The Books of Clash, Volume 1

May 1, 2023

Gr 6 Up-Terrodicus (Terry) has never quite fit in with the legendariously legendary Hog Riders of Triumphica. His small stature and tendency to make his own choices on the battlefield lead to him being mocked and bullied by his teammates. His older brother is determined to help him fit in, so he gives Terry an easy quest-destroy the local ramshackle village of JazzyPickleton. When Terry's team is beaten by the village's secret weapon, Terry is determined to win the respect of the Hog Riders by infiltrating JazzyPickleton and discovering how to defeat its troops. But as Terry spends time getting to know the villagers, he realizes that his future could be something different from what he always imagined. Yang pens a raucous graphic novel that captures the feel of the video games Clash of Clans and Clash Royale, without requiring readers to be familiar with either to enjoy this coming-of-age story. Action-packed hilarity, paired with a snarky all-seeing narrator, will keep readers turning pages. While the book unsurprisingly contains a steady level of video game violence, the story would appeal to upper elementary and middle school readers, with the exception of the plethora of f-word jokes scattered throughout the text that seem aimed at older readers (characters repeatedly stop short of saying the word, but the punch line is clear). Human-presenting characters mostly have white skin tones except for the hog riders, who have a variety of darker skin tones. VERDICT This series starter will appeal to video game fans of all ages, with particular interest from middle school graphic novel readers.-Annamarie Carlson

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