Speed McNeil. Most of the other creators in this collection are known better through their webcomics and indie titles. The illustrations range from manga-like cartoon-y artwork to detailed and realistic penciling and the application of black and shadows. The mood of the stories is also as diverse as the tales themselves, with a mixture of light and dark themes. Some of the tales are excerpts from longer legends and books such as Yang’s “From the Journey of the Monkey King” from American Born Chinese. All the tales offer warnings or advice for the protagonists and the readers. Unfortunately for many of the protagonists, there is a great deal of pain in learning these lessons. They do, as the overall theme indicates, offer a cautionary edification for the reader.
I wish I could recommend this for library collections but the lack of source notes for this storyteller is truly a stumbling block. There is no need in today’s publishing world not to respect the tales and culture from where the stories originated. Very few of the entries even acknowledge that the individual tale has been adapted.
Tamamo the Fox Maiden and Other Asian Stories By C. Spike Trotman, ed. Kate Ashwin, ed. Kel McDonald Art by Carla Speed McNeil, Gene Leun Yang, Nina Matsumoto, et al ISBN: 9781945820342 Iron Circus, 2018 Publisher Age Rating: all ages NFNT Age Recommendation: Easy Readers (5-9), Middle Grade (7-11), Tween (10-13)
Browse for more like this title Related to…: Inspired by myth, Retelling
This amusing anthology of four reworkings of folkloric motifs and tales celebrates the power of persistence and peaceful contemplation in brilliant colours and slapstick artistry for young readers. The book itself is created for both constant library borrowings and continued parent and child readings—with a sturdy hardcover and large and flamboyant panels throughout the interior. The book jacket has different illustrations than the cover of the book itself. My favourite character, the frog, adorns the back of both the book and the book jacket. The frog may just be sitting on the singing rock of the second tale.
The first entry, “Hip Hop Wish,” plays with the story of the genie in the lamp who grants three wishes to the person (frog) who releases him from the lamp. After accidentally hopping on the lamp and releasing the almost desperate genie who tries to grant the poor frog with various materialistic gains, the confused frog finally gains peace and quiet when he wishes the genie to re-enter the lamp. Or does he? There are still two wishes for the genie to grant! This reviewer loved the facial and other non-verbal expressions of the beleaguered frog. The illustrations of the genie were equally well executed, but I did not like the fact that he was depicted as a spoiled brat rather than a worthy opponent for the frog. However, as I am not the age of the intended audience, this is a very minor quibble with the story.
The title entry, “The Singing Rock,” also played with popular folktale components, the transformative powers of an angry witch. This witch despises music in any shape or form, converting all who play an instrument, whistles, or sings in her presence into a farm animal. One day a rather untalented musician is sent to the witch’s village by faraway people who truly appreciate music. After a series of musical mishaps and animal transformations, the hapless musician happily becomes the most famous singer in the kingdom in his new form: a rock. The strong colour palate and cartoony characters effectively aid in the telling of the story with a happy ending for the musical rock, the kingdom, and, ultimately perhaps, the witch.
“The Sorcerer’s New Pet” moves the setting from the timeless woods and the medieval countryside of the first two tales to pseudo-ancient Greece where the great and humble sorcerer uses his command of Pig Latin to work his magic. When a rival sorcerer gifts him a parrot to steal his spells, the clever hero uses his words, and the parrot’s habit of repeating of them verbatim, wisely and carefully. Strangely, the characters in this tale are the only ones not included in the “Character Designs” portfolio at the end of the collection, but their expressions and reactions do get the complete treatment in these illustrations. “Ogreish Art” also explodes off the page in bold colours and characterization. The setting moves the reader back to Medieval Europe before plunging into the underworld of ogres. As with the previous tales, narration boxes and letters carry much of the text. And, as with the other stories, this one contains echoes of familiar folk motifs and literary tales such as the “Emperor’s New Clothes.” This tale is the most didactic of the four, but it includes enough silliness and drama to rescue it from being too much so.
A worthy purchase for public and elementary school libraries.
The Singing Rock & Other Brand-New Fairy Tales By Nathaniel Lachenmeyer Art by Simini Blocker ISBN: 9781596437500 First Second, 2019 Publisher Age Rating: 5-8
SCI: The Jewish Comics Anthology Volume 2 is a treasure trove of 18 science fiction stories adapted from traditional Jewish teachings, legends, folklore, and mythology that started as a Kickstarter project. Several entries in the collection are illustrated prose pieces, but most of them are told in comic book format. The tone, tempo, and color palette are as varied as the diverse authors and illustrators that created new adaptations of the tales for this second anthology of Jewish tales.
