Matt Phelan

There are some haunting images in this tall tale about a boy facing down the terror of the Dust Bowl. But it didn't feel like a satsifying story to me. I liked the connections to the Wizard of Oz, tall tales, and the detail about the jackrabbits--but I never really got into it. Maybe I read it too fast (I tend to do that with graphic novels). Or maybe first-time author Matt Phelan overused familiar tropes: the disappointed father, the sickly but brave sister, the kindly storekeeper who protects our hero from one-dimensional bullies. The art was great, but a story like this could have had a lot more depth. I felt like it ended before it really began.… (more)

Okay, I loved so much about this book. I didn’t even realize it was set in the 1920s until I started reading, but I loved the setting. It was a nice twist. I loved everything about the illustrations: how color was incorporated, how sketchy the drawings were until the end, and how creepy the evil queen “stepmother” was even when she was seen to be the most beautiful. I loved how she had an entire room with just mirrors. Her character was very well done. I loved how Snow White had an actual name and was given a bit more of a character. I also liked that her coffin ended up being a display window at Macy’s Department Store. Overall, the graphic novel was very creative and well done, in my opinion.… (more)