January 1, 2012
Gr 3-5-There's no shortage of excitement in these Choose-Your-Own-Adventure-style graphic novels. The format ensures that they are more about the journeys than the destinations, as every couple of pages end in a cliff-hanger. Readers must decide how to proceed, guiding the story. In Coyote, children must help the animal escape a confrontation with an angry bear. In the more successful second book, Rabbit tries to prove to Fox that he is the cleverest animal in the forest. As one might expect based on the format, some of the endings are extremely abrupt. The narratives branch out fairly randomly-readers concerned with making the "right" decision to continue the story needn't deliberate too long. Loosely based on folktales from the Native-American and African-American traditions, these books may prove an effective gateway for further exploration of those genres. The illustrations are bold with a bright color palette. Coyote in particular has a decidedly animation-inspired feel. For beefing up reluctant-reader offerings, these books are worth a look.-Travis Jonker, Dorr Elementary School, MI
Copyright 2012 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.
September 5, 2011
Young readers can choose the path Coyote follows as he escapes from angry Bear, whose meal he has just stolen, in this illustrated adventure book, inspired by Native American folktales and written by the author of the Eisner-nominated Crogan Adventures series. Coyote encounters fellow animals, as well as mythic hill creatures, all given ample personality and expression in a lively art style. When he comes to a key point, readers can decide what his next move will be by turning to different pages. The narrative is written in prose, while the key points before the reader must make a choice are depicted in comics. The choices yield 18 potential outcomes, ranging from Coyote being eaten by hill creatures to gorging himself on nuts and making new and unexpected friends. Readers will discover the endings depend on how true they stay to Coyote’s trickster personality; if they rely on sneaking or running away instead of Coyote’s quick wits and tongue, Coyote will meet an unhappy end. The story immersion, great art, and blend of prose and comics will attract even reluctant readers to lose themselves in a book. Ages 7–10.
October 15, 2011
Grades 2-4 Coyote, a Native American trickster character, encounters different animals (bears, prairie dogs, buzzards, moles, beavers, squirrels, yellow jackets, and salmon), hill monsters, a thunderbird, and other creatures in his search for something to eat. In these interactive stories, young readers can choose certain actions for Coyote that will lead to different outcomessome good, some bad, all fun. Schweizer (the Crogan Adventures series) is a professor of sequential art at the Savannah College of Art and Design, and he bases some of Coyote's adventures on folklore from different Native American nations, then briefly discusses them at the back of the book. Thomas' colorful comic strips alternate with pages of prose, allowing readers to see lots of the action. None of the bad outcomes are depicted to scare children (even when Coyote ends up getting eaten). This is the first volume of the Tricky Journeys series, each of which will feature a trickster character from a different folk tradition.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2011, American Library Association.)