Timo the Adventurer

By Jonathan Garnier

Illustrated by Yohan Sacre

Translated from French by Lara Vergnaud

Boston: Etch Books, 2020. Graphic novel.

One day, Timo finishes reading all of the books in his village and decides that it is time for him to go on a quest. Turns out, going on an adventure is not as much fun as he expected and his quest is not laid out for him like he wants. As he perseveres with his quest, Timo rescues a creature named Broof from a cursed temple. Broof's mysterious past is filled with secrets that take Timo's quest on a very different path. Though Timo starts his quest as a naive and gung-ho explorer, he quickly learns that adventuring is more complicated than his books make it seem and it isn't always easy to tell the difference between a hero and a villain.

Highly stylized, folkart inspired illustrations bring Timo's adventure to life in tidy and easy-to-follow panels. The muted, neutral tones of the illustrations offset the magical elements in this hero's journey with a classic feeling. In addition to the main story, we also read Timo's own account of his adventure in sepia-toned journal entries -- a record that doesn't always match up with the events we see in the panels. This is an engaging adventure story underscored by a reminder that kindness and understanding will accomplish more than brute force can, and, of the dangers of adventuring without a knowledge of the past.

Comments

Dude, That's Rude! (Get Some Manners) by Pamela Espeland & Elizabeth Verdick

If there's one book today's kids need to read, it is Dude, That's Rude! (Get Some Manners) . The authors provide a fun format for teaching etiquette to children. They discuss proper behavior at home, at school, at other people's homes and in public places. The information is completely up-to-date with cellphone manners and netiquette included. Fun, cartoony illustrations are on practically every page giving the book great visual appeal. This book is perfect for boys and girls in the fourth grade or older. WARNING: Bodily functions are discussed.

Funny Farm by Mark Teague 2009

There are things I liked about Mark Teague's newest book, Funny Farm , and things I didn't like. Where should I start? I'll do the "didn'ts" first. The illustrations show animals personified. Well, some of the animals are. The main characters, Edward, and his farm family relatives, all dogs, are humanized. They stand upright, do farm chores, eat at a table, wear clothes, knit (yes, with paws) and sleep in beds. Most everybody else on and around the farm, who are also animals, act like animals. They are outside, roll in mud, live in the barn, and require care from their owners. It struck me the most on the page spread where there are pigs playing in puddle in the rain and Edward, a black and white boxer, watches from inside the house. I thought "You're a dog! Go play with them!" But, alas, he can't, seeing as how he goes through his entire visit to the farm wearing a suit and red bow tie. Another picture that bothered me was the maple syrup pa...

Faces of the Moon by Bob Crelin

Faces of the Moon by Bob Crelin Illustrated by Leslie Evans Charlesburg; 2009; unpaged Faces of the Moon is a short nonfiction book that describes the different phases of the moon and why the moon appears like it does on certain nights. This book is short and sweet so even the youngest of moon lovers will enjoy it. The layout is simplistic and easy to follow. I don’t know much about the moon so I found it very interesting.

Provo Library Children's Book Blog

Search This Blog