From School Library Journal
Grade 3–5—Sam's grandfather, one of the foremost comic-book creators in the world, has disappeared. When Sam finds a strange pen in his grandfather's office, he discovers that the man has been sucked into the comic-book world he created, and only his grandson can rescue him. But that place isn't like the one Sam has read about; evil Baron Midnight is now in control and all the superheroes have been banished. Not only must Sam save his grandfather, but he must also restore the superheroes to a position of power in order to save the world. Rose describes the action with a detachment that never draws readers into the story. Nugent's illustrations are framed like comic panels, but lack the bold lines that fans of the genre would expect to find. Though Sam uses his grandfather's comic creations to outsmart the bad guys, readers never get a sense of him as a person. Emerald Curse carries none of the pacing and excitement that drive superhero tales. Stick with Brian K. Vaughan's "Runaways" series (Marvel).—Alana Abbott, James Blackstone Memorial Library, Branford, CT
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Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
