Out from Boneville

Gr 4 Up--Jeff Smith's highly influential "Bone," which originally started life as a self-published comics serial from 1991 through 2004, garnered mainstream attention when it got the full-color treatment in 2005, thereby launching Scholastic's Graphix imprint. The genre-smashing graphic series, which combines humor, epic fantasy, and thrilling adventure, celebrates its 10th anniversary with Graphix in this special tribute edition featuring all-new artwork (including a gallery of "Bone"-inspired artwork by fellow comics) and a never-before-seen poem about quiche by Smith. A fun acquisition for fans of the series.--Kiera Parrott, School Library Journal

Copyright 2016 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

The nine-volume "Bone" graphic novel series was the toast of the comics world when it was published by Smith's own Cartoon Books beginning in the early 1990s; in this first volume of Scholastic's new edition, the original b& w art has been beautifully converted into color. Smith's epic concerns three blobby creatures who have stumbled into a valley full of monsters, magic, farmers, an exiled princess and a huge, cynical dragon. The story is something like a Chuck Jones version of "The Lord of the Rings": hilarious and action-packed, but rarely losing track of its darker subtext about power and evil. This volume is the most lighthearted of the bunch, though, featuring some of the wittiest writing of any children's literature in recent memory -a few of Smith's gags are so delicious that he repeated them for the rest of the series. It also introduces the "Bone" cast's unforgettable supporting characters: the leathery, tough-as-nails, racing-cow-breeding Gran'ma Ben; the carnivorous but quiche-loving "rat creatures"; a spunky trio of baby opossums; and Ted the Bug, whose minimalist appearance (a tiny semicircle) exemplifies Smith's gift for less-is-more cartooning. The way his clear-lined, exaggerated characters contrast with their subtle, detailed backgrounds is a product of his background in animation, and so is his mastery of camera angles and choreography. This is first-class kid lit: exciting, funny, scary and resonant enough that it will stick with readers for a long time. "(Feb.)" Copyright 2005 Publishers Weekly Used with permission.

Gr 5 Up -A whimsical journey, cunningly told. It combines fable with American legend in a tale of greed, friendship, and struggle. The story follows three cousins who have been thrown out of their town for cheating the citizens. Shortly thereafter, they are separated. Each Bone stumbles into a mysterious valley full of odd creatures that reveal strange happenings. The story is well paced with smooth transitions. It is dark, witty, mysterious, and exciting. The full-color art reflects that of classic comic books; one glance at the comic cels and one is reminded of old Disney and "Peanuts" cartoons. However, the animation and fresh story line put Smith in a league of his own." -Scott La Counte, Anaheim Public Library, CA" Copyright 2005 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

The nine-volume "Bone" graphic novel series was the toast of the comics world when it was published by Smith's own Cartoon Books beginning in the early 1990s; in this first volume of Scholastic's new edition, the original b& w art has been beautifully converted into color. Smith's epic concerns three blobby creatures who have stumbled into a valley full of monsters, magic, farmers, an exiled princess and a huge, cynical dragon. The story is something like a Chuck Jones version of "The Lord of the Rings": hilarious and action-packed, but rarely losing track of its darker subtext about power and evil. This volume is the most lighthearted of the bunch, though, featuring some of the wittiest writing of any children's literature in recent memory -a few of Smith's gags are so delicious that he repeated them for the rest of the series. It also introduces the "Bone" cast's unforgettable supporting characters: the leathery, tough-as-nails, racing-cow-breeding Gran'ma Ben; the carnivorous but quiche-loving "rat creatures"; a spunky trio of baby opossums; and Ted the Bug, whose minimalist appearance (a tiny semicircle) exemplifies Smith's gift for less-is-more cartooning. The way his clear-lined, exaggerated characters contrast with their subtle, detailed backgrounds is a product of his background in animation, and so is his mastery of camera angles and choreography. This is first-class kid lit: exciting, funny, scary and resonant enough that it will stick with readers for a long time. "(Feb.)" Copyright 2005 Publishers Weekly Used with permission.

Gr 5 Up -A whimsical journey, cunningly told. It combines fable with American legend in a tale of greed, friendship, and struggle. The story follows three cousins who have been thrown out of their town for cheating the citizens. Shortly thereafter, they are separated. Each Bone stumbles into a mysterious valley full of odd creatures that reveal strange happenings. The story is well paced with smooth transitions. It is dark, witty, mysterious, and exciting. The full-color art reflects that of classic comic books; one glance at the comic cels and one is reminded of old Disney and "Peanuts" cartoons. However, the animation and fresh story line put Smith in a league of his own." -Scott La Counte, Anaheim Public Library, CA" Copyright 2005 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.