Jump to ratings and reviews
Rate this book
Rate this book
Welcome to Snug Harbor! Will Henry's Wallace the Brave is a comic strip that centers around a bold and curious little boy named Wallace, his best friend Spud and the new girl in town, Amelia. Wallace lives in the quaint and funky town of Snug Harbor with his fisherman father, plant loving mother and feral little brother, Sterling.

176 pages, Paperback

First published October 17, 2017

40 people are currently reading
275 people want to read

About the author

Will Henry

6 books73 followers

Ratings & Reviews

What do you think?
Rate this book

Friends & Following

Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!

Community Reviews

5 stars
423 (52%)
4 stars
255 (31%)
3 stars
112 (13%)
2 stars
16 (1%)
1 star
3 (<1%)
Displaying 1 - 30 of 172 reviews
Profile Image for Shai.
950 reviews869 followers
February 15, 2018
Wallace the Brave is one fun-filled graphic novel that will undoubtedly make anyone laugh. All the characters are funny and readers can relate to one or two characters; I can see myself on both Wallace and Amelia, and Spud and Sterling are the funniest for me. If you are bored or under the blue, this one is a great companion to ease your boredom or sadness.

Profile Image for Schizanthus Nerd.
1,317 reviews304 followers
October 15, 2017
Wallace the Brave takes us through a year in the life of Wallace, his family and friends from one summer school holiday to the next. Wallace lives with his mother, father and little brother in Snug Harbour. He attends school at Moonstone Elementary where his teacher is Mrs MacIntosh.

Wallace loves playing pinball and enjoys reading comics, his mother has recently discovered her very own comic addiction, his father is a fisherman and is fairly laid back, and his little brother Sterling is a weirdo with a unibrow. He's best friends with Spud, a kid with anxiety, and has made friends with new girl Amelia.

Wallace the Brave sort of reminded me of a Charlie Brown comic but didn't strike me as funny at all. I've read some reviews that thought it was hilarious but I was bored by it. If Wallace the Brave was a Charlie Brown comic then Spud was Charlie Brown, Amelia was Lucy, Scratch-N-Sniff was Pig-Pen and I have no idea who Wallace would be.

I wasn't sure what age Wallace was supposed to be other than knowing he attends Elementary School. His younger brother was even harder to pick an age for as he attends school in the afternoon and talks but he's carried around by his mother in one of those baby carrier harness thingies where you wear your kid like a backpack that you wear on your front ... a frontpack? I'm not a parent so don't know the technical name for these things but hopefully you know what I mean.

This comic book wasn't terrible or anything. I just didn't find it funny and couldn't connect with it at all. I was really keen to read this when I read the blurb and saw the cover but once I made it past the first few pages I would've given up on it had I not committed to reviewing it.

I received a copy of this book from NetGalley (thank you very much to NetGalley and Andrews McMeel Publishing for the opportunity) in exchange for honest feedback.
Profile Image for Melki.
7,302 reviews2,617 followers
November 2, 2019
This is a fairly new strip that I discovered through GoComics.com, but it has all the makings of a classic. Young Wallace has many adventures around his town of Snug Harbor. He's got two close pals, fun-loving parents, and a very strange little brother.

description

description

description

I LOVE this one, and can't wait to get my hands on the next volume!
Profile Image for Kailey (Luminous Libro).
3,586 reviews546 followers
September 3, 2017
Oh my goodness, I adore this comic!! So much cuteness and hilarity!
Wallace and his best friend, Spud, meet the new girl at school, Amelia, and are very impressed with her courage and baseball-throwing style. Each page has its own funny little punchline as we follow Wallace's strange interactions with friends and family at school, at home, on the ocean, on the field, through the summer and winter and all the in-between times.

Wallace's fisherman father, his creative mother, and weird baby brother make a delightful home setting for the antics and whimsical conversations of a little boy curious about the world and determined to dream big.
One of the best things about this comic is Wallace's close relationship with his parents. When Wallace comes to his dad with a crazy idea, his father doesn't criticize or say how ridiculously impossible it is to trade in their car for an ostrich to ride. His father enters into the fantasy with his son, and they have fun deciding how they will saddle their ostrich and cook the ostrich eggs. I love seeing kids and parents really talking and enjoying one another's company! What a great family!

Best Friend Spud is an anxious neighbor boy who follows in Wallace's bold wake with trepidation, and Amelia is a mischievous tag-a-long who prefers to lead. This mismatched trio burst into new situations with the wild recklessness of youth, throwing their shoes out the door, and skirting around the imaginary monsters lurking in drains and under beds.

