Wallace the Brave by Will Henry // ARC Review

Title: Wallace the Brave

Author: Will Henry

Genre: Middle grade, graphic novel/comic

Release Date: October 17, 2017

Publisher: Andrews McMeel

Pages: 170

Rating: ★★★★☆

Wallace the Brave is such an adorable little book! I think its target audience is around 8-12 (I am positive my 9- and 11-year old brothers will find it hilarious), but I’m a teenager and I thoroughly enjoyed it. I’m sure some older teens and adults would find it too juvenile, but I found it very entertaining, so I think it just depends on your reading preferences. It’s definitely a very light, funny read—there isn’t a whole lot of plot, but I’m okay with that, really. It’s the kind of graphic novel you take out when you want to laugh.

Like I mentioned above, Wallace the Brave doesn’t really have much plot, but that’s just the type of book it it. It’s really a collection of comic strips that follow the protagonist Wallace’s adventures, rather than a graphic novel with a story arc.

Wallace the Brave follows the adventures of (you guessed it!) a kid named Wallace, who gets into loads of mischief with his friends Spud and Amelia. All three of the characters have very distinctive personalities, and they’re all hilarious.

I also appreciated that one of the two friends is a girl—I feel like a lot of these types of comics are directed towards boys and don’t have girl characters who are central to the book (aside from a mom, and maybe a crush.) If we could get a good comic with a funny girl protagonist, that would be even better, but this is a start! (If you have any recs of middle grade/ya comic with female protagonists, please drop me a comment!)

I know I’ve already said this, but I’m gonna say it again: this book is hilarious! Like the laugh-out-loud kind of funny. I’m telling you, I was howling with laughter, and I know my little siblings will be too.

I also liked the little details included at the end of the book: a map of Snug Harbor (the setting of the book,) instructions for organizing a beach cleanup, making a nature crown, and taking care of a pet caterpillar. All seemed fitting for the story, and it was a nice little touch I think kids will enjoy. The only weird thing was that the map looked unfinished, but that’s probably just because I have an advance copy.