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Flat Stanley: The Graphic Novel - His Original Adventure!
Flat Stanley’s iconic original adventure is brought to life in a full-color graphic novel!
Stanley Lambchop wakes up one morning to find a bulletin board has fallen on him during the night. And now he’s only half an inch thick and incredibly flat!
But then amazing things begin to happen to him. He gets rolled up, mailed, and flown like a kite. He even becomes involved in an art mystery! But will he be able to use his flatness to help people as well—and become the flattest hero of the day?
Kids love Flat Stanley—even reluctant readers—and this accessible format is a great introduction to the beloved series. And for parents and teachers, each Flat Stanley book delivers problem-solving adventures, plot and character development story elements, and compare-and-contrast lessons.
Stanley Lambchop wakes up one morning to find a bulletin board has fallen on him during the night. And now he’s only half an inch thick and incredibly flat!
But then amazing things begin to happen to him. He gets rolled up, mailed, and flown like a kite. He even becomes involved in an art mystery! But will he be able to use his flatness to help people as well—and become the flattest hero of the day?
Kids love Flat Stanley—even reluctant readers—and this accessible format is a great introduction to the beloved series. And for parents and teachers, each Flat Stanley book delivers problem-solving adventures, plot and character development story elements, and compare-and-contrast lessons.
- GenresGraphic Novels
96 pages, Hardcover
Published September 2, 2025
3 people are currently reading
11 people want to read
About the author
Jeff Brown
318 books123 followersLibrarian Note: There is more than one author in the Goodreads database with this name.
Jeff Brown had worked in Hollywood and as an editor and writer in New York before creating Flat Stanley, a hero for the youngest readers whose adventures, with illustrations by Tomi Ungerer, were first published in 1964. Flat Stanley became the star of a series of perpetually popular books. The last, "Stanley, Flat Again!," was published the year he died. All together, Stanley's tales have sold nearly a million copies in the United States alone. The character's life extended further, as schoolchildren mailed cut-outs of him to their friends. In translation, he traveled to France, Germany, Spain, Italy, Japan and Israel, among other places.
Jeff Brown was born Richard Chester Brown. Originally a child actor, he became Jeff Brown because Actors Equity already had a Richard Brown as a member. A graduate of the Professional Children's School, he provided a child's voice in a radio drama and appeared onstage.
In Hollywood he worked for the producer Samuel Goldwyn Jr. and was a story consultant at Paramount. Preferring to write himself, he sold fiction and articles to national magazines while working at The New Yorker, Life, The Saturday Evening Post, Esquire and finally at Warner Books, where he was a senior editor until 1980. The idea for Stanley came to him one night at bedtime when his sons J. C. and Tony were young and stalling for time. One asked what would happen if the big bulletin board on the wall were to fall on J. C., and Mr. Brown said he would most likely wake up flat. That led to speculation about what such a life might be like. After writing "Flat Stanley, " Mr. Brown went on to "Stanley and the Magic Lamp," "Stanley in Space," "Stanley's Christmas Adventure," "Invisible Stanley" and finally "Stanley, Flat Again!"
The Flat Stanley Project was started in 1995 by Dale Hubert, a third grade schoolteacher in London, Ontario, Canada. It is meant to facilitate letter-writing by schoolchildren to each other as they document where Flat Stanley has gone with them. The Project provides an opportunity for students to make connections with students of other member schools who've signed up with the project. Students begin by reading the book and becoming acquainted with the story. Then they make paper "Flat Stanleys" (or pictures of the Stanley Lambchop character) and keep a journal for a few days, documenting the places and activities in which Flat Stanley is involved. The Flat Stanley and the journal are mailed to other people who are asked to treat the figure as a visiting guest and add to his journal, then return them both after a period of time. In 2005, more than 6,500 classes from 48 countries took part in the Flat Stanley Project.
Jeff Brown had worked in Hollywood and as an editor and writer in New York before creating Flat Stanley, a hero for the youngest readers whose adventures, with illustrations by Tomi Ungerer, were first published in 1964. Flat Stanley became the star of a series of perpetually popular books. The last, "Stanley, Flat Again!," was published the year he died. All together, Stanley's tales have sold nearly a million copies in the United States alone. The character's life extended further, as schoolchildren mailed cut-outs of him to their friends. In translation, he traveled to France, Germany, Spain, Italy, Japan and Israel, among other places.
