217. Constance and the Great Escape by Pierre Le Gall. illustrated by Eric Heliot. 2009 (orig. French edition 2007). 32 pgs. Ages 6+. - Constance is a horrid little girl with a huge kitty. Her parents decide to take her to a boarding school for troublesome children and Constance hits upon a plan to get sent back home. The artwork in this book is gorgeous in what I guess is called a Goth style. Other than that though the book has rather a pointless plot: how to be a nasty kid; how to trick grown-ups into thinking you are good. I'm reading it as a Cybils nominee in the graphic novels category and it's simple one panel per page style is more reminiscent of a picture book, but it's appearance is more like an easy reader only the vocabulary is a bit high to classify it as such. Kid's are sure to enjoy the book, but there are so many more better books out there why bother with this one. My rating is based on the artwork 2/5.
218. The Elsewhere Chronicles Book One: The Shadow Door by Bannister & Nykko, 2009 (orig. Beligian edition 2007). 46 pgs. Ages 8+ - The first in a trilogy, this gorgeously illustrated fantasy introduces how three boys meet Rebecca and end up finding a door to another world through an old movie projector in an empty old house. Being the first book, we meet all the characters, are given enough backstory, some foreshadowing and a cliffhanger ending. Following the format of the traditional graphic novel/comic serial, this is a great book for younger ages to get started on a graphic fantasy series. Four very enjoyable main characters and an intriguing plot has me dying to know what happens next. Fortunately the other two books have also been released in English all at the same time. 3.5/5
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