In the foreword, editor Steven M. Bergson states that one of the intentions of this volume was to “introduce obscure, offbeat, and bizarre tales when we can.” A secondary objective is to make the collection accessible to readers of all ages. While I agree that the anthology met the first intention, I am not sure that every entry met the second goal. Many of the traditional stories are convoluted and, even with the individual introductory preface for each of the entries, the nuances and storytelling may be too complex for younger readers, even dedicated fans of science fiction. Many of the stories, adapted from the Torah and the Talmud (the compilation of the debates of historical rabbis debating what the Torah means), will be unfamiliar to many non-Jewish readers. This reader was particularly taken with the introductions offering background context and, occasionally, brief editorial commentary on significant aspects of individual items.
Among the many unusual tales, however, are the reworkings of the more familiar stories that will resonate with younger readers, such as “Stone Soup,” a traditional European folktale found in many cultures; “It Could be Worse,” one that the editors label “the crowded house folktale”; and “Something from Nothing.” This latter reworking, written by Trina Robbins and illustrated by Rossi Gifford, is one of my favorite entries. Robbins, the daughter of a tailor and a former tailor herself, breathes a fresh rendition on this timeless Yiddish folktale. The use of the color red for the blanket and it’s recreations garnish attention in the otherwise black and white illustrations for this tale, reminiscent of the use of the color in the 1993 film Schindler’s List. Taking place in the near future, the story reminds us all of the need for historical memory along with hopes for the future.
Several stories are ablaze with neon colors and creative panel layouts while others, such as Robbin’s tale, use color only to highlight significant elements. Many of the characters are identifiable as human while many of them are truly from another universe or time. The illustrative styles differ as much as the stories themselves and complement the stories being told. Included at the end of the stories are five full-page illustrations that are wordless stories in themselves. One that particularly resounded with me was a stunning and hauntingly beautiful retro-future “Golem” by David Mack. Biographies for the creative talent involved in the anthology rounds out the worthy collection.
SCI: The Jewish Comics Anthology Volume 2 By Steven M. Bergson Art by David Mack ISBN: 9780987715289 Alternate History Comics, 2018 Publisher Age Rating: Adult Series Reading Order
Everything about the day was normal before Petro broke his grandmother’s vase. Petro, who is an ungrateful young boy, breaks the vase while throwing a tantrum and then, struck with contrition, sets out to make it up to his grandmother. But when he gets to town, he sees a strange sign warning about fleas—and that’s just the beginning.
This whimsical, black and white graphic novel spins out the yarn of Petro’s fantastical journey. Finding the town occupied by the frightening Flea King and his army of minions, Petro embarks on a quest to capture the Flea King so he might replace his grandmother’s vase with the promised prize money. Petro encounters many characters and situations along his way. He’s imprisoned in a birdcage by a kapre and escapes the fierce adarna bird through teamwork. He’s even swallowed by a whale at one point, and, meeting in its stomach a little man and a monkey, helps the three escape by using a sling-shot fired spicy pepper aimed at the whale’s uvula! Elements of these thrilling adventures are drawn from Filipino folklore and literature, and the very few words of text that are included in the book are in Filipino. Readers who don’t speak Filipino should have no trouble getting the sense of the text without translation due to the expressive illustrations which, while appearing simple at first glance due to their thick lines and black, gray, and white tones, are full of surprising details.
Though the sheer speed and fantasy of the plot does sometimes result in confusing moments, many readers will find themselves swept away in the story’s magical characters and slapstick humor regardless. Petro and the Flea King is accessible to a wide range of readers due to its near-wordlessness, but elementary and middle-grade readers will likely find it most appealing: some will find the physical humor and imaginative scrapes Petro finds himself in most compelling; some will find themselves curious about the Filipino cultural elements threaded throughout the graphic novel. An introductory note written by publisher Jean Marie Munson contextualizes the Filipino influences of the graphic novel. She writes of how she always wanted to see “familiarities of [her] ethnic identity in pop culture” growing up and that she hopes the reader will “take away from this book how wonderfully colorful Philippines (sic) storytelling can be…”. (The note is not translated into perfect standard English but is perfectly comprehensible nonetheless).
The combination of near-wordlessness and a fantastical, fast-moving plot results here in a tale that is sometimes a bit difficult to keep straight, but this drawback is outweighed by the graphic novel’s humorous spirit, rich infusion of Filipino folklore, and dynamic illustrations. Petro and the Flea King is an invitation to suspend disbelief and enjoy each new transformation, capture, ally or enemy that Petro encounters.
