You've heard it all before. A reckless and adventurous child runs off with a dog companion and friends, and together they brave dangerous terrain and confront the monster that has been terrorizing their town, only to learn that things are not always as they appear and that nothing is more valuable than friendship. But when your reckless adventurer is a tomboy, and her little brother yearns to be both a sword maker and a pastry chef, and when the standard for becoming a good princess is intelligence and cunning, and when the success of the quest ultimately hinges on saving the giant, it's clear that with strategic tweaks to just the right expectations, a familiar story can be invested with all the charm and fun a young reader could want. In a format running rampant with animation- and manga-inspired art, Rosado distinguishes his work with the rounded figures and distinctive characteristics of Charles Schulz and action that engages but doesn't become chaotic. A zingy little story told with fine flair.--Karp, Jesse Copyright 2010 Booklist
Gr 3-6-A blacksmith's daughter is unsatisfied with her peaceful life within the fortress of Mont Petit Pierre. Rambunctious and loudmouthed, Claudette yearns for action, like killing the giant that lives on the mountain outside of town. With her timid brother, Gaston, and her ladylike friend, Marie, she blusters her way through the fortress gate and into the Forest of Death, beyond which lies the Mad River, and then Giant's Peak. Can these three kids, armed with a wooden sword, Marie's intelligence, Gaston's fortitude, Claudette's stinky feet, and a pug named Valiant, survive in the wilderness and defeat the giant? Of course they can, but not in the ways they might have expected. The adults in the story are distinguished by exaggerated characteristics, but their actions are driven by realistic, largely generous motives. The story strikes a fine balance between being action-and friendship-driven. The art is similarly well-balanced: Rosado's ink drawings are strong and lively, with expressive characters and well-drawn landscapes. Digitally applied color is natural, bright, and nonintrusive. Fans of Jimmy Gownley's "Amelia Rules" (S &S) and Jeff Smith's "Bone" series (Scholastic) will snap this title up.-Paula Willey , Baltimore County Public Library, Towson, MD (c) Copyright 2012. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Comedy and fairy tale sensibilities balance perfectly in this exciting debut by writer Aguirre and illustrator Rosado. Delightfully spunky Claudette is set on becoming a monster slayer like her father (who is missing limbs due to his earlier adventures). When she hears the story of a giant on the loose, she is determined to leave her home-accompanied by her cowardly brother, Gaston, and best friend Marie-in order to set things right. Driven by Claudette's courage, Marie, who wants nothing more than to become a princess, shows proper heroic wits, and Gaston reveals inner strength and determination. When Claudette discovers that not all stories are as they seem, she and her friends must fool the adults who have come to bring them home to protect an innocent monster. The rich world and engaging characters are a surefire hit-and the glorious full-color illustrations, which pack a novel's worth of expression onto cartoon faces, should bring readers back for multiple reads of this many-layered story. One can only hope that Aguirre and Rosado have more adventures planned. Ages 7-up. (Apr.) (c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved.
