Amulet Book 1: The Stonekeeper Review
Vital Statistics
Author: Kazu Kibuishi
Artist: Kazu Kibuishi
Softcover ISBN 10: 0439846811
Softcover ISBN 13: 978-0439846813
Hardcover ISBN 10: 0439846803
Hardcover ISBN 13: 978-0439846806
Reading Kazu Kibuishi’s biography at the end of Amulet volume one, the phrase, “Amulet is his second graphic novel” came as something of a revelation. As a fan of Kazu’s since I first read Daisy Kutter (his first graphic novel) in 2005 I have seen his work all over the place but until now it had not actually sunk in that he hadn’t created any actual graphic novels since then. As editor of the compilation series, Flight, his work has been regularly showcased inside and on the covers of these yearly releases and so I just got my fix of his work in these yearly volumes.
I love Flight but Daisy Kutter remains one of my favourite stories in the “sequential art” format, primarily because of its stylish cinematic approach. Each frame is gloriously composed like an intricate storyboard sequence for a film and they make the action in the story buzz with dynamic energy. As someone who has dabbled in drawing and read graphic novels for the last 10 years I can safely say there are few 2D illustrations that reach this level of movement, it ain’t easy.
Amulet volume one came out last year, in 2008 and was published by the powerhouse, Scholastic, a testament to Kazu’s ability and standing within the comic community. It is directed at a slightly younger audience than Daisy Kutter, with the protagonist, Emily, around 11 years old. She along with her younger brother Navin and her mother have moved to the country after the death of Emily and Navin’s father. This is depicted in a harrowing but pivotal prologue.
Actually much of the Amulet would be scary for very young readers; Emily spends a lot of time wearing an expression of fear and concern. She is a very human hero one who has experienced desperate loss before and the feeling of being unable to save the one she loved. She is determined no to let it happen again. Despite her fear she proves to be a very capable hero, reluctantly accepting the challenges put before her and taking them on with grim determination.
While Daisy Kutter was in greyscale and served to accentuate the fairly minimal style of that volume, The Amulet is in full color, no doubt more attractive to younger readers. The designs of characters, machines and locations are typically beautiful and Kibuishi’s penchant for anthropocentric robots has perfect place in this story.
The overall look of the world Emily and her family end up in reminded me of Miyazaki’s Nausicca in places, both in locations and creatures. As I mentioned earlier it is an intense story, there is no let up in the tension after the prologue, which would be advised to read with your child if they are particularly sensitive to loss within families. Having said that, the main characters are appealing and the villains more sinister than evil or destructive. Emily and Navin meet a number of friends along the way who help them on their quest and these characters are fairly “cute” and amiable.
The volume ends on a cliff-hanger and after a year’s wait Amulet volume 2 will be published in July 2009. It is available for pre-order now on Amazon and previews of the volume can be found on Kazu Kibuishi’s personal website Bolt City.
Here you can also take a look at the creative process of making Amulet, from the early conceptual drawings through the pencilling and coloring stages and finally the publishing. We will definatly be reviewing Amulet Book 2 when it is released in September.
The books are in a smaller format than most graphic novels and are available in both hard and soft cover formats. The hardcovers will withstand the wear and tear of frequent use without being too large or heavy for younger readers to stow in their backpacks. The softcovers are excellent value and have reliable binding for the format. I would recommend both volumes highly for libraries and schools with an ideal audience of ages 10+.
Book Summary
After the tragic death of their father, Emily and Navin move with their mother to the home of her deceased great-grandfather, but the strange house proves to be dangerous. Before long, a sinister creature lures the kids’ mom through a door in the basement. Em and Navin, desperate not to lose her, follow her into an underground world inhabited by demons, robots, and talking animals.
Eventually, they enlist the help of a small mechanical rabbit named Miskit. Together with Miskit, they face the most terrifying monster of all, and Em finally has the chance to save someone she loves.
