Amulet: The Stonekeeper (book 1)

 

  •   Kibiushi, Kazu. Amulet: The Stonekeeper (book 1). Graphix, 2008. Ages 9-14

    After losing her father in a car accident 2 years ago - the protagonist Emily, her brother Navin, and her mother - move into their great-grandfather Silas’s house (more of a creepy mansion) in a town called Norlen. Even more creepy is the fact that Silas disappeared without a trace years ago. As they clean their new house, Emily discovers an amulet in a secret compartment. When the family gets woken up by a strange noise and goes to investigate, the mother gets kidnapped by a monster with tentacles. Emily and Navin follow the monster and end up in Alledia, a parallel world full of magic, monsters, and the missing Silas. Paired up with talking robots and an adorably smart pink rabbit, Emily must decide if she is up to the task of becoming the amulet’s stone keeper. What secrets does the amulet hold, and will they be able to find their mother before it's too late?
    This graphic novel is the first in a series of 9 books by Author Kazu Kibuishi and is a great choice for reluctant readers or those who enjoy reading horror, adventure, or fantasy. While short, there are 8 other sequels to continue enjoying. Kibuishi does a great job tackling grief and self-doubt to show that time heals, and one is capable of more than they know. Readers will love the exciting, fast-moving plot and appreciate the adorable robotic sidekicks. This selection belongs in middle grades because of its versatility to grab reluctant readers while leading more independent readers to read more of the series on their own.


    The novel addresses heavy, dark topics like the death of a parent, grief, change, growing up, and responsibility. The illustrations are simplistic and attempt to follow a darker, grungier palette to match, like in the cover. That being said, the tone of the story did not always match the light and colorful illustrations. The characters are expressive, and the background art is well done to help immerse readers in this magical realm. While this graphic novel doesn't fit neatly into the horror genre, it does have suspenseful elements to accompany the adventure/fantasy genre.

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