Delilah Dirk and the Pillars of Hercules (Delilah Dirk #3)

Gr 6 Up--In the third installment of this action-packed series, Delilah's continued adventures with Selim lead her to meet Laurens Van Hassel, a journalist who is convinced there is a hidden city full of treasure awaiting him if only he can find it. He enlists Delilah and Selim to assist him, thus launching a series of Indiana Jones--esque exploits with narrow escapes from death and capture. Selim narrates, and though he rarely voices his opinions to Delilah, he lets readers know about his objections to her schemes. Chaos mounts as people around the world read Van Hassel's articles and learn of the group's daring deeds. The use of color perfectly matches the tone of each scene; warm colors are used in action sequences, while the more peaceful scenes in between are illustrated in blues and grays. Compelling writing combined with colorful illustrations makes this a book that is sure to delight. VERDICT Give to fans of Nimona or the "Lumberjanes" series. A first purchase for most libraries.--Jenni Frencham, formerly at Columbus Public Library, WI

In this third volume in the adventures of Delilah Dirk, the titular early-19th-century explorer teams up with Laurens Van Hessel, a newspaper correspondent who gives her a lead on ancient ruins that could lead to the third Pillar of Hercules. Along with Dirk's trusty sidekick, Erdemoglu Selim, the three traverse the Mediterranean Sea from Anatolia to Algiers to Gibraltar, piecing together clues and learning more about the third pillar's purpose. But trying to uncover a millennia-old mystery when working with a less-than-scrupulous journalist leads to competition and confrontation, requiring Dirk's wits, wisdom, and weapons--not necessarily in that order. Cliff enhances traditional features of a good pulp tale with a strong female lead and a highly dramatic visual depiction. While the characters are clear and distinct, Cliff is less generous with backgrounds, etching in some details but also relying on panel hues to generate a space's mood and ambience. This dynamic allows him to focus on the action sequences (of which there are plenty) and the character interactions. Cliff has created an engaging and daring character that is equal parts Lara Croft and Indiana Jones. Ages 12-up. (Aug.)

"Cliff's art is striking in both action scenes and in the choice of color palette, used to convey place, tone, and mood."—Kirkus

"Compelling writing combined with colorful illustrations makes this a book that is sure to delight." —School Library Journal

"Cliff has created an engaging and daring character that is equal parts Lara Croft and Indiana Jones." —Publishers Weekly

"Awesome two-page spreads capture the grandeur of their archaeological finds...Delilah's no-nonsense demeanor and dry sense of humor make her a joy to follow..." —Booklist

"This fun, fast-paced graphic novel is a pleasurable read... Excellent illustration tells the story and covers much of the action quickly and succinctly." —VOYA