I adore everything about this comic! The artwork is playful and cute. The jokes are entertaining and hilarious. The characters are splendid in every particular.
The style reminds me strongly of Peanuts and Calvin and Hobbes put together! I wish I could give this 10 stars!!

Disclaimer: I received an ecopy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for a free and honest review. All the opinions stated here are my own true thoughts and are not influenced by anyone.
Profile Image for Ayse_.
155 reviews82 followers
August 30, 2017
Wallace the Brave is like a present day Charlie Brown (Peanuts), an entertaining read. Thank you NetGalley (Read-Now) and Andrews McMeel Publishing.
Profile Image for Lindsey.
1,127 reviews13 followers
February 4, 2018
This graphic made me laugh out loud when I wasn't expecting to.
Profile Image for Clare Lund.
607 reviews10 followers
August 4, 2018
Entertaining graphic novel that reminded me of the comic strips I read in the Sunday paper growing up. Funny on several different levels. Ages 7 and up.
Profile Image for Anna.
Author 3 books43 followers
Read
December 18, 2017
Wallace the Brave has gentle humor and fun illustrations. Wallace, his best friend, Spud, and the new girl, Amelia, are grade-schoolers in a harbor town; seagulls are recurring characters. Wallace's dad is a fisherman, and his mom loves comics--which she (of course) passes on to Wallace. The drawing style, in full color, reminded me of Cul-de-Sac by Richard Thompson--Wallace and Alice freak out the same way. :-) Cartoons can feel vintage (and I love that about them) yet the book keeps up with the times. I'm still chuckling at a joke about Yelp reviews... This was a fun read.
Profile Image for Arnaud.
491 reviews6 followers
January 20, 2022
Such a great first volume of Wallace's adventures in Snug Harbor! I love every bit of it, laughed out loud to the point of annoying my better half and loved that too :D What can I say, I'm jovial! :P Anyway, super wholesome world Mr. Will is putting out there with his many many (170 pages!!) comic strips to the point I wish I grew up around Wallace and his free spirit!
Profile Image for Scott.
102 reviews1 follower
April 26, 2021
very good I think it is quite funny got it cause I follow the author on Instagram. though this does remind me why I generally don't buy physical graphic novels/comics because I finish them in like an hour and feel like now I just own this thing :/. But great book anyone should definitely check out them online.
Profile Image for Peter Derk.
Author 32 books403 followers
January 18, 2023
This is a solid comic strip, like Calvin and Hobbes on the coast.

Do I think Wallace will be bootlegged and pissing all over GM and Ford logos? No. But it's only because dumdums don't keep up with comics.
Profile Image for Brent Osterberg.
81 reviews10 followers
January 3, 2026
Vibes of Calvin and Hobbes and FoxTrot, while still remaining fresh... bravo!
Profile Image for Weezie.
329 reviews25 followers
September 23, 2017
This was a super cute collection of comic strips about a young boy named Wallace, his friends, and family. Definitely for fans of Calvin and Hobbes.
Profile Image for Mehsi.
15.1k reviews455 followers
October 4, 2017
I received this book from Netgalley in exchange of an honest review.


I never heard of Wallace the Brave, but I was curious when I spotted this book over on Netgalley. The blurb and the cover did shout: “Read this book!” So I obliged, though I wish I hadn’t.

There were good moments, oh yes, there were. But sadly, it was also terribly boring, and it tried just a bit too hard to be funny, and failing at that. I got to page 40 and then I was already already looking at the page count and dreading the fact I still had 140+ pages to go before I was finished. And I so did want to finish this one, plus I had hopes that this one would get better (spoiler: no).

Also this just felt like Peanuts x Calvin and Hobbes. The art was definitely C&H, the story was a mixture of Peanuts and C&H. It just didn’t work for me. I love both those comics, but to see someone try to combine them and make something new? It just didn’t fit. It just didn’t mesh. It was just too forced. Just like the humour.

The characters were pretty decent, I especially liked Wallace and his family. I was happy to see that his brother was a weirdo, but not an annoying weirdo, like so many other little brothers are in books/comics. The parents were great, they were fun, interesting. Wallace and his imagination, oh good lord, that kid should write books/make comics.

I would have loved to see more of the town the characters lived in. We see enough parts of it, but until the map at the end I never could connect all these parts together in one picture. The map was a nice addition, though I feel it could have been more detailed.

I did like the fact the houses were all build on poles (I guess because the water can rise at any moment?).