Jeff Brown was born Richard Chester Brown. Originally a child actor, he became Jeff Brown because Actors Equity already had a Richard Brown as a member. A graduate of the Professional Children's School, he provided a child's voice in a radio drama and appeared onstage.
In Hollywood he worked for the producer Samuel Goldwyn Jr. and was a story consultant at Paramount. Preferring to write himself, he sold fiction and articles to national magazines while working at The New Yorker, Life, The Saturday Evening Post, Esquire and finally at Warner Books, where he was a senior editor until 1980. The idea for Stanley came to him one night at bedtime when his sons J. C. and Tony were young and stalling for time. One asked what would happen if the big bulletin board on the wall were to fall on J. C., and Mr. Brown said he would most likely wake up flat. That led to speculation about what such a life might be like. After writing "Flat Stanley, " Mr. Brown went on to "Stanley and the Magic Lamp," "Stanley in Space," "Stanley's Christmas Adventure," "Invisible Stanley" and finally "Stanley, Flat Again!"
The Flat Stanley Project was started in 1995 by Dale Hubert, a third grade schoolteacher in London, Ontario, Canada. It is meant to facilitate letter-writing by schoolchildren to each other as they document where Flat Stanley has gone with them. The Project provides an opportunity for students to make connections with students of other member schools who've signed up with the project. Students begin by reading the book and becoming acquainted with the story. Then they make paper "Flat Stanleys" (or pictures of the Stanley Lambchop character) and keep a journal for a few days, documenting the places and activities in which Flat Stanley is involved. The Flat Stanley and the journal are mailed to other people who are asked to treat the figure as a visiting guest and add to his journal, then return them both after a period of time. In 2005, more than 6,500 classes from 48 countries took part in the Flat Stanley Project.
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Displaying 1 - 19 of 19 reviews
September 11, 2025
A charmingly absurd adaptation of the charmingly absurd children's novel about a boy who wakes up one morning to find himself flattened to only a half-inch thick.
I almost took issue with the depictions that weren't included in the original book of U.S. mail being routed through Canada and Mexico and sewers being laden with treasures, but then I remembered: absurd.
FOR REFERENCE:
Adaptation of Flat Stanley His Original Adventure.
Contents: Chapter 1. The Big Bulletin Board -- Chapter 2. Being Flat -- Chapter 3. Stanley the Kite -- Chapter 4. The Museum Thieves -- Chapter 5. Arthur's Good Idea
I almost took issue with the depictions that weren't included in the original book of U.S. mail being routed through Canada and Mexico and sewers being laden with treasures, but then I remembered: absurd.
FOR REFERENCE:
Adaptation of Flat Stanley His Original Adventure.
Contents: Chapter 1. The Big Bulletin Board -- Chapter 2. Being Flat -- Chapter 3. Stanley the Kite -- Chapter 4. The Museum Thieves -- Chapter 5. Arthur's Good Idea
October 25, 2025
✨Book Review✨
🪁Flat Stanley: The Graphic Novel🪁
Synopsis:
Flat Stanley’s iconic original adventure is brought to life in a full-color graphic novel!
My thoughts:
🤔 I know so many kids who are going to love this book! The chapter books are well-loved in my libraries, and I'm sure the graphic novel adaptation is going to be a big hit as well!
🤔 The illustrations are vibrant, engaging, and are sure to be very visually appealing to young readers.
Who is going to love it?
❤ Kids who love Flat Stanley!
❤️ Kids who love to use their imagination!
❤️ Kids who love graphic novels!
🏭Fun Fact: You can visit flatstanleybooks.com for games, activities, resources, and more!
🥰Thank you to @HarperAlley and @NetGalley for this gifted eARC in exchange for an honest review.
🪁Flat Stanley: The Graphic Novel🪁
Synopsis:
Flat Stanley’s iconic original adventure is brought to life in a full-color graphic novel!
My thoughts:
🤔 I know so many kids who are going to love this book! The chapter books are well-loved in my libraries, and I'm sure the graphic novel adaptation is going to be a big hit as well!
🤔 The illustrations are vibrant, engaging, and are sure to be very visually appealing to young readers.
Who is going to love it?
❤ Kids who love Flat Stanley!
❤️ Kids who love to use their imagination!
❤️ Kids who love graphic novels!
🏭Fun Fact: You can visit flatstanleybooks.com for games, activities, resources, and more!
🥰Thank you to @HarperAlley and @NetGalley for this gifted eARC in exchange for an honest review.
