Early Graphic Novel Review – Jellaby: The Lost Monster by Kean Soo (4/5 stars)

Reading Level: Children’s
Genre: Graphic Novel/Fantasy
Length: 160 pages
Publisher: Stone Arch Books
Release Date: March 1, 2014
ISBN: 978-1434264206
Stand Alone or Series: 1st book in the Jellaby series
Source: eGalley from NetGalley.com
Rating: 4/5 stars

I got a copy of this book to review through the Amazon Vine program. It was a cute little read and I enjoyed it. I think younger kids will enjoy it as well.

Portia is a lonely and very smart little girl who has just moved to a new town with her mother. She’s having trouble fitting in at school, her mother is somewhat distant, and her father is missing. Then one night she wanders into the woods and happens to run across a sweet and lost purple monster named Jellaby. Portia’s life gets a lot more exciting with Jellaby hanging around.

This is a very cute and sweet little book, but it is just the beginning of a larger story. The illustration is pretty simple and very cartoony. The pictures are all done in purple tones, I really think it would have been better in full color…but the author does have an explanation for why he used purple tones at the end of the book.

The story is just the beginning of a larger story and very simple. Still it was cute and well done and at times pretty funny. Portia is a sad and lonely girl and it was fun to see her cheer up in Jellaby’s company and even make another friend at school through the secret of Jellaby.

There is a little mystery here about finding out what happened to Portia’s dad, but that really wasn’t addressed in this story much.

It’s a well done and cute little book. Definitely appropriate for younger children to middle grade kids. I think given the simplicity of the story children will enjoy this more than most adults.

Overall an adorable little graphic novel. The drawing is done in purple tones and is very simple and cartoony but does a good job of showing the characters’ emotions. The story is well done but simple, I think kids will enjoy this. Right now I am on the fence about whether or not I will read future books in the series, I am kind of curious as to what will happen next…but there just wasn’t a complicated enough story here for me.

This book goes towards the following reading challenges:
– 100 Books in a Year Reading Challenge
– 150+ Reading Challenge
– Graphic Novel Reading Challenge