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Summary
Summary
A little hero faces big challenges in the first book of this totally unique fantasy-adventure series.
The first book in the Nnewts series follows the story of Herk, a lovable Nnewt who longs for stronger legs, something his mother and father wish they could give him. When his quaint village is attacked by the reptile Lizzarks, he's forced to flee his home and leave behind the only life he's ever known. Now, all alone and on the run, Herk navigates a dangerous world filled with strange creatures and mysterious wonders, where friends are few and an evil lord is in hot pursuit.
Author Notes
Doug TenNapel was raised in the town of Denair, California. In 1994, he created the popular Earthworm Jim. Doug's graphic novel GHOSTOPOLIS was a 2011 ALA Top Ten Great Graphic Novel for Teens, and his follow-up, BAD ISLAND, was a 2012 ALA Great Graphic Novels for Teens as well as one of School Library Journal 's Top 10 Graphic Novels of 2011. Doug lives in Franklin, Tennessee.
Reviews (5)
Publisher's Weekly Review
The peaceable life of a young "Nnewt" named Herk is shattered when a group of marauding Lizzarks invade his village in this first title in TenNapel's fantasy saga, which began as a webcomic and which imagines an epic conflict between amphibious and reptilian creatures. Though confined to water due to his underdeveloped legs, Herk manages to escape certain death, but winds up alone in the outside world, barely able to drag himself across the ground. From here Herk's journey to herodom begins, as he meets new friends, flees dogged enemies, and tries to find his footing (in more ways than one). While keeping the action rolling, TenNapel (Cardboard) shapes Herk's world, an expansive and magical everglade populated by strange creatures and steeped in history and lore. His soft spot for oddballs and outcasts gives the book a warm emotional center that, along with offbeat humor and some slapstick moments, balances the story's not-infrequent violence (Herk's mother puts up a good fight, stabbing one Lizzark in the chest before being brutally cut down with a sword). A visually rich and abundantly imaginative adventure that lands some serious emotional punches. Ages 8-12. (Jan.)? © Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved.
Horn Book Review
Color by Katherine Garner. Herk, a "Nnewt," is separated from his family during a covert mission to rout the Lizzarks, scaly reptilian bipeds, who have been spying on Nnewtown. Though "just a little fry," willful Herk learns the true meaning of hope when an ancestor helps him. The spunky Nnewt's journey is characterized by offbeat humor and portrayed through dark panel illustrations. (c) Copyright 2015. The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Booklist Review
A small village of peaceful nnewts has fallen victim to a surprise attack from their worst enemies. Herk, a young nnewt unable to walk yet, witnesses much of the violence his father is eaten by a weretoad, his mother is slaughtered by lizzarks, and his sister has been abducted. Swimming away from his village, Herk goes on a quest to find his legs and the magic that will help him avenge his family. Though the labyrinthine plot and dialogue may lead TenNapel's fans to feel that this work isn't as outstanding as Bad Island (2011) or Cardboard (2012), his signature cartoon style nonetheless shines through, and in typical fashion, he presents an edgy story, adding touching death and afterlife scenes for Herk's family that some children's writers wouldn't touch. The action-heavy panels, packed with lots of motion and sound effects, make this a great fit for reluctant readers, especially those who like fantasy adventure tales. Kids drawn in by Herk's quest will be happy to know there are more adventures to come.--Blenski, Peter Copyright 2014 Booklist
School Library Journal Review
Gr 4-8-In the quiet village of Nnewtown, live the Nnewts, a happy community of amphibians. Herk is a young Nnewt confined to his home's spawning pool because his legs are not strong enough to support his body. When Nnewtown is attacked by the evil Lizzarks, Herk's parents are killed and he is forced to flee. Alone on this journey and pursued by the Lizzarks, he encounters several characters who help him grow and confront the Snake Lord, the villain who replaced his original strong legs with weaker ones while Herk was still an egg. The first volume of a new graphic novel series by the creator of Bad Island (2011) and Cardboard (2012, both Scholastic), this originally appeared online as a web-comic. While Tennapel creates a generally uplifting story, there are several inexplicably strange turns and occurrences. Most notable among these is in Herk's victory over the Snake Lord when the constellation Orion, which the book does establish as a focus of worship for Nnewt culture, suddenly takes an active role in the story's events, deus ex machina-style. There's also a potential tone-deafness toward students with disabilities, presenting Herk's originally weak legs, described at one point as "withered," as an obstacle that must be fixed in order to achieve completeness. Tennapel's cartoonish illustrations are the work's strength, and its intended audience will find them exciting and humorous. It may be best to wait and see how the story progresses in the next installment before adding this to a graphic novel collection.-Ryan F. Paulsen, New Rochelle High School, NY (c) Copyright 2014. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Kirkus Review
In a richly imagined amphibian-vs.-reptile world, Herk, a small, but plucky Nnewt, must face the viciously villainous Lizzarks after they destroy all that he holds dear.Herk lives a happy life, spending his days with his beloved mother and magician father, helping them watch over their eggs and playing with his dear sister, Sissy. However, Herk's legs are a bit too small, and he can't make it out of the water to walk on land with the other Nnewts. Change comes quickly for Herk when one day a savage band of Lizzarksa fearsome race of lizardlike creaturesdescends upon his home and his village. Transformed by his ingenuity, sheer will and a bit of his own magic, Herk ventures out into the unknown to avenge his family. With this first in a new series, TenNapel has seamlessly transitioned his webcomic into print and masterfully blends just the right amount of exposition and plot to effectively hook new readers. Though a strong first installment, this lacks a bit of the charm his last few books (Tommysaurus Rex, 2013; Cardboard, 2012; Ghostopolis, 2010) have had, though it certainly doesn't lose any of TenNapel's trademark brilliant imagination. A promising first offering; now let's see where it goes. (Graphic fantasy. 7-11) Copyright Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
