Nola's Worlds 2: Ferrets and Ferreting Out

(Paperback)

Publishing Details

Classifications

Physical Properties

Description

Nola was right about the two new kids, Damiano and Ins. They're hiding a secreta big one. But why do two weird creatures keep attacking them What's going on underneath the too-perfect town of Alta Donna

Part two of Alta Donna is full of trouble, traps, and truths revealed! For the first time, something exciting is happening in Nola's hometown. One day Nola is trying to survive her mother's makeovers and gala parties, the next, she's fighting off strange half-animal creatures trying to attack her and her friends. It takes some snooping around to figure out the truth about her new friend Damiano. No, he's not human. Yes, he has superpowers. He and his sister Ines have escaped from a book so they can live as normal kids, and now something sinister is after them. It could very well be ferrets. And Nola is caught in the middle.

Reviews

This trilogy exudes shelf appeal. Unfortunately, the storytelling doesn't quite live up to the level of visual success. Living in picturesque Alta Donna, pink-haired Nola York-Stein is distracted in school and ignored by her divorced mother at home. Mystery surrounds the arrival of new students Ins and Damiano, who are being pursued by creatures tasked with taking them back to the fantastical Land of Stories. When Nola digs deeper, she finds that Alta Donna is not what it seems--the town is actually a buffer zone between the Land of Stories and the Real World and Ins and Damiano's escape is putting all three worlds in peril. Nola must find a way to restore balance while keeping her new friends from being taken away. Some readers may find the mystical aspects of story line frustratingly ambiguous. These are not stand-alone titles, but rather one large tale broken into three parts, so key plot elements and character motivations can be slow to develop. The anime-inspired art will grab attention. Alta Donna and its fashion-forward citizens are crisply rendered in pastel hues. Inventive panels and layouts may prove challenging for novice graphic-novel readers but add interest for those more experienced with the format. These titles are visual standouts but the narrative may leave readers wanting more. --School Library Journal

The lesson is simple: Nothing is as it seems--one should not rely upon appearances to make judgments. This trilogy is set in Alta Donna where the weather is great, sunsets spectacular, and the stars twinkle brightly, but something is amiss. Nola meets two new kids, Damiano and Ines, but there is more to them than meets the eye. The art is cool, and each story is aimed at the tween. The books are packed with searching for identity and longing for friends. Given the manga-esque artwork and the storyline, the series will satisfy upper elementary students. --Library Media Connection

Author Bio

Mathieu Mariolle was born in 1978 in Paris, France. After studying to be a translator, he returned to his childhood dream of writing books. He had been passionate about graphic novels ever since his father gave him a copy of the long-running Wild West comic book series Blueberry when he was five years old. His graphic novels include the series Pixie (with art by Aurore), published by Delcourt in French and TokyoPop in English. He biogs at petitsbiscuits.blogspot.com.

Born in 1978 in Sarreguemines, Moselle, MiniKim has always had a passion for animation and art. As a kid she drew her own stories using characters from Japanese animation, but not until she was a teenager did she put aside her aspirations for a career in a rock band to devote herself fully to illustration. She studied animation in Luxembourg, and after several years of jobs in a variety of fields, began working as a Flash animator and children's book illustrator. She discovered a love of comics when attending the huge festival at Angouleme in France. She met author Mathieu Mariolle via the internet, and he offered her the Alta Donna project. With her husband, game designer MagicFred, she is the creator of the graphic novel series Job Academy (Dargaud). MiniKim has a website at www.minikim.net, and lives in Montreal, Canada., Colorist Pop biogs at melanipopette.over-blog.com.