Graphic Novel Crush!
A book I'm currently swooning over
I have been more ‘ish’ than weekly on my substack of late, due to general life admin and exciting Inked related things!
One exciting thing has been the recording of Inked as an audiobook! With a cast of one, me! It was a whole lot of fun and I know the good folk at Bolinda are going to do an amazing job of creating a soundscape to add to the many (many) voices I provided.
Karen in audiobook mode at the Bolinda studios
With no questions to answer this time, I have decided to share my love for Plain Jane and the Mermaid, a graphic novel that was released in May 2024. Published with the amazing US graphic novel publisher and champion, First Second.
I saw a lot about this book when it was first released in the US, however it was a little longer before it appeared in Australia. When I spotted it at the library, I adopted it for a short while and after reading it, I needed a copy of my very own!
By the hugely talented Vera Brosgol, Plain Jane and the Mermaid is an absolute delight from beginning to end. The cinematic illustrations draw you into the world of course, but the story and the characters are what really captured my imagination. A triumph of storytelling, brilliant use of the graphic novel format and a book I wish I had in my middle grade years. I highly recommend you seek it out!
“Jane is incredibly plain. Everyone says so: her parents, the villagers, and her horrible cousin who kicks her out of her own house. Determined to get some semblance of independence, Jane prepares to propose to the princely Peter, who might just say yes to get away from his father. It's a good plan!
Or it would've been, if he wasn't kidnapped by a mermaid.
With her last shot at happiness lost in the deep blue sea, Jane must venture to the world underwater to rescue her maybe-fiancé. But the depths of the ocean hold beautiful mysteries and dangerous creatures. What good can a plain Jane do?
From Anya's Ghost and Be Prepared author Vera Brosgol comes an instant classic that flips every fairy-tale you know, and shows one girl's crusade for the only thing that matters--her own independence.”
Until next time, grab a graphic novel!
Karen
Have a question about graphic novels? Have a graphic novel you love and would like to share? Drop me a line, I’d love to hear from you.
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Pre-order Inked, a middle grade graphic novel by Karen Wasson and Jake A Minton