August 3, 2025
This was just as fun and goofy as I remember the chapter books to be when I was younger. Good adaptation, loved the art work, super quick read. I think it’s great to have the stories of Flat Stanley in graphic novel style for the next generation of kids. I can’t wait to buy this for the collection, I think they might get a kick out of it!
Thank you to NetGalley and HarperCollins Children's Books for the ARC!!
Thank you to NetGalley and HarperCollins Children's Books for the ARC!!
June 29, 2025
E ARC provided by Netgalley
Stanley Lambchop lives with his parents and younger brother Arthur in New York City. Life is uneventful until he wakes up one morning and has been flattened by a bulletin board that has fallen off the wall onto his bed. Since he doesn't seem to be in any distress, everyone has breakfast before taking him to the doctor. Again, nothing is wrong, so his mother's major concern is that all of Stanley's clothes will need to be altered! He has several adventures, like getting his mother's ring back from the sewer, being flown around the park like a kite, being used to help the policemen catch a sneak thief from stealing paintings, and being mailed in a large envelope (with a cheese sandwich!) to visit a friend in California. Eventually, he gets tired of being flat, and his brother manages to restore him to his normal girth by inserting a bicycle pump in his mouth until he is fully inflated.
Strengths: I was a little surprised to find that Flat Stanley was first published in 1964; the series had a resurgence of interest in the 1990s when my children were in elementary school, and I seem to remember at least one Flat Stanley project. Egbert's illustrations capture some of the feel of the original while updating some details; Stanley's friend in California is Black, the father seems to do all of the cooking, and the crowds in the city are more diverse. The text is a nice large size, and this will be a huge hit with elementary readers and even some struggling middle school ones. There are six books in the series written by Brown, and a later set of four I Can Read Books, so meeting Stanley will encourage readers to look for other books about this character.
Weaknesses: Since I'm a fan of anything vintage, redoing the illustrations always takes some of the original charm away for me, but readers who are vastly younger than some of my clothing are not going to care about vintage charm.
What I really think: If you can suspend disbelief long enough to believe that Stanley is flattened by a bulletin board and has no further problems, you'll enjoy this reimagining of Brown's classic tale. The goofiness will appeal to fans of Greenburg's The Zach Files, Trine's Melvin Beederman series, and the various permutations of Thaler's Black Lagoon books. \
Stanley Lambchop lives with his parents and younger brother Arthur in New York City. Life is uneventful until he wakes up one morning and has been flattened by a bulletin board that has fallen off the wall onto his bed. Since he doesn't seem to be in any distress, everyone has breakfast before taking him to the doctor. Again, nothing is wrong, so his mother's major concern is that all of Stanley's clothes will need to be altered! He has several adventures, like getting his mother's ring back from the sewer, being flown around the park like a kite, being used to help the policemen catch a sneak thief from stealing paintings, and being mailed in a large envelope (with a cheese sandwich!) to visit a friend in California. Eventually, he gets tired of being flat, and his brother manages to restore him to his normal girth by inserting a bicycle pump in his mouth until he is fully inflated.
Strengths: I was a little surprised to find that Flat Stanley was first published in 1964; the series had a resurgence of interest in the 1990s when my children were in elementary school, and I seem to remember at least one Flat Stanley project. Egbert's illustrations capture some of the feel of the original while updating some details; Stanley's friend in California is Black, the father seems to do all of the cooking, and the crowds in the city are more diverse. The text is a nice large size, and this will be a huge hit with elementary readers and even some struggling middle school ones. There are six books in the series written by Brown, and a later set of four I Can Read Books, so meeting Stanley will encourage readers to look for other books about this character.
Weaknesses: Since I'm a fan of anything vintage, redoing the illustrations always takes some of the original charm away for me, but readers who are vastly younger than some of my clothing are not going to care about vintage charm.
What I really think: If you can suspend disbelief long enough to believe that Stanley is flattened by a bulletin board and has no further problems, you'll enjoy this reimagining of Brown's classic tale. The goofiness will appeal to fans of Greenburg's The Zach Files, Trine's Melvin Beederman series, and the various permutations of Thaler's Black Lagoon books. \
June 25, 2025
I was honestly so excited when I saw that Jeff Brown’s Flat Stanley was being adapted into a graphic novel. As an educator, I’ve long determined that every book for young students should have both a novel and graphic novel format—this accounts for the fact that some children truly do need that bridge of a novel that is mainly pictures with some more complex words than before in order to traverse the gap from lower level reading into reading chapter books. And what better way to have that bridge than for it to be presented with the same story, one that children have the opportunity to fall in love with in a format that’s more accessible to them so they’re now able to be more eagerly interested in now reading the original story.
