AMULET -THE STONEKEEPER'S CURSE

Enhanced descriptions from Syndetics:

Graphic novel star Kazu Kibuishi returns with his mysterious world full of new allies . . . and old enemies!

Emily and Navin's mother is still in a coma from the arachnopod's poison, and there's only one place to find help: Kanalis, the bustling, beautiful city of waterfalls. But when Em, her brother, and Miskit and the rest of the robotic crew aboard the walking house reach the city, they quickly realize that seeking help is looking for trouble, dangerous trouble.

Reviews provided by Syndetics

School Library Journal Review

Gr 4 Up-Emily and Navin return, in a fight to save their mother from a toxic poison. The evil Elf King is out to get Emily, however, since she is one of the only Stonekeepers left who can stop his reign of terror. He sends his disappointing son, Prince Trellis, and Luger, one of his most wicked cronies, out to find her, with the threat that if Trellis doesn't kill her, he'll be killed himself. Emily, Navin, and their band of robotic protectors set out for the city of Kanalis to locate a doctor who can cure their mom. While there they encounter Leon, a bounty hunter whose mission in life is to defeat the Elf King. This band of heroes learns that their desired cure is the fruit of the gadoba tree, found only on deadly Demon's Head Mountain. Emily, Leon, and her guard Miskit set out for the mountain, with Emily practicing control over her amulet along the way. This book ends with a thrilling fight and the promise of more adventures to come. Stunning illustration spreads open each new section, and the robots and animal residents of Kanalis provide a soft and sometimes humorous counterpoint to the action-packed story. This book will be extremely satisfying to fans of the first volume.-Laura Amos, Newport News Public Library, VA (c) Copyright 2010. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.

Booklist Review

Kibuishi continues the Amulet graphic novel series begun in The Stonekeeper (2007). A core group consisting of two sibling children, various animal-like creatures, and robots wends its way against domineering elves in a majestic and magical otherworld. Although the fantasy elements (a girl prophesied to overthrow an evil overlord with the help of a mysterious talisman and her own unharnessed powers) are recognizable from familiar touchstones ranging from Tolkien's works to Star Wars, the artistic virtuosity with which Kibuishi envisions them keeps things from being overly derivative. This series remains one of the better alternatives for young fans of Jeff Smith's Bone series.--Chipman, Ian Copyright 2009 Booklist

Kirkus Book Review

The quest to find a cure for her poisoned mother sets young Emily to battling not only minions of the evil Elf King but also the enticements of the power-hungry magical amulet that has fallen into her possession. Taking up the tale where he left off in Book 1: The Stonekeeper (2008), Kibuishi contrives to fill spacious, cleanly separated sequential panels with nonstop and (usually) easy-to-follow action, lots of sound effects (SZRAK! FWOOM! TOK! SZRAK! FWOOM!!!) and, around Emily's human family, a large cast of colorful characters from shark-toothed elves to a grove of ancient, sentient Gadoba trees. Low on gore but high on fights, flights and scary monsters, the episode hurtles along like the mighty blasts of magical energy that emanate from Emily's amulet. By the end she has her mother back, but a Mission has emerged to keep her in the otherworld realm of Alledia. Stay tuned. (Graphic fantasy. 10-12) Copyright Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.