Kitchen Table Reviews: Bone Series
Mir finds she likes these graphic novels in spite of herself — and her son does too.
Bone Volume 1: Out From Boneville by Jeff Smith
I confess that I once thought graphic novels were for reluctant readers, sort of like overgrown picture books. I figured the story would be simple and the drawings unremarkable. I'm sorry I made such a snap judgment. (I'm also sorry I let my daughter off the hook this week, because I think she'd enjoy these a lot, too.)
Jeff Smith lures us into the world of the cousins Bone, who have been exiled from their world and thrust into a place where mysteries and danger seem to abound. Kindly (not to mention pretty) Thorn and her grandmother rescue our hero, Fone Bone; but can they all stay safe from the rat creatures? Why are the creatures after Phoney Bone? The first three books in the BONE series, Out From Boneville, The Great Cow Race, and Eyes of the Storm may not give us all these answers, but we were immediately hooked.
Me: Did you like the Bone books?
Son: I loved 'em! We need more!
Me: Duly noted. What did you like about them?
Son: They're really funny. And they have all sorts of crazy magical creatures!
Me: True. Can you tell me who's your favorite character in here?
Son: Well, you know, all of the good guys . . . Fone Bone, Thorn, Grandma . . . oh! The red dragon! I love him. And Ted the Bug, he's always funny.
Me: Maybe that was too hard to really answer. Okay, how about this: Can you tell me what the Bone cousins are? Like, what kind of creature?
Son: They're... uhhh... little squishy white dudes with big noses.
We then speculated on the Bones' heritage for a while, finally concluding that we'd probably never know.
Me: Are the rat creatures scary?
Son: Yeah, I guess, but also they're sort of stupid. Which makes you laugh, and also, it means the good guys get away a lot.
Me: Is Phoney Bone a bad guy?
Son: No, he just needs a serious attitude adjustment!
I thought that was pretty generous, seeing as how Phoney gets the cousins in big trouble at every possible opportunity.
Me: What else?
Son: Oh! Fone Bone writes terrible rhymes. He says Thorn's toes are like potatoes! Yuck.
Me: What would you say, instead, in a love poem?
Son: I wouldn't write a love poem!!
Me: Okay. Who would like this book?
Son: Hmmm. Kids maybe 7 and up.
[Note: Scholastic suggests 9+, and it's possible my kid is a little precocious. The language is pretty challenging.]
Me: Just boys? Or girls, too?
Son: Girls too! Thorn and Grandma rock.
I have to agree. I can't wait to get the rest of the series and find out what happens.
Pros: Vocabulary-builders tucked amongst great drawings. Funny bad guys. Mythical creatures.
Cons: Lots of scary situations and threats of death. Fone Bone's poetry. Serial nature means you're always left with questions.
BONE (books 1-3) gets two comics-loving thumbs up for "squishy little white dudes" from our kitchen table.
