Andrew the Seeker (Game for Adventure)

Two-time Eisner nominee Lee Nordling is an award-winning writer, editor, and creative director who has worked on staff at Disney Publishing, DC Comics, and Nickelodeon Magazine. His book The Bramble won the 2013 Moonbeam Gold Medal for Picture Books (ages 4-8), and BirdCatDog, an Eisner Award nominee, was chosen by Kirkus Reviews as one of the best children's books of 2014, and won the Moonbeam Spirit Award for Imagination. The third book in his Three-Story Book series, SheHeWe, was a 2016 Eisner Award nominee. His current Game for Adventure series―beginning with Andrew the Seeker, and Belinda the Unbeatable, the latter garnering two starred reviews from Booklist and Kirkus―concludes in Spring 2018 with Chavo the Invisible. He lives in Sacramento, California with his wife, Cheri, and numerous pets that earn their kibble by offering inspiration.

"This bright and cheerful wordless graphic novel tells the story of a young boy who draws a (not scary) monster, who appears in his window. The boy chases the creature into the nearby woods in a delightful game of hide-and-seek as the monster takes ever more silly approaches to its disguises. Without using a single written word, Nordling and Roberts manage to convey the plot and the characters' range of emotions, and the enthusiasm of a young child on an adventure bubbles over in the cartoon-style artwork. Though this title is the same length as the average picture book, in terms of content it is more substantial and will be a good tool to engage struggling readers who want to move past books for younger readers. VERDICT: This charming addition to early graphic novel shelves will appeal to children making their first forays into comics."―School Library Journal

"A wordless graphic offering conveys the fun and frustration of playing with friends. In a bright, sunny room, white, carrot-topped Andrew draws a picture of his favorite three-horned purple monster. Suddenly, Andrew senses a presence at the window and discovers his purple friend peeking in at him. Quick as a flash, the young hero grabs his pith helmet and butterfly net, and the chase is on throughout an unthreatening, earth-toned forest. However, the violet creature continually manages to elude Andrew, and the boy's frustration mounts until, in a moment of palpable vexation, he throws down his gear, ends the game, and storms off back home. After a good night of sleep and some time to ruminate, will Andrew take up the chase again, or will his emotions get the better of him? Nordling and Roberts' take on childhood frustration is adroitly captured through big, clean, vibrant panels. The friendly-looking monster seems to enjoy the chase but doesn't understand that he's angering his friend. Andrew's irritation at constantly being outwitted nearly vibrates off the pages, and watching his emotions cycle from angry back to calm should certainly resonate with younger readers. Andrew will appear in sequels featuring team games, though not as the main character. Quietly thoughtful and emotionally on-point."―Kirkus Reviews

"In this wordless graphic novel, young Andrew starts drawing a friendly purple monster, only to have him come to life right behind him. It takes a few tries for Andrew to spot the blobby purple creature, but when he finally does, he puts on his pith helmet, grabs his best net, and embarks on a trek into the forest to catch him. Andrew is dogged in his search, but the big monster easily evades him by comically blending into the surroundings. Nordling and Roberts come up with clever places for the beast to hide, though his big purple stature will give away his hiding place to everyone but Andrew. Roberts takes the charming concept and creates a simplistic yet playful experience, and the bright color palette is sure to please its young audience. Roberts does a particularly great job with Andrew's facial expressions―as he chases the monster ever longer, he subtlety gets more and more frustrated. Though the message of playing fair might escape some readers, this gentle, adorable adventure is nevertheless a quick and enjoyable read."―Booklist