There's a lot about this book I don't understand. Most prominent among these contentions is what a Bone is exactly. They look like a hybrid cross between Moomins and smurfs. However, none of my questions kept me from enjoying this book.
The characters are very relatable--there's the people-pleaser, the class clown, the spoiled brat, among the Bones, for example. Other things I absolutely love are the dragon, the family of possums, and the fact that the book is mostly from the perspective of Fone Bone. If it had been from the perspective of one of the other Bone cousins it would have gotten old quickly.
This first volume sets up a series of questions to keep readers interested in the series. There is very little closure at the end, but this is not dissatisfying, especially as the next few volumes at least are out.
I borrowed this from the library because I had heard a lot of great things about this graphic novel series and wanted something that me and my son could read together. This is the first graphic novel in a nine book series. Overall this was a great graphic novel and completely appropriate for younger children, yet complex and funny enough for adults.
Fone Bone, Phoney Bone, and Smiley Bone have been kicked out of Boneville because of Phoney's greediness. Fone Bone gets separated from his cousins and ends up wandering through a strange valley. There he meets Ted the Bug, horrible rat-creatures, the beautiful Thorne, the butt-kicking and cow-racing Gran'ma Ben, among many others. He main goal in this installment is to find his cousins.
This was an awesome graphic novel. The illustration is solid but what really makes the book are the wonderful characters, the humor, and a storyline that will appeal to both kids and adults. This is the first book I have read in the Bone series and it is already starting to explore deeper concepts of good vs. evil, greed, etc. There is enough slapstick and general funniness that even my four year old son gets a kick out of it; although the rat-monsters are a bit scary for him and some of the more complicated storyline is lost on him.
There are some hilarious characters here. You've got Gran'ma Ben who can kick monster butt with the best of them, the sweet Thorne, Smiley Bone (who is crazily positive), and even a cigar-smoking dragon that only seems to appear when Fone Bone is by himself. Fone Bone has an obsession with Moby Dick that constantly puts other characters to sleep, which is hilarious. There are the creepy, but somewhat dopey, rat-creatures that are constantly after the Bone with the Star on his chest...these add a sense of danger and adventure to the story and hint at some greater evil lurking in the valley.
I loved every minute of this graphic novel and loved how the story is already interesting and complex. The characters are awesome and the humor wonderful; I found myself giggling out loud a number of times. We have only read a little bit of this with my son and he seems to be enjoying it also (he is four years old). This is a great comic for the whole family to read together. A great intro to graphic novels and a great way to transition from picture books to more complicated story/chapter books. I will definitely be checking out more installments in this series.
Excellent series. Works for kids from roughly 7 up to adults. A couple scenes of weird mysticism, later in the series. But my kids, who are sensitive, did not mind it. They didn't dwell on it, either. They were too busy enjoying the series.
It was a great comic... really. It flew by in a flash. I can't wait for the next books in the series!