Petro and the Flea King By Kenneth Kit Lamug ISBN: 9781717379238 Rabblebox, 2018 Publisher Age Rating: All Ages
Browse for more like this title NFNT Age Recommendation: Easy Readers (5-9), Middle Grade (7-11) Character Traits: Filipino, Creator Highlights: Own Voices
Winner of the Best Foreign Graphic Album at the Angoulème Festival in Belgium and recently translated into English from the original French text, this version of the traditional Jewish legend of the Golem is innovative for me, a person who has collected these legends for a long time.
Inspired by oral stories told to the author by his grandmother, the story follows young Malka and her family from the pogroms of the Russian shtetl to the Argentine pampas to better their living conditions at the end of the nineteenth century. Unfortunately, things are not much improved for them in this new scorched country. A visit from the prophet Elias to Malka’s uncle results in the creation of a Golem to aid and protect the new comers. Their mythical Golem, created from the earth, resembles a human and lives among the people as a neighbor peacefully for many years.
As time passes, however, another danger emerges when the Golem aids the family in taking an ill child, on the recommendation of their doctor, to the indigenous Old Wise Medicine Woman, Tomasa. The child is fine but the Golem and Tomasa’s young niece, Rosita, notice each other. Events escalate when Tomasa prepares a love potent which backfires horrifically. The Golem murders Rosita and then, running amuck as the Golem often does in the variants of these legends, he continues his murderous journey. Years later Malka, now an adult, meets Elias and is told the Golem’s story and instructed on how to destroy the monster who has continued his murderous journey as a bodyguard to corrupt politicians and gangsters.
The story is equally violent and hopeful, with a wide and vivid array of brightly and menacingly illustrations ardently activating this powerful tale. The imaginative layout and strong artwork bring, simultaneously, a historical time alive and subtly highlights the relevancy to today’s political environment. All while reworking one of the most powerful Jewish legends and breathing fresh air into its creation.
Prefacing the story is an essay by the author describing the genesis of his story and a concise history of the Jewish journey from Russia to a land of promise. There are also numerous sketches, figure studies, and full page watercolor paintings that follow the story itself, enclosing the hardcover graphic novel in a circle of love, memory, tragedy and hope. Highly recommended.
The Silence of Malka by Jorge Zentner Art by Rubén Pellejero ISBN: 9781684052875 IDW, 2018 Publisher Age Rating: OT (16+)
In this graphic anthology for youth ages 8-12, a collection of creators come together to present various reimaginings of African folklore and fairy tales. Spanning fables from Nigeria, Egypt, West Africa, Zimbabwe, and more, The Girl Who Married a Skull includes origin stories that explain why no one likes hyenas (they’re mean) and why turtles live in water (they don’t want you to eat them) as well as tales that highlight wit, bravery, and female strength. While some stories suffer from rather lackadaisical endings and look like coloring pages for toddlers, I found this little collection both amusing and playful.
For example, in the Nigerian fable of the book’s title, the main character is cheekily named “disobedient daughter.” She’s one of the most beautiful girls in her village, and all of the boys are in love with her. But it’s the dashing stranger (really a devious skull in disguise) who ultimately wins her hand in marriage. When the skull starts shedding borrowed body parts and returning them to their eager owners, (we’ve been previously warned that things are going to “get a little weird”) she realizes her mistake too late. Now she’s stuck in the underworld, expected to do the cleaning, washing, and household chores for the skull and its mother. It’s one of the more clever stories in the collection, and you can tell that writer and artist Nicole Chartrand had a lot of fun playing with the girl-meets-boy trope, as well as the unfortunate girl-wants-to-marry-boy-after-five-minutes-of-knowing-him plot device.
Other stories include a gorgeously illustrated portrayal of bird politics, an assassin in space, and an exploration in fairness with a crocodile. There is literally something for everyone. A couple of adaptations fell flat for me. Next to their more thoughtful counterparts, the overly simple artwork and fast pace makes them feel like obnoxious commercial breaks during a Saturday cartoon. However, these are rare moments, and young readers might welcome the light-hearted respite from the more involved stories.
The diverse artwork does well to complement the vast array of folktales, incorporating bold, loud lines in tales like “Why Turtles Live in Water” and “Gratitude” to express the collection’s zanier stories. In more contemplative tales, like the Zimbabwean “Chiefs Heads,” the illustrations are soft, almost delicate. My one complaint is that the illustrations are in black-and-white. African culture is known for its use of rich color and it seems a shame not to honor that in a visual representation of its folklore.
