Order of the Night Jay

Camp Jay Bird is alive with secrets...or is it? In his comics, Frank is the mighty Super Bear, who fears only three things: math, his dad, and summer camp. But in real life, shy and nervous Frank is about as unbearlike as a bear can be. Sent away to camp by his father, he's sure that his summer is ruined; the only thing worse than the bullies are the bugs, and he's the only bear there, to boot! At least with a friend by his side, Ricky, a hyperexcitable raccoon, the ordeal has the potential to become an adventure...perhaps more of an adventure than either bargained for. In the (un)dead of night, Frank and Ricky soon discover that some secrets are better left undisturbed. Schnapp's debut graphic novel doesn't seem certain whether it'll become a detective-duo heist, a moving and cautionary tale of friendship and openness prevailing against prejudice, or a chilling campfire yarn, but it somehow manages to be all three and more. Varying in size, palette, and intricacy, the panels are wonderfully dynamic and engaging. Hints of characterization come through both explicitly and in the easy-to-overlook details, and even minor characters are imbued with surprising depth. The first in a thrilling series, this one forgoes the cliffhanger entirely and plunges straight over the edge, leaving readers hungry for more. Something wicked this way comes...hopefully, a sequel in the making. (Graphic novel. 8-12.) Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.