Little Pierrot Vol. 1: Get the Moon

Little Pierrot #1

by Alberto Varanda

Little Pierrot is a young boy with a very large imagination and his head forever in the stars. Joined by his snail buddy, the aptly named Mr. Snail, he sets off to explore the boundaries of space in a series of magical and surreal adventures: first to reach the Moon, and then the Stars... Classic comics storytelling for young readers in the vein of Calvin & Hobbes.

Genres: Graphic Novels, Childrens, Picture Books, Fantasy, Comics

52 pages, Hardcover

First published January 27, 2010

About the author

Il est l'auteur d'illustrations pour plusieurs jeux de rôles des années 1980 à 90, dont In Nomine Satanis - Magna Veritas et Bloodlust, ainsi que de plusieurs séries de bande dessinée, dont Reflets d'écume, Bloodline, La Geste des Chevaliers-dragons, Paradis perdu et Élixirs.

Reviews

[Chad · Rating 4 out of 5]

Story of a young boy with a large imagination who's fascinated with the moon and a snail. Beautiful sepia-toned art. Reminded me of a less demented Calvin and Hobbes.

Received an advanced copy from Lion Forge and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

[Amina (ⴰⵎⵉⵏⴰ) · Rating 4 out of 5]

I loved it, every little part of it!
The humor, the sarcasm, the friendship and the wide imagination.

I'll let some illustrations speak for it!

[Kailey (Luminous Libro) · Rating 3 out of 5]

This collection of comics doesn't have a continuous storyline, but little snippets of a boy and his friend the Snail, who dream of going to the moon. They watch the stars together, read books