Part of the reason for this is the fact that graphic novels, most often, use significantly easier language—Percy Jackson and the Lightning Thief, for example, is written with language that is very close to a 5th grade level; meanwhile, the language in graphic novel adaptation is quite literally coming in at the start of a 3rd grade level—and this is huge for kiddos who are struggling, but also for kids who just aren’t ready to read that cool book they’ve come across.
So, with that in mind, I was over the moon to see this. Flat Stanley is already a book that comes in about the 3rd grade level, making it perfect for early readers. Though the graphic novel doesn’t yet have a rating that I could find, I would say that it’s certainly a great bridge between 2nd and 3rd grade reading. I’m so exciting for this boy’s story to come out in graphic format because I can unquestionably see this book as incredibly useful not only for a great many of my students, but certainly for any kiddo who needs support in the development of their reading.
The artwork is very reminiscent of the original novel, fun and colorful and whimsical—loved every second of it.
I received a copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
Part of the reason for this is the fact that graphic novels, most often, use significantly easier language—Percy Jackson and the Lightning Thief, for example, is written with language that is very close to a 5th grade level; meanwhile, the language in graphic novel adaptation is quite literally coming in at the start of a 3rd grade level—and this is huge for kiddos who are struggling, but also for kids who just aren’t ready to read that cool book they’ve come across.
So, with that in mind, I was over the moon to see this. Flat Stanley is already a book that comes in about the 3rd grade level, making it perfect for early readers. Though the graphic novel doesn’t yet have a rating that I could find, I would say that it’s certainly a great bridge between 2nd and 3rd grade reading. I’m so exciting for this boy’s story to come out in graphic format because I can unquestionably see this book as incredibly useful not only for a great many of my students, but certainly for any kiddo who needs support in the development of their reading.
The artwork is very reminiscent of the original novel, fun and colorful and whimsical—loved every second of it.
I received a copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
June 24, 2025
Reading this graphic novel felt like being handed a childhood memory in full color. It’s strange, silly, and a little surreal — and that’s exactly what makes it so fun. Stanley’s adventures remain ridiculous in the best way: imaginative, episodic, and unpredictable.
There’s something charming about seeing Stanley slide under doors, get mailed across the country, or fly like a kite that feels more natural (and hilarious) in panels than in prose. The artwork is bold, colorful, and expressive, with just the right amount of humor baked into each panel.
Whether you’re revisiting Flat Stanley or meeting him for the first time, this adaptation makes the old story feel wonderfully new again.
There’s something charming about seeing Stanley slide under doors, get mailed across the country, or fly like a kite that feels more natural (and hilarious) in panels than in prose. The artwork is bold, colorful, and expressive, with just the right amount of humor baked into each panel.
Whether you’re revisiting Flat Stanley or meeting him for the first time, this adaptation makes the old story feel wonderfully new again.
August 1, 2025
3.5 stars. This is a solid graphic novel for young readers that is silly and fun as Stanley navigates life flat as a pancake. Having not read the original book, I was intrigued when I saw the illustrated version pop up on NetGalley and was lucky to receive a digital ARC for review. My youngest kiddo would laugh at all the creative ways Stanley uses his flatness. Personally I just rolled my eyes, so I’d say this book is best meant for early elementary. Probably my biggest hangup is that this felt more fragmented and slapstick rather than containing any useful takeaways. The art and coloring are great.
August 22, 2025
I am too old to remember the original Stanley books. I remember the idea behind Flat Stanley. He travels to different places to learn new things and bring them back to kids. This is apparently a retelling of his first story in visual format. Stanley gets flattened and he becomes a kite. He stops a jewel heist and even goes surfing in California. I always thought Flat Stanley was an early chapter book for a second grade. I would put this in the first-grade level for a graphic novel. It’s only 100 pages and it reads super-fast. The illustrations are typical of the age group and work well with the story.
June 24, 2025
First I would like to give a huge thank you to @netgalley and @harpercollins in allowing me the opportunity to to review this wonderful graphic novel.
My students love Flat Stanley so when I saw that there was going to be a graphic novel coming out I knew I needed to read it.
This graphic novel was everything I needed and more. It was an absolute adorable graphic novel full of many adventures that will capture the attention of any young reader.
I absolutely loved the Flat Stanley graphic novel and can’t wait to add it into my classroom library when it comes out.
