Brilliant art and engaging story

Posted by Aaron Genest on 9th Jan 2012

Both I, my wife, and my 5 and 3-year-old boys enjoy Petersen's Mouse Guard books. We've been buying them and giving them away to family and friends this entire year, with rave reviews all around.

The art is very high quality, with brilliant use of extra-wide or tall panels, close shots, and Petersen somehow manages to inculcate each mouse with clear, but not cartoonish, differentiating characteristics.

The story is even better. Moments of individual sacrifice, courage, terror, and heroism (which appeal to my children) are leavened with a subtle and complex socio-political story that somehow seems inevitable as you learn the backstory (which appeals to my wife and I). I've rarely read an author who can do this with the deftness of Petersen.

Everything you could want in a graphic novel.

Incidentally, my local comic shop struggles to keep this in stock and can't recommend it enough, either.