Review by Booklist Review
Editor Duffy delivers another knockout collection of comics, this time focusing on fables. Although the majority are interpretations of different Aesop stories, other selections have their roots in Russia, India, and the U.S. Ranging from familiar to obscure, modern to traditional, this vibrant collection boasts an impressive catalog of top-name artists, who interpret the original tales with an astonishing range of creativity and originality. Many, such as James Kolchaka, Corinne Mucha, and Maris Wicks, bring a decidedly contemporary sensibility to classic fables with humor, sarcasm, and twenty-first-century vernacular. Others, like Jaime Hernandez's The Boy Who Cried Wolf, hold much closer to the traditional narration. The fables are illustrated in traditional comic-panel format, with the notable exception of Jennifer L. Meyer's Fox and Crow, a fantastical interpretation in softly hued, full-page illustrations, which beg for multiple viewings. George O'Connor's Hermes makes several welcome appearances throughout the book, delighting readers with his easygoing demeanor. Consistently strong and exceptionally cohesive for such a varied collection, this will appeal to a wide range of readers.--Hayes, Summer Copyright 2015 Booklist
From Booklist, Copyright (c) American Library Association. Used with permission.
Review by Publisher's Weekly Review
Duffy adds to his stellar series of traditional tales reimagined by renowned graphic storytellers. As with Nursery Rhyme Comics and Fairy Tale Comics, the artwork is uniformly excellent and the writing is sharp. In these 28 mostly familiar fables (largely from Aesop, with a smattering from other sources), the characters are so engaging that when the fables end abruptly-as fables tend to-it's tough to let them go. How can readers resist the charm of Maris Wicks's nerdy sprat, who shares information about cetacean biology while trying to bring peace to warring dolphins and whales ("Might I also add that the artist has drawn our skirmishing cetaceans with human arms... preposterous!" he grouses)? Or James Kochalka's lunk-headed fox: "Happy little foxes love sweet juicy grapes! Is today my secret magic birthday or something?" Visual styles range from Simone Lia's stylized graphic shapes to R. Sikoryak's dead-on tribute to Krazy Kat's George Herriman and Jennifer L. Meyer's gauzy baroque set pieces. Readers who first encounter these fables through this collection may be disappointed when they go back to the originals; they'll seem dry by comparison. Ages 6-12. (Sept.) © Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved.
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Review by School Library Journal Review
Gr 3 Up-This title rounds off the successful Nursery Rhyme Comics (2011) and Fairy Tale Comics (2013, both First Second) collections, which contain short tales adapted by popular cartoonists. The majority of the fables in this installment are from Aesop, but there is also a sampling of selections from countries including Angola and India and famous writers such as Ambrose Bierce. Fables lend themselves well to graphic novel format, and the cartoonists do an excellent job of keeping the morals of the stories intact while providing a modern update by changing the setting or putting their own spin on these classic tales. Most notable are those adapted by "Olympians" (First Second) author George O'Connor, which make clever use of the Greek god Hermes. Avid graphic novel readers will recognize the bold colors, thick-outlined characters, and stylized font of James Kochalka, creator of the "Johnny Boo" series (Top Shelf) in "The Fox and the Grapes." VERDICT This collection of humorous, child-friendly pieces should be a first purchase for school and public library collections.-Marissa Lieberman, East Orange Public Library, NJ © Copyright 2015. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
(c) Copyright Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Review by Horn Book Review
As in Duffy's Nursery Rhyme Comics and Fairy Tale Comics, a variety of cartoonists contribute adaptations of stories, resulting in a unique collection of fables (mostly, but not all, from Aesop) told in a wide range of artistic styles sure to keep audiences enthralled. Included among the twenty-seven graphic storytellers are Charise Harper, George O'Connor, Vera Brosgol, and Liniers. (c) Copyright 2016. The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
(c) Copyright The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Review by Kirkus Book Review
Twenty-eight fablesor, as Duffy pithily puts it: "bossy stories with a message for you" get clever treatments and twists from nearly as many graphic artists. Inspired by antecedents from Aesop and other traditions to more recent works from the likes of Ivan Krilov and Ambrose Bierce, the entries are a savory mix of standards and more exotic fare. Surprises lurk in even the more familiar tales: James Kochalka's Fox can't get those grapes despite donning a jet pack; R. Sikoryak's "Lion + Mouse" is a terrific George Herrmann pastiche; Graham Annable jettisons the usual moral by giving his aggressive Tortoise ("In your face, you frickety fracking rabbit!") a lift to the finish line from an eagle. Among less-familiar contributions, George O'Connor's presentation of four tales from Aesop in which Hermes plays a role and Maris Wicks' "The Dolphins, the Whales, and the Sprat," featuring a small fish who delivers informative minilectures on cetacean anatomy while trying to broker a peace between warring parties, stand out. Except for R.O. Blechman's minimalist "The Sun The Wind" and, at an opposite, less-successful extreme, Jennifer L. Meyer's diaphanously arty "Fox Crow," the fables are framed in neat panels of sharply drawn, easy-to-follow cartoon art, with legibly lettered dialogue or narrative. Morals are generally not explicitly stated but (aside from Tortoise's triumph) are clear enough in context. Funny, diverse, engaging: a lively addition to Duffy's Nursery Rhyme Comics (2011) and Fairy Tale Comics (2013). (afterword, contributor notes) (Graphic fables. 7-10) Copyright Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
