When I became a Children’s Librarian, I was more exposed to juvenile books than ever before. Some were happy, some were sad, and some could be scary. It’s perfectly alright to have the latter kinds of books for kids as long as they know what they’re getting into. In fact, I found a graphic novel that might frighten some young readers, but it’s still a worthy read. What’s the name of the book? Well reader, it’s called The Stonekeeper by Kazu Kibuishi.
The Stonekeeper is the first book in the Amulet series. After the death of their father, Emily and Navin with their mother move to their deceased great-grandfather’s home. However, the house proves to be strange and dangerous. Before long, a sinister creature lures their mom into the basement. Desperate not to lose her, Emily and Navin follow her into another world that’s full of demons, robots, and talking animals. Eventually, they enlist the help of a mechanical rabbit named Miskit. Together, they face the most dangerous monster of all, and Emily has the chance to save someone she loves.
To show one how frightening it can be, I will let you know that the first few pages depict the horrific car accident that kills Emily and Navin’s father. It’s kind of gruesome for a kids’ book, especially with the blood. Luckily, the rest of the graphic novel is less intense, but still ominous.
At the same time, that opening scene not only establishes the motivations of the main character Emily, but also it sets up the tone of the graphic novel effectively. Throughout the book, there’s plenty of action that is reminiscent of a manga and a video game. These flow very well as if one is flipping through a drawing in the corner pages. There’s also plenty of places where Emily and Navin have near-death experiences. I bet once all of this is over, both will scoff at the phrase “stranger things have happened.”
Another thing that reminded me of those mangas is the artwork. Its illustrations often rely on blacks, dark blues, golds, browns, and reds with bits of pink, purple, and white thrown in there to contrast the darker elements. The manga-like quality is also shown in how the characters are drawn. This is most apparent in how Kibuishi draws their eyes with how expressive they can be. The characters go through a range of emotions like anger, confusion, and determination. They made me think of the characters that have similar styles and expressions in various mangas and animes.
I also like the world that Emily and Navin encounter. It contains steampunk and fantasy elements. It’s full of robots, elves, goblins, and octopus-like creatures called the rakers. This definitely makes the book stand out from other stories that involve children discovering a new world in an old run-down family estate (Spiderwick Chronicles anyone?).
From what I’ve read, this is the first of eight books in the series, so it primarily focuses on exposition, establishing characters and motivations, worldbuilding, and the core plot. I’d love to see where it goes from here, especially how the amulet helps or even hinders the main characters’ goals.
The Stonekeeper by Kazu Kibuishi is a great beginning for the Amulet series. The illustrations are gorgeous to look at and move the story fluidly. It’s not for every kid or adult, but if one likes darker or scarier elements in juvenile books, then this one will be up one’s alley. I would also recommend it to those who like reading stories about exploring new worlds that inhabit family estates (again Spiderwick Chronicles) as well as the more fantasy-filled and action-packed mangas.
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Book Reviews by a Chick Who Reads Everything 