Enola Holmes: Graphic Novels (Book One) adapted by Serena Blasco (Middle Grade Graphic Novels Review)

 We received a digital review copy of this graphic novel from the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own. 

Enola Holmes: the Graphic Novels
Book One
(The Case of the Missing Marquess,
The Case of the Left-Handed Lady, 
and The Case of the Bizarre Bouquets)
adapted by Serena Blasco
Published by Andrew McMeel Publishing
on May 24, 2022
Genre: Middle Grade, Mystery
Length: 192 pages 
Ages: 9 - 12 years

Goodreads | Amazon | B&N | BookDepository

Synopsis:
A graphic novel adaptation of the hit books that inspired the Netflix film! Sherlock Holmes' brilliant, strong-willed younger sister takes center stage in this delightfully drawn graphic novel based on Nancy Springer's bestselling mystery series. 

14-year-old Enola Holmes wakes on her birthday to discover that her mother has disappeared from the family's country manor, leaving only a collection of flowers and a coded message book. With Sherlock and Mycroft determined to ship her off to boarding school, Enola escapes, displaying a cleverness that even impresses the elder Holmes. But nothing prepares her for what lies ahead...

Our Thoughts:

Book One of the Enola Holmes graphic novels includes the first three books in the series, 'The Case of the Missing Marquess', 'The Case of the Left-Handed Lady', and 'The Case of the Bizarre Bouquets'. 

In 'The Case of the Missing Marquess', Enola Holmes wakes on her fourteenth birthday to find her mother, the marquess, missing. Armed with a coded message book and the language of flowers, Enola evades her older brothers, Mycroft and Sherlock, to go off to London in search of her mother alone. She finds new mysteries to solve along the way. 

In the included sequels, 'The Case of the Left-Handed Lady' and 'The Case of the Bizarre Bouquets', Enola continues to find and solve mysteries around London as she evades her brothers and searches for her missing mother, creating aliases and disguises along the way.

This first volume of graphic novels has fantastic watercolor illustrations that are both bright and colorful and have a very fun style that fits the time period and slight humor of the story perfectly.

Each story within ends in a few pages that look as if Enola has doodled, decoded, and deduced her ongoing mysteries as we read through the story. These were all very fun additions to peruse and added to the experience of reading them! 

This is perfect for young mystery readers or lovers of historical fiction! 

Follow

Sorceline by Sylvia Douyé & Paola Antista (MG Fantasy Graphic Novel Review)

 I received a digital copy of this book from the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own. 

Sorceline
by Sylvia Douye
Illustrated by Paola Antista
Published by Andrew McMeel Publishing
on May 17, 2022
Genre: Middle Grade, Graphic Novel, Fantasy
Length: 144 pages
Ages: 9 - 12 years

Goodreads | Amazon | B&N | BookDepository

Synopsis:
Welcome to the Island of Vorn, where mythical creatures roam free and only the brightest students are invited to study them. In Book 1 of this riveting new middle-grade graphic novel series, a gifted young cryptozoologist-in-training must learn to tame powerful beasts--including her own inner demons. 

For as long as she can remember, Sorceline has had a knack for the study of mythical creatures. Now a student at Professor Archibald Balzar's prestigious school of cryptozoology, she's eager to teest her skills and earn a spot as one of Balzar's apprentices.

But for all her knowledge of gorgons, vampires, and griffins, Sorceline is mystified by her fellow humans. 

When one of her rivals suddenly disappears, Sorceline must set aside her anger and join the quest to find her. But the mystery deepens, leading Sorceline on a journey far darker and more personal than she expected...


My Thoughts:

Welcome to the Island of Vorn, where everything is super fantastically spooky, just the way Sorceline likes it. She studies cryptozoology under a zoologist named Archibald Balzer, a grouchy old man who acts as professor to her and a few other budding cryptozoologists. 
When her classmates start to turn disappear, Sorceline joins in on the mystery and ultimately realizes that she might just have something to do with what's happening, or so she thinks.

This MG graphic novel is perfect for fantasy lovers! 
It's filled with cryptids, or creatures that people claim to have existed but can't be proven, such as fairies, pixies, unicorns, vampires, etc. Unfortunately, a serious mystery is affecting these cryptids and Sorceline and her classmates must figure out what it is before it's too late for them all! 

I loved everything about this from the illustration style to the characters to the plot. It's a bit of a dark fantasy for young readers and has a lot of mystery and magic.

The illustrations are absolutely gorgeous! You can get a good idea from the creatures on the cover but that is really just a small sampling of the brilliance in this book.

This is the first installment in a series that was originally published in French! I can't wait for the sequels!

Many thanks to the publisher for the chance to read this! 

Follow