Doodleville
(Doodleville #1)

Gr 3-6—Chicago native Sell's (The Cardboard Kingdom) latest graphic novel does triple duty as a tribute to the power of art, a message of the importance of friendship, and an inspired romp through the Windy City. The only child of busy parents who own a diner, nine-year-old Drew has few friends. Instead, she takes solace in her doodles, who, when they're not hanging out in "Doodleville," pop off the page and cause mischief. When Drew and her art club take a field trip to the Art Institute of Chicago, the doodles run amok among the famed paintings, frightening one of Degas's ballet dancers and making a splash among Monet's water lilies. When an angry museum bigwig scolds her for defiling a painting, Drew is consumed with worry, and her anxiety sky-rockets when her newest doodle, a leviathan, destroys Doodleville, invades the other club members' (magical but better behaved) artwork, and devours another character. Though racked with guilt, she must overcome her angst before it envelops her, with the help of family and friends. Sell has crafted a tender yet action-packed tale of a young girl who uses her creativity as an outlet for her emotions and learns to draw strength from those around her. Vibrant, whimsical cartoons keep the focus on characters' facial expressions. The tone and palette reflect the story; gentle, muted hues and controlled linework are replaced with angry purples and frenetic scribbles when the leviathan wreaks havoc. VERDICT Aspiring artists, fans of The Cardboard Kingdom, lovers of graphic novels, and anyone struggling with friendship will appreciate Sell's newest tale.—Beronica Puhr, Oak Park Public Library, IL

Gr 3-6--Chicago native Sell's (The Cardboard Kingdom) latest graphic novel does triple duty as a tribute to the power of art, a message of the importance of friendship, and an inspired romp through the Windy City. The only child of busy parents who own a diner, nine-year-old Drew has few friends. Instead, she takes solace in her doodles, who, when they're not hanging out in "Doodleville," pop off the page and cause mischief. When Drew and her art club take a field trip to the Art Institute of Chicago, the doodles run amok among the famed paintings, frightening one of Degas's ballet dancers and making a splash among Monet's water lilies. When an angry museum bigwig scolds her for defiling a painting, Drew is consumed with worry, and her anxiety sky-rockets when her newest doodle, a leviathan, destroys Doodleville, invades the other club members' (magical but better behaved) artwork, and devours another character. Though racked with guilt, she must overcome her angst before it envelops her, with the help of family and friends. Sell has crafted a tender yet action-packed tale of a young girl who uses her creativity as an outlet for her emotions and learns to draw strength from those around her. Vibrant, whimsical cartoons keep the focus on characters' facial expressions. The tone and palette reflect the story; gentle, muted hues and controlled linework are replaced with angry purples and frenetic scribbles when the leviathan wreaks havoc. VERDICT Aspiring artists, fans of The Cardboard Kingdom, lovers of graphic novels, and anyone struggling with friendship will appreciate Sell's newest tale.--Beronica Puhr, Oak Park Public Library, IL

Nine-year-old Drew's primary companions, a friendly-looking crew of living Doodles that live in paper town Doodleville, are known to escape into the human world, where they can alter art. Even so, Drew takes them on an art club trip to the Art Institute of Chicago, where they run amok through classic paintings, sitting at the bar in Hopper's Nighthawks and enacting a pillow fight in van Gogh's Arles bedroom. Drew's increasing insecurity about her creations--visualized by Sell (The Cardboard Kingdom) as erratic, sometimes eraserlike scribbles that cut through colorful spreads--spurs her to create leviathan-like Levi: "Something big! Something amazing!" that can compare to her peer group's impressive characters. But when her peers don't understand Levi, Drew's anxiety manifests, turning Levi into a monstrous, art-destroying creature that the club must band together to handle as Drew learns the power of embracing one's style. Sell's caricatured illustrations provide strong action, and single-hue overlays (purples, greens) highlight emotionally charged moments for the friend group, which includes kids of various ethnicities and gender identities. Ages 8-12. Agent: Daniel Lazar, Writers House. (June)