The New Adventures of Abraham Lincoln

Rating:
Summary: Abraham Lincoln Rules!
Review: Actually, Abe literally rules in this hysterically funny but also thought provoking look at modern and historical America. Not one but two Abes show up to turn teenager Byron's life upside down. One of them, in the course of becoming president again, may remind readers of recent less than stellar leaders. There's plenty of action, laughs, and even a smidge of romance. Byron and his friends and father race to save the day, with a little help from the real Abe, and no help from moronic teachers and the less than deserving American people. Cynical, but not heartless.

Rating:
Summary: Just for kids
Review: I generally expect certain things from a graphic novel. First of all, I expect gripping art. This book does not have gripping art. It is primarily computer generated art, with sketched characters.

Secondly, I expect a graphic novel to be sufficiently complex that it needs pictures to fully convey what it is trying to say. I think that it only marginally qualifies on this count. There are some sequences that fully exploit the artform, but they are only a tiny portion of the book.

Third, the plotline should make sense, even if it only makes sense in the alternate reality in which the story occurs. This book had me up until the aliens from outer space entered the plot. It was too cheesy a plot device.

My seven year old found the book greatly amusing. My twelve year old thought it was very educational and thought-provoking. My fifteen year old shrugged like he just didn't get it, and my husband, a great fan of president Lincoln, couldn't make himself finish the book (I bought it for him).

This is a good book for middle schoolers and below. It does possess some educational value, and has some amusing sequences. Older fans of the comic book format will probably be disappointed.

Rating:
Summary: Just for kids
Review: I generally expect certain things from a graphic novel. First of all, I expect gripping art. This book does not have gripping art. It is primarily computer generated art, with sketched characters.

Secondly, I expect a graphic novel to be sufficiently complex that it needs pictures to fully convey what it is trying to say. I think that it only marginally qualifies on this count. There are some sequences that fully exploit the artform, but they are only a tiny portion of the book.

Third, the plotline should make sense, even if it only makes sense in the alternate reality in which the story occurs. This book had me up until the aliens from outer space entered the plot. It was too cheesy a plot device.

My seven year old found the book greatly amusing. My twelve year old thought it was very educational and thought-provoking. My fifteen year old shrugged like he just didn't get it, and my husband, a great fan of president Lincoln, couldn't make himself finish the book (I bought it for him).

This is a good book for middle schoolers and below. It does possess some educational value, and has some amusing sequences. Older fans of the comic book format will probably be disappointed.