Amulet Vol. 5: Prince of the Elves TP
Publisher: Scholastic Graphix
Release Date: September 1, 2012
Price: $12.99
Creators: Kazu Kibuishi
Format: 208 pages, Full-Color, Trade Paperback
ISBN: 978-0-5452-0889-5
Age Rating: 8-12 per publisher
ICv2 Rating: 4.5 Stars out of 5

Amulet, like Bone, is one of the landmarks in juvenile fantasy in graphic form.  Other graphic novels are going to be compared to one or both for the next decade.  In the tradition of classic fantasy, Amulet began with trauma for the main characters, moved to a lighter story, and then grew gradually darker and more complex.  In this fifth volume, the action is centered on some very dark concepts, including some reminiscent of Tolkien and other literary greats, as well as various aspects of European folkloric tales.  The Amulet itself is a quest object, a character and an implement of power, all rolled into one, a bit like the One Ring meets Green Lantern, but Kibuishi handles this in a way that does not feel derivative.

For the publisher's suggested age range and above, this series has turned into something that graphic novel readers can show their friends who read "only" chapter books, and say "This is literature, but with extra pictures."

The only weakness, especially for a newcomer to graphic novels, is that some of the images are just too cartoony to take seriously.  Even the bad guys are sometimes just too cute to seem evil.  On the other hand, that may teach a valuable lesson about not being fooled by a nice exterior.

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