Andrew the Seeker

March 1, 2017

PreS-Gr 2-This bright and cheerful wordless graphic novel tells the story of a young boy who draws a (not scary) monster, who appears in his window. The boy chases the creature into the nearby woods in a delightful game of hide-and-seek as the monster takes ever more silly approaches to its disguises. Without using a single written word, Nordling and Roberts manage to convey the plot and the characters' range of emotions, and the enthusiasm of a young child on an adventure bubbles over in the cartoon-style artwork. Though this title is the same length as the average picture book, in terms of content it is more substantial and will be a good tool to engage struggling readers who want to move past books for younger readers. VERDICT This charming addition to early graphic novel shelves will appeal to children making their first forays into comics.-Elizabeth Nicolai, Anchorage Public Library, AK

Copyright 2017 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

February 1, 2017
A wordless graphic offering conveys the fun and frustration of playing with friends.In a bright, sunny room, white, carrot-topped Andrew draws a picture of his favorite three-horned purple monster. Suddenly, Andrew senses a presence at the window and discovers his purple friend peeking in at him. Quick as a flash, the young hero grabs his pith helmet and butterfly net, and the chase is on throughout an unthreatening, earth-toned forest. However, the violet creature continually manages to elude Andrew, and the boy's frustration mounts until, in a moment of palpable vexation, he throws down his gear, ends the game, and storms off back home. After a good night of sleep and some time to ruminate, will Andrew take up the chase again, or will his emotions get the better of him? Nordling and Roberts' take on childhood frustration is adroitly captured through big, clean, vibrant panels. The friendly-looking monster seems to enjoy the chase but doesn't understand that he's angering his friend. Andrew's irritation at constantly being outwitted nearly vibrates off the pages, and watching his emotions cycle from angry back to calm should certainly resonate with younger readers. Andrew will appear in sequels featuring team games, though not as the main character. Quietly thoughtful and emotionally on-point. (Graphic adventure. 4-8)

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March 15, 2017
Grades K-3 In this wordless graphic novel, young Andrew starts drawing a friendly purple monster, only to have him come to life right behind him. It takes a few tries for Andrew to spot the blobby purple creature, but when he finally does, he puts on his pith helmet, grabs his best net, and embarks on a trek into the forest to catch him. Andrew is dogged in his search, but the big monster easily evades him by comically blending into the surroundings. Nordling and Roberts come up with clever places for the beast to hide, though his big purple stature will give away his hiding place to everyone but Andrew. Roberts takes the charming concept and creates a simplistic yet playful experience, and the bright color palette is sure to please its young audience. Roberts does a particularly great job with Andrew's facial expressionsas he chases the monster ever longer, he subtly gets more and more frustrated. Though the message of playing fair might escape some readers, this gentle, adorable adventure is nevertheless a quick and enjoyable read.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2017, American Library Association.)

January 1, 2018
Andrew sketches a purple blob; next thing we know the creature's outside his window and a (frustrating) game of hide-and-seek ensues (�cf2]Seeker�cf1]). During Belinda's game of musical chairs with classmates (including Andrew), each time the music starts the gymnasium morphs into a candy-colored playland of animate musical notes (�cf2]Unbeatable�cf1]). These companion wordless comics both convey volumes through facial expressions, perspective, and dynamic panel progression.

(Copyright 2018 by The Horn Book, Incorporated, Boston. All rights reserved.)