My students love Flat Stanley so when I saw that there was going to be a graphic novel coming out I knew I needed to read it.
This graphic novel was everything I needed and more. It was an absolute adorable graphic novel full of many adventures that will capture the attention of any young reader.
I absolutely loved the Flat Stanley graphic novel and can’t wait to add it into my classroom library when it comes out.
June 25, 2025
My children loved Flat Stanley when they were little, even making a paper Flat Stanley for their father to take along when he traveled for work. Now a new generation can enjoy the adventures of the Lambchop family. The artwork is lovely, clear, and engaging, while the plot stays true to the original story. I greatly enjoyed reading this edition and children definitely will too! I would love to see more Flat Stanley graphic novels.
*I received a complimentary copy of this e-book from the publisher through NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
*I received a complimentary copy of this e-book from the publisher through NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
August 23, 2025
This was a fun graphic novel adaptation of the original Flat Stanley books and the illustrations were great and the story easy to follow. I liked that Stanley at first is fine with being flat since it is so useful but after a while realizes he just wants to be like all the other kids again. The adventures he goes on are great and I don’t think I ever read the original books when I was a kid so it was a fun read.
Thanks to HarperCollins Children's Books and Netgalley for the complimentary copy of this book. All opinions in this review are my own.
Thanks to HarperCollins Children's Books and Netgalley for the complimentary copy of this book. All opinions in this review are my own.
October 11, 2025
As someone who read the original Flat Stanley many years ago with my son, I was intrigued to see a graphic novel version of the story. I now run a church library and am always looking for safe graphic novels to include, and I'm happy that this one will fit the bill! It follows the original story line as far as I remember it, and will encourage those more reluctant readers to pick up a book...and then maybe want to read the original. I hope that they will continue with more that follow the other books.
I was provided a copy through NetGalley. All opinions are entirely my own.
I was provided a copy through NetGalley. All opinions are entirely my own.
August 12, 2025
three and a half stars.
pretty good. i would have liked it too be longer with more of his storys, and that the parents would act for surprised and freaked out when he gets flattened, and pumped back up. the main thing is i would have liked it too be a good bit longer.
but all in all a good read and an ok adaption from he origanal books.
thanks to netgalley and the publisher for letting me read it in advance!
pretty good. i would have liked it too be longer with more of his storys, and that the parents would act for surprised and freaked out when he gets flattened, and pumped back up. the main thing is i would have liked it too be a good bit longer.
but all in all a good read and an ok adaption from he origanal books.
thanks to netgalley and the publisher for letting me read it in advance!
August 25, 2025
I'm loving this trend of turning classic chapter books into graphic novels! What a great way for the newest generation of readers to enjoy these stories in a fresh, engaging way!
Flat Stanley is one I loved as a kid! This version is just as goofy and entertaining as I remember. The storyline was adapted well. The illustrations are bright. All in all, a great adaptation of Stanley Lambchop's story and perfect for newly independent readers
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC!
Flat Stanley is one I loved as a kid! This version is just as goofy and entertaining as I remember. The storyline was adapted well. The illustrations are bright. All in all, a great adaptation of Stanley Lambchop's story and perfect for newly independent readers
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC!
June 2, 2025
What does a normal boy do when he wakes up flat? Well, Flat Stanley takes advantage of it, letting people fly him like a kite and saving money on airfare by letting his family mail him to visit friends. This graphic novel is adorable and charming, and the pictures were so bright and happy and humorous. Making a Flat Stanley novel was such a terrific idea, and they did an amazing job of it!
June 24, 2025
A great graphic novel and a wonderful story. I enjoyed reading this retelling of the picture book and the twist of plotline at the end made for an unexpected but interesting ending. Recommend especially for children in elementary and middle school.
Thank you to Netgalley for the chance to review this book before its publication date.
Thank you to Netgalley for the chance to review this book before its publication date.
October 14, 2025
Great fun is to be found in this graphic novel edition of the first Flat Stanley story. The full-color illustrations are bright and bring the story to life. Children who are not familiar with Flat Stanley as well as those who are familiar will enjoy this story of Stanley's predicament and how turned out well for him by the end of the story.
November 11, 2025
This should have been fun but it was rushed and the language was outdated. I think readers would be bored.
November 30, 2025
Sweet and so nostalgic! It is very short though. This would be great for younger readers wanting to read more independently (2nd-4th grade).
Displaying 1 - 19 of 19 reviews