Mel The Chosen: (A Graphic Novel)

Aragno, Rachele

ISBN 10: 0593301250 ISBN 13: 9780593301258

Publisher: Random House Graphic, 2021

Synopsis

In this magical middle-grade graphic novel, nothing is more dangerous than a wish come true.

More than anything, Mel wants to be a grown-up, and to make her own decisions, instead of having her parents pick what she wears, where they live, what they have for dinner, and where she goes to school. Then Mel gets the chance to travel to a magical world, where she can make her own choices and return all grown up. But what happens when you get older without living your life along the way?

Enchanting adventures and magical mishaps abound as Mel grapples with what it means to grow up.

Rachele Aragno brings this enchanting story to life with a gorgeous watercolor style that feels both comfortingly classic and delightfully fresh! Anyone who has ever wished to grow up faster, or for just for a little bit of magic, will love Mel the Chosen.

About this title

About the Author

Born in 1982 in a small town in Tuscany, Rachele immediately began planning to become a cartoonist. She has a degree from the International Comics School in Rome, in foreign comics. She has worked with several independent publishing houses, the World Health Organization, and US publisher Image Comics. Mel the Chosen is her first graphic novel.

Reviews

Gr 4–7—Mel, a bespectacled white redhead, is frustrated—her parents don't take her seriously, and their decision to move the family again is going to ruin her life. Mel knows that adults won't listen to kids, so if she could just grow up without having to wait, it would solve her problems. And she gets her chance when Mel goes for a rooftop walk and finds herself in a strange apartment, with an assortment of anthropomorphic animals and a bearded white man who takes her to the land of Here&Now. Here, any wish can have unexpected consequences—and that in the land of Here&Now, she is the Chosen One, and everyone expects her to get rid of Malcape the Magnificent, a creature who grants wishes that lead to regrets. Like many heroes before her, Mel didn't ask to be chosen; likewise, not everyone believes in her. Mel is flawed, funny, and often impatient, which will make readers both care for her and worry about her. Aragno creates a fantastic world that contains echoes of Narnia and Wonderland, but is also completely unique. Featuring loose linework, her illustrations pop with life and color, and will draw readers even deeper into this memorable story. VERDICT An engrossing read for young fans of imaginative stories, fantastic voyages, and reluctant heroes.—Andrea Lipinski, New York P.L., New York City

Edition details

• Publisher: Random House Graphic
• Publication date: 2021
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 0593301250
• ISBN 13: 9780593301258
• Binding: Library Binding
• Number of pages: 208