Good morning, everyone! I'm switching my schedule around a bit and shoving a book a little earlier, while the one I had planned, Heavenly Tyrant by Xiran Jay Zhao (2nd book in the Iron Widow series) is not going to make an appearance here. While the series started out as YA, this second book was packed with triggers and content (plot wise as well as other aspects), which definitely shoves it into the NA/Adult category. So, while it was an exciting read and I recommend it to these older audiences, I won't be putting it on here.
Instead, we're going to take a peek at a fun, new series! At least, I'm pretty sure it will be fun. It is for chapter book readers and is a graphic novel, which promises humor, adventure, and fantasy. And stickers. Yep, this book should have stickers in the back to collect right along with the characters.
I'm ready for some smiles, so let's dive in.
A CHEESY BREI-GINNING!
Badge Quest, Book 1
by Guy Kopsombut
Andrews McMeel Publishing
Chapter Book / Graphic Novel
80 pages
ages 6 to 9
COMING...
APRIL 8th!!!
Pillow the bear needs to earn badges to become a hero. Fae the shape-shifting fairy needs to earn petals to earn her flower wand. Together, this unlikely duo sets out on a journey in this first book of a new graphic novel series, Badge Quest, by Guy Kopsombut. Includes a sheet of stickers!
Pillow the bear wants to become a hero. In order to become one, he must collect Hero Badges. Pillow has collected a lot of badges, but one in particular eludes him . . . The Dragon Slaying Badge. So when Pillow learns about a dragon that has stolen all of his town's cheese, he figures it's finally his chance to earn his badge. But the dragon isn't guilty after all. In fact, she isn't even a dragon! She is a shape-shifting fairy named Fae, and thanks to Pillow's tip, must now clear her name, find out who took the cheese, and why.
Pokémon meets Boy and Girl Scouts meets hilarious cheese puns in this all-new first book in an original graphic novel series, Badge Quest! Pillow and Fae must find a way to get their badges and return the lost cheese. This adorable graphic novel also features a Dyslexia-friendly font. What's more, it also includes a sheet of stickers, so you can start collecting your own sticker badges!
Pillow the bear wants to become a hero. In order to become one, he must collect Hero Badges. Pillow has collected a lot of badges, but one in particular eludes him . . . The Dragon Slaying Badge. So when Pillow learns about a dragon that has stolen all of his town's cheese, he figures it's finally his chance to earn his badge. But the dragon isn't guilty after all. In fact, she isn't even a dragon! She is a shape-shifting fairy named Fae, and thanks to Pillow's tip, must now clear her name, find out who took the cheese, and why.
Pokémon meets Boy and Girl Scouts meets hilarious cheese puns in this all-new first book in an original graphic novel series, Badge Quest! Pillow and Fae must find a way to get their badges and return the lost cheese. This adorable graphic novel also features a Dyslexia-friendly font. What's more, it also includes a sheet of stickers, so you can start collecting your own sticker badges!
MY TIDBITS
Adventure and super-cuteness make these characters fun to meet and a joy to accompany as they do their best to earn their qualifications and reach their goals.
Pillow is determined to become a hero, but this involves more than simply being heroic. A certified hero must earn badges to advance to the next heroic level. The reader meets him as he's already gotten a couple of badges but is having difficulty earning the Dragon Slaying badge. He's found a dragon, but as he's about to slay it, he finds he can't. But earning badges means all sorts of twists and turns, and Pillow's adventure is about to become more epic than he could have even hoped.
This is a lovely tale with exciting moments, characters to root for, all sorts of surprises, and tons of fun along the way. Nothing goes quite as planned, which makes it that much more entertaining. Pillow is determined, works with situations as they come, and ends up heading in directions he didn't expect. His new found friend, Fae, is a bundle of energy and quirkiness with a heart of gold. Her magic adds silly twists, which pop up out of nowhere...but then, she's also on a mission of her own. The two make a great pair.
The reading level fits the intended audience nicely, sticking mostly in a comfortable vocabulary range while sliding in some, probably, unfamiliar words here and there. The graphics take a more simple lean, pop with color, and match the atmosphere very well. It's a quick, easy read and very entertaining the entire way through. Plus, there are stickers at the end, which allow readers to collect their badges right along with the characters as well as receive simple 'quests' of their own.
And of course, there are wholesome messages surrounding friendship, acceptance, and not judging a situation without getting some background knowledge first. Oh, and perseverance because both Pillow and Fae need quite a bit of that.
It's the beginning to what promises to be an exciting series with so much more to come.
And here he is...
Guy Kopsombut is a self-taught Nashville-based artist and creator of the webcomic 4amShower. In 2017, Guy set out to help one person, any one person in the world, smile each day with his wholesome comics. Over the past three years, his comics have helped hundreds of thousands of people connect, get through hard times, and smile (a lot!).
Growing up in a Buddhist household, Guy was taught how to meditate, which he believes has given him an empathic perspective in life. He spends his free time self-reflecting, dreaming up more projects to help people smile, and eating yummy pastries. When he is not drawing cute animals, Guy is helping his parents at their Thai restaurant, The Smiling Elephant.
Growing up in a Buddhist household, Guy was taught how to meditate, which he believes has given him an empathic perspective in life. He spends his free time self-reflecting, dreaming up more projects to help people smile, and eating yummy pastries. When he is not drawing cute animals, Guy is helping his parents at their Thai restaurant, The Smiling Elephant.
No comments:
Post a Comment