It’s important to note that there aren’t many titles out there that expose American children to cultures outside their everyday experiences, that present such a varied palette of artistic styles and moods, and that are both educational and fun all at the same time. The Girl Who Married a Skull manages to incorporate all of these elements into a wonderful introduction to African culture. Highly recommended for young fans of mythology, magic, and adventure.
The Girl Who Married a Skull: and Other African Stories By Kate Ashwin D. Shazzbaa Bennett Mary Cagle ISBN: 9781945820243 Iron Circus Comics, 2018 Publisher Age Rating: Middle grade (8-12)
Many tales from the classic compilation of Middle Eastern folktales A Thousand and One Nights have been retold and entered mainstream Western popular culture, such as Aladdin, Ali Baba and the Forty Thieves, and the Voyages of Sinbad. But there are so many others in this collection of tales that have yet to be told in modern literature. French cartoonist David B. has created a colorful graphic novel interpretation of one little-known tale. Entitled Hasib and the Queen of Serpents, readers are taken on an adventure throughout the mythological world of the Middle East and witness the age-old tradition of storytelling.
The tale opens with Hasib, a woodcutter, exploring the nearby forest with three lumberjacks. When the men stumble upon a cave with a secret stash of gold, the three greedy men take the fortune and leave Hasib trapped inside. However, instead of meeting a grisly fate, Hasib finds himself in the court of the Queen of Serpents, who keeps him company and tells him a tale about King Bulukiya’s search for the prophet Mohammed. During his search, the King discovers the Queen and a host of other characters, each with their own story to tell.
This specific tale may be unfamiliar to most readers but with colorful characters and an intriguing storyline, the graphic novel is able to bring the story to life. The story within a story technique, commonly used in the original A Thousand and One Nights tales, is used often in this interpretation, bringing readers deeper into the world of Middle Eastern folklore. David B.’s uses a variety of colors and detailed images to invoke this ancient tale. He uses his own artistic style with detailed scenery, disproportionate or snakelike bodies, and anthropomorphized animals. This retelling blends text and art so well, with narrators providing background information for each tale and modern dialogue that keeps the story active from page to page.
Some pages contain one panel that covers an entire page, filled with characters and fantastical scenery. The artist includes the characters Scheherazade and Shahryar, the Persian queen and king from the original tales, reminding the reader which night it is within the A Thousand and One Nights. Readers who enjoy folktales and mythology will be intrigued with this interpretation, especially with the scenes of noteworthy figures of Islamic tradition, such as King Solomon and Mohammed, and characters from Middle Eastern mythology, such as Djinns and the bird Simorgh.
David B.’s Hasib and the Queen of Serpents is an artistic interpretation of an ancient tale of adventure, war, and faith. It will make a great addition to any public library’s graphic novel collection. Adult patrons who enjoy mythology and folklore, along with colorful and expressive comics will want to take a look at this tale.
Hasib and the Queen of Serpents by David B. ISBN: 9781681121628 NBM Publishing, 2018 Publisher Age Rating:
From the graphic novelist duo Metaphrog (John Chalmers and Sandra Marrs), comes a graphic interpretation of Hans Christian Andersen’s fairy tale The Little Mermaid. With beautiful illustrations and language, this new book takes readers into a magical world of enchanting landscapes and magical beings. Underneath the detailed artwork lies the famous tale of a young mermaid who longs for love outside her world. However, reaching her goal comes with many hardships.
The fairy tale begins when, on her fifteenth birthday, a young mermaid is given the chance to explore the human world. She soon spies a ship with numerous people on board dancing, including a handsome prince. When the ship is torn up by a fierce storm, the mermaid saves the prince and falls in love with him. Her longing to become human and be with her prince brings her to the sea witch, who will give her legs in exchange for her voice. But if the prince does not fall in love with her and marries someone else, the little mermaid will turn into sea foam and live among the immortals forever. Unfortunately, this becomes her fate, which she willingly accepts in the end.
It is best to mention this is not Disney’s version of The Little Mermaid. There are no dancing crabs, hypnotized princes, or jokes about parenting adolescents. Andersen’s story is a tale of heartbreak and accepting one’s fate. Using these themes, Metaphrog has recreated a magical sad tale with amazing details and storytelling elements. The underwater world is filled with numerous sea life and illustrated using an oceanic color scheme of blues and greens, with dashes of pinks to bring out the mermaid’s clothing and floral accessories. In contrast, the human world is illustrated with purple, red, and gold tones to bring out the brightness and richness of the prince’s domain. The characters themselves resemble those found in a manga or anime, with their bright eyes, colored hair, and Asian-styled clothing. Their emotions are visible throughout their facial features, especially the mermaid’s. Her sadness and determination are key to the story, especially when she slowly realizes that her wish may have been the wrong choice for her. The panels flow well, bringing the characters’ actions and emotions together from scene to scene, along with story’s text and the characters’ dialogue. The artwork and text work together, bringing out the sadness of the little mermaid and her inquisitive nature.
