What sets graphic novels like Dragons Beware! (a sequel to the equally wonderful Giants Beware! from a few years ago … this graphic novel comes out next month .. I received an advance copy) is easy to identify but not so easy to pull off: strong characters, solid writing and engaging artwork. If only every graphic novel hitting the shelves for young readers consistently had those three things ….
Luckily, writer Rafael Rosado and illustrator Jorge Aguirre have kept the character of the girl hero, Claudette, fearless and adventuress and in the midst of another mission, this time to secure her father’s long-lost sword — which just happens to sit inside the stomach of the most fearsome dragon in the land. Claudette, whose fully-drawn character will connect with readers of any age and any gender (even though I am happy we have a girl protagonist here), travels with her band of friends and family, including the kingdom’s princess, whose advice on solving problems through diplomatic discussions saves the day as much as Claudette’s bravery.
The quality of the writing never drops here, even with the minor characters (a ragtag band of princes follows Claudette’s team and it is like watching the Little Rascals on the page), and the artwork is magnificent. The publisher, First Second, takes full use of the oversized book to bring the dragon (and its children) to full repose, extending frames across double-pages to heighten the action.
Dragons Beware! will be a sure-fire hit in most elementary and even middle school classrooms, I suspect. I am hopeful a third book is in the future. Claudette and her friends deserve another adventure, and so do we.
Peace (in the lair),
Kevin