Karaté !

Ariol #poche 2

by Emmanuel Guibert

Quatre aventures d'Ariol le petit âne et de ses copains sont proposées : « les vignettes », où il est question d'une collection inachevée, « la douche » lorsque Ariol a bien du mal à se laver, « Karaté » ou le récit d'une bagarre entre deux pères, et enfin « on va bien rigoler » qui retrace les déboires de deux élèves.

46 pages, Paperback

First published September 23, 2004

About the author

Emmanuel Guibert has written a great many graphic novels for readers young and old, among them the Sardine in Outer Space series and The Professor’s Daughter with Joann Sfar.

In 1994, a chance encounter with an American World War II veteran named Alan Cope marked the beginning of a deep friendship and the birth of a great biographical epic.

Another of Guibert's recent works is The Photographer. Showered with awards, translated around the world and soon to come from First Second books, it relates a Doctors Without Borders mission in 1980’s Afghanistan through the eyes of a great reporter, the late Didier Lefèvre.

Guibert lives in Paris with his wife and daughter.

Reviews

[Angelique Scott · Rating 3 out of 5]

Guibert and Boutavant’s “ARIOL” is an admirable graphic novel that follows the zany adventures of many animal-like creatures. The novel is composed of many different stories, rather than one large plot. The cover of the book depicts an element of humor, leading the audience to believe it is a comedic text. The panels are well spaced with a clean, white gutter; making them easy to follow. The font is clear and of an appropriate size. The pages are minimalistic, leaving the reader to focus on the images and dialogue. There is no elevated vocabulary in the text, meaning there is no use for a glossary at the end. There is a table of contents at the beginning to assist readers in finding each comic.



Almost every main character (of the 17 provided) is a three-dimensional, rounded character. The novel is incredibly relatable to young audiences. (i.e. nervous in front of class, crushes, friendship, etc…) There is not a large source of conflict, but rather everyday problems; helping children learn morals on day to day life. “ARIOL” fully utilizes titles to transition from one comic skit to the next.

[B · Rating 3 out of 5]

I wanted to like these cute barnyard animal comic characters but just wasn't that impressed. The stories mirror experiences most elementary school kids have, including puppy love, getting sick, teachers, etc. I just didn't care for the bullying and some of the obnoxious behavior although I realize that too is part of growing up.