I also thought this story took place in the past (like 80s/90s), but then there are some mentions which sets it firmly around this time.

All in all, I am happy that I tried this book. It wasn’t all for me, but there were a few fun things that I did enjoy.

Review first posted at https://twirlingbookprincess.com/
17 reviews2 followers
August 12, 2017
Ah, welcome back, Golden Age of the Comic Strip. Wallace the Brave was just a plain good fun whimsical read. Will Henry's art is bold and colorful, feature large eye-catching panels. This reminded me of a cross between Calvin and Hobbs and Peanuts, with its own twist going on.

Wallace the Brave was a quick read, and contains all the stuff of childhood adventure. Wallace and his friends energetically interact with the adults in their world and go about surviving childhood. Because this is a comic, some strange and otherworldly things can happen too. As when two birds have a philosophical discussion, or as when Wallace imagines living on top of a giant tortoise, and we get a glimpse of what that could look like. Or as when a child imagines a monster in the dark...and we get to see what that monster might be.

Full of imagination and, I will say it again, fun. The book is set to be released October 17, 2017 in the US.
Profile Image for Rachel.
1,454 reviews153 followers
September 27, 2017
*thank you to NetGalley for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review*

4 stars.

This was hilarious! I requested this book thinking it looked like a good one based on the cover and the description, but once I started I couldn't stop, it was addictive and so funny! It was better than I thought. Not saying the cover doesnt do it justice at all, I like the cover. The kids are....wellllll, I will use the word 'cheeky' They are excatly like some kids I grew up with (wont mention names *coughstevencough*) I was laughing through most of it. I liked the dad, I thought he would make an awsome father!

This, from start to finish held my attention, and if there were more pages, I would have kept going and going. I do hope there is more to come from this author because this was classic! Just loved it!

Highly recommend this to all, but expecually if you are needing a little pick me up laughter type book.
Profile Image for Laura.
532 reviews36 followers
August 21, 2017
Wallace the Brave is a great fun comic strip that revolves around Wallace, as the title would suggest, and his friends and his school bus. The book is made of lots of short and sweet comic strip stories that mostly humorous and light-hearted. Thanks to the comic strip basis of this book, it'll likely be a good book for slightly less keen readers to get stuck into - pictures are always a help! Additionally, you can read as much or as little as you want before putting the book down as each strip is so short. However, I liked the adventures of Wallace, particularly his conversations with the school bus driver, so I'd read this in one sitting!
1 review
September 20, 2017
Got the chance to read this, and absolutely loved it. The illustrastions and coloring are phenomenal. It goes perfectly with the kid theme. A very carefree and fresh feeling to go along with the content. Wallace is always up to hijinx. I found myself laughing at the dialogue for what it is, but also it brought me back to my own childhood, as alot of what this crew goes through, happened to all of us. A very nostalgic comic with a beautiful backdrop.

Very highly recommend!!
Profile Image for Annie Rupertus.
131 reviews49 followers
October 11, 2017
My review for this book can also be found on my blog by clicking here.

Wallace the Brave is such an adorable little book! I think its target audience is around 8-12 (I am positive my 9- and 11-year old brothers will find it hilarious), but I’m a teenager and I thoroughly enjoyed it. I’m sure some older teens and adults would find it too juvenile, but I found it very entertaining, so I think it just depends on your reading preferences. It’s definitely a very light, funny read—there isn’t a whole lot of plot, but I’m okay with that, really. It’s the kind of graphic novel you take out when you want to laugh.

Plot

Like I mentioned above, Wallace the Brave doesn’t really have much plot, but that’s just the type of book it it. It’s really a collection of comic strips that follow the protagonist Wallace’s adventures, rather than a graphic novel with a story arc.

Characters

Wallace the Brave follows the adventures of (you guessed it!) a kid named Wallace, who gets into loads of mischief with his friends Spud and Amelia. All three of the characters have very distinctive personalities, and they’re all hilarious.

I also appreciated that one of the two friends is a girl—I feel like a lot of these types of comics are directed towards boys and don’t have girl characters who are central to the book (aside from a mom, and maybe a crush.) If we could get a good comic with a funny girl protagonist, that would be even better, but this is a start! (If you have any recs of middle grade/ya comic with female protagonists, please drop me a comment!)

Writing style

I know I’ve already said this, but I’m gonna say it again: this book is hilarious! Like the laugh-out-loud kind of funny. I’m telling you, I was howling with laughter, and I know my little siblings will be too.