Metaphrog’s The Little Mermaid is a great choice for readers who enjoy fairy tale reinterpretations, with its beautiful illustrations and emotional storytelling. Graphic novel readers will be drawn into this tale as well, for its artwork and story layout. Due to its somber tone, however, it is best to give this to readers who are in middle school or to those who are familiar with the original fairy tale.
The Little Mermaid by Metaphrog, Hans Christian Andersen ISBN: 9781629917399 Papercutz, 2017
Capstone has been doing sets of four fractured fairy tales; so far they’ve done Far Out Fairy Tales with titles like Goldilocks and the Three Vampires, Far Out Fables with The Lion and the Mouse and the Invaders from Zurg, and now they’re tackling folktales. One small quibble—technically, this latest set is tall tales, but clearly they had to stick with the alliteration!
Neil Gaiman, known primarily for his comics work and novels, is a master of creating short stories. Long-time Gaiman readers should recognize the stories that inspired these four shorts, two adapted from prose and two from poems, while those new to his writing outside of the world of comics are introduced to these four pieces that celebrate the power of story and storytelling.
Cautionary Fables and Fairy Tales is the umbrella title for a series of three compilations themed after a specific region of which this one is the third. The first two cover Europe and Africa while the fourth one, on Oceania tales, is in publication. All have been funded through Kickstarter efforts.
This amusing anthology of four reworkings of folkloric motifs and tales celebrates the power of persistence and peaceful contemplation in brilliant colours and slapstick artistry for young readers. The book itself is created for both constant library borrowings and continued parent and child readings—with a sturdy hardcover and large and flamboyant panels throughout the interior. The book jacket has different illustrations than the cover of the book itself. My favourite character, the frog, adorns the back of both the book and the book jacket. The frog may just be sitting on the singing rock of the second tale.
SCI: The Jewish Comics Anthology Volume 2 is a treasure trove of 18 science fiction stories adapted from traditional Jewish teachings, legends, folklore, and mythology that started as a Kickstarter project. Several entries in the collection are illustrated prose pieces, but most of them are told in comic book format. The tone, tempo, and color palette are as varied as the diverse authors and illustrators that created new adaptations of the tales for this second anthology of Jewish tales.
Everything about the day was normal before Petro broke his grandmother’s vase. Petro, who is an ungrateful young boy, breaks the vase while throwing a tantrum and then, struck with contrition, sets out to make it up to his grandmother. But when he gets to town, he sees a strange sign warning about fleas—and that’s just the beginning.
Winner of the Best Foreign Graphic Album at the Angoulème Festival in Belgium and recently translated into English from the original French text, this version of the traditional Jewish legend of the Golem is innovative for me, a person who has collected these legends for a long time.
In this graphic anthology for youth ages 8-12, a collection of creators come together to present various reimaginings of African folklore and fairy tales. Spanning fables from Nigeria, Egypt, West Africa, Zimbabwe, and more, The Girl Who Married a Skull includes origin stories that explain why no one likes hyenas (they’re mean) and why turtles live in water (they don’t want you to eat them) as well as tales that highlight wit, bravery, and female strength. While some stories suffer from rather lackadaisical endings and look like coloring pages for toddlers, I found this little collection both amusing and playful.
Many tales from the classic compilation of Middle Eastern folktales A Thousand and One Nights have been retold and entered mainstream Western popular culture, such as Aladdin, Ali Baba and the Forty Thieves, and the Voyages of Sinbad. But there are so many others in this collection of tales that have yet to be told in modern literature. French cartoonist David B. has created a colorful graphic novel interpretation of one little-known tale. Entitled Hasib and the Queen of Serpents, readers are taken on an adventure throughout the mythological world of the Middle East and witness the age-old tradition of storytelling.
From the graphic novelist duo Metaphrog (John Chalmers and Sandra Marrs), comes a graphic interpretation of Hans Christian Andersen’s fairy tale The Little Mermaid. With beautiful illustrations and language, this new book takes readers into a magical world of enchanting landscapes and magical beings. Underneath the detailed artwork lies the famous tale of a young mermaid who longs for love outside her world. However, reaching her goal comes with many hardships.
