Publisher: Papercutz

Release Date: April 2013

Price: $9.99

Creator: Thea Stilton (pseudonym)

Format: 60 pgs., Full-Color, 7" x 10", Trade Paperback

ISBN: 9-781-5970-7403-2

Age Rating: All ages

ICv2 Rating: 3 Stars out of 5

 

Some readers may be disappointed to find out that this is not really a Thea Stilton adventure.  Like her more famous relative Geronimo Stilton, Thea is a world-traveling adventurer whose chronicles are very popular.  Instead this graphic novel is about a group of her avid fans, college-age rodents who wish to follow in her footsteps.  They call themselves "The Thea Sisters" in her honor, but they're more like Nancy Drew and crew than like traditional reporters or adventurers.

 

A second minor strike against this book is its length, really only 46 pages of story.

 

The story itself is a cute one, involving ecology, the privileges of wealth and the power of the press.  The Thea Sisters try to figure out the odd behavior of an orca, and that leads them to a mystery involving animal poaching on a truly amazing scale.

 

The book's lack of length forces it to move quickly, but a number of characters are introduced, for newcomers to the series.  Unfortunately, few of the characters receive any development within these pages.  Readers who enjoy it may pick up the "real" Thea Stilton stories, to learn why these characters are such big fans of hers.

 

Young would-be reporters will probably like it, but they may not love it.  Kids who are already fans of Geronimo or Thea will be the main audience.

 

--Nick Smith: Librarian Technician, Community Services, for the Pasadena Public Library in California.