(2) 4-6 Illustrated by Scott Kurtz & Steve Hamaker. Color by Steve Hamaker. Valeria has struggled with fitting in and fighting in the past, but she is moving to a new middle school -- again -- and hoping for a fresh start. After some boys in her class observe her obstreperous behavior on the first day, one of them invites Val to join the Table Titans, their tabletop gaming club. Val doesn't know anything about Dungeons & Dragons, but she is a fast learner and excitedly joins them mid-campaign. When the team unexpectedly needs a new club advisor, the only teacher available makes them a deal: he will serve in the role if one of the kids fills an open spot on the wrestling team he coaches. Val makes the cut and discovers both D&D and wrestling to be empowering outlets for her outsized imagination, energy, and emotions. This graphic novel's clearly delineated visual narrative effectively moves between scenes from Val's real, everyday life and moments of make-believe. Simple backgrounds spotlight characters and their actions (both real and imagined). D&D vocabulary and concepts are naturally embedded in the narrative, offering context for readers unfamiliar with the gaming world. Themes of nonconformity and being true to oneself will resonate with the audience, and the characters' interactions with one another -- both humorous and awkward -- are realistically portrayed. An unapologetic celebration of growing up and finding one's passions.

Reviewer: Elisa Gall | Horn Book Magazine Issue: May, 2024

(4) 4-6 Illustrated by Jeff Smith & Steve Hamaker. Things are heating up in this graphic novel series as Bone and his friends prepare to face off against the Hooded One while Thorn begins to understand her place in the Valley and among her people. Newcomers will need to back up quite a bit to understand references made in this installment.

Reviewer: David Elzey

(4) 4-6 Illustrated by Jeff Smith & Steve Hamaker. Phoney Bone has most of Barrelhaven fooled into thinking he's a mighty dragonslayer, in this fourth book in the series (originally published in comic-book form). Meanwhile, the evil rat creatures, pawns of the hooded one and the Lord of the Locusts, have drawn the townspeople into war. The humor and action will leave fans satisfied, but the plot will likely confound first-time readers.

Reviewer: Mark Adam

(4) 4-6 Illustrated by Jeff Smith & Steve Hamaker. When greedy Phoney Bone is run out of town, his cousins, Fone and Smiley, join him. Fone makes friends with a country girl, her no-nonsense gran'ma, and a dragon; Phoney must contend with ferocious rat creatures who are led by a mysterious "hooded one" and who want Phoney's soul. This graphic novel (originally published in comic-book form) is slow paced but nevertheless imaginative.

Reviewer: Mark Adam