I also liked the little details included at the end of the book: a map of Snug Harbor (the setting of the book,) instructions for organizing a beach cleanup, making a nature crown, and taking care of a pet caterpillar. All seemed fitting for the story, and it was a nice little touch I think kids will enjoy. The only weird thing was that the map looked unfinished, but that’s probably just because I have an advance copy.

To Recap

Wallace is delightful little book that’s sure to please kids looking for a fun, character-driven comic. I greatly enjoyed it.

Thank you to the publisher for sending me an ARC via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

Blog | Instagram | Bloglovin' | Pinterest
Profile Image for Wayne McCoy.
4,296 reviews32 followers
September 20, 2019
‘Wallace the Brave’ by Will Henry is a collection of comic strips starring an ordinary boy named Wallace and his friends Spud and Amelia. When I say ordinary, I mean bright, curious, and imaginative.

Wallace lives in the odd little town of Snug Harbor with his mother, father and little brother. His dad is a fisherman, his mother is in to gardening, and his brother seems to have been raised by wolves. Wallace’s friend Spud is just a weird kid. Amelia is the new girl in town and plays the antagonist against Spud. To her credit, Spud does seem to deserve it, mostly.

This feels like the kind of comic strip we haven’t seen for a while. The book also was a Will Eisner nominee for Best Humor Publication and Best Publication for kids age 9-12. I liked the art and the gags tend to be more gentle in nature, which made me really like the humor. Wallace and his friends spend a lot of time outdoors just being kids.

I received a review copy of this graphic novel from Andrews McMeel Publishing and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you for allowing me to review this ebook.
Profile Image for Meg.
381 reviews1 follower
October 16, 2017
Warning: Do not read this book in a quiet place. It is truly laugh out loud funny. I've read Wallace online for quite some time and it's great to see this collection that takes us through a year in Wallace's life. I love the RI setting and the fun parents. And Sterling's eyebrow. Too fun!

This review is based on an ARC provided to me by the publisher.
Profile Image for Mori.
142 reviews13 followers
June 25, 2020
3.5*

I follow the artist on Instagram and thought to buy the first part of his work which was a good call, it’s a lovely slice-of-life comic strip collection and gets even better as we go, this was fun to read!
Profile Image for Scott Firestone.
Author 2 books18 followers
September 13, 2021
Funny. Charming. The characters all ring true, and I want to visit the quaint town of Snug Harbor. Kids and adults will both love this, occasionally for different reasons.
Profile Image for Jeanne.
749 reviews
November 5, 2021
Excellent family strip, reminds me of a mixture of Calvin and Hobbes and Cut de Sac, two of my favorites. Humor, good character dynamics, more subtle than some. Fun!
Profile Image for Daniel.
425 reviews18 followers
July 16, 2024
Charming! The comparisons to Calvin and Hobbes are inevitable, but I was pleased to find that this comic has a tone all of its own: laid back, gentle, and with little joyful touches of nature.
Profile Image for Edith.
41 reviews
December 2, 2025
3.5 ⭐️

Spud is definitely my favorite character
83 reviews
February 23, 2023
Sigo a este autor en Instagram y me encantan sus viñetas, estaba deseando poder leerme su cómic recopilatorio y no defrauda.

Deseando poder conseguir el segundo que tiene publicado.
Profile Image for Paul Franco.
1,374 reviews12 followers
September 16, 2017
A comic strip about a kid who likes school but doesn’t want summer to end. He’s got a strange little brother, an even stranger best friend, and I’m not sure how to describe the redheaded girl, other than she’s mostly mean. His parents are surprisingly cool, especially for a tiny place like Snug Harbor. Dad in particular is surprisingly snarky.
To the highlights!
That was a mean trick by the teacher.
Didn’t take long for that big nose to get him into trouble, and even a redhead should know the expression “hornet’s nest.”
“Got two different feet.” Love it when Occam’s Razor is employed in a schoolyard.
“Oddly disproportionate skull.” Wow, big vocab. And yes, backhanded compliments hurt just as much as forehanded.
Some birds spout Greek philosophy, I prefer the one who simply says “Truth.”
“I’m more the ‘Google images’ type.”
“For realsies?” Someone stole my line!
Now I know what that salt on the streets is for. . . mmmmmm, mud pies!
“Like a wildebeest playing a broken accordion.” Yep, I’d pay to see that even if the sound is horrific.
“Science everywhere!”
There’s a kraken on the map, but not close to the sasquatch.
3.5 pushed up to 4/5
Displaying 1 - 30 of 172 reviews

Can't find what you're looking for?

Get help and learn more about the design.