Review by School Library Journal Review
Gr 3-5-In this reinterpreted, graphic version, the classic plot stays the same. The dialogue is true to the original, and sometimes clashes with the more updated look. Almost everything in the story has been modernized. The Good Witch of the North wears sunglasses. Dorothy wears jeans. The Tin Woodman sports a buzz saw. The Wicked Witch of the West is both humorous and evil. The black-and-white illustrations are action packed, and the characters, with their Bazooka Joe eyes, combine classic comic touches with the popular manga style. Reluctant readers will gravitate toward the cartoon cover. Any library with a graphic-novel collection (or any library about to start one) will want to include this title.-Sadie Mattox, DeKalb County Public Library, Decatur, GA (c) Copyright 2010. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted. All rights reserved.
(c) Copyright Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Review by Kirkus Book Review
A lively and charming adaptation of the quintessential American fairytale. Caballero's black-and-white art uses clean lines, bold blacks and pleasingly variegated panel layouts to breathe fresh vigor into Baum's timeless classic. The storyline moves briskly while staying mostly faithful to the original text, though purists might cavil at the telescoping of Dorothy's admittedly redundant journey to Glinda's castle. The real delight here is the re-imagining of beloved characters for the 21st century, ironically reminiscent of Baum's own prairie populism. These Munchkins are no outré Art Deco midgets, but as friendly and familiar as Wal-Mart shoppers. The Tin Man becomes a genial robot with a buzz-saw appendage, and the Scarecrow a likable homeboy. Generous, openhearted Dorothy herself is clearly on the cusp of adolescence, spunky and self-reliant in her boot-cut jeans and Wonder Girl bracelets; and her magical silver shoes (no glittery ruby pumps here!) look comfortable and sturdy, far more sensible for the long trek down the Yellow Brick Road. By no means a substitute for the original, but certainly a worthy companion, and well able to stand on its own. (Graphic novel. 8+) Copyright ©Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
