I am not typically a graphic novel reader. I have, however, read the Enola Holmes books and wanted to see how the graphic novel measured up to the original.
First of all, I have to say that I love the concept of Sherlock Holmes having a younger sister. The fact that she is as clever (or possibly more so) than her famous brother is even more entertaining. I will say that while the reading level of the book is upper elementary and middle grade, the subject matter is still a bit macabre so I would recommend it for ages 10 and up.
In Book One, Enola (readers will be clued in on the significance of her name) discovers that her mother has disappeared. Then ensues a bit of sleuthing on her part to figure out where she went and--more importantly--why she left (on Enola's birthday of all days!). She enlists the help of her brothers, Sherlock and Mycroft to solve the mystery.
The graphic novel retelling of this book was excellently done. The essentials of the story were kept in line with the original and I think this version makes the story more accessible to a variety of reading levels. This format also helps bring the story to life for visual learners and readers who may have difficulty focusing on a full page of print. It can be a challenge to find graphic novels with appropriate content for younger audiences. Parents will be relieved that this book is not only free of profanity but refreshingly free of women with exaggerated bustlines (that so often permeate superhero comics). I highly recommend this book and look forward to reading more of Enola's adventures in this colorful and engaging format!
Disclaimer: I received a free digital copy of Enola Holmes: The Graphic Novels through NetGalley. No other compensation was received.
No comments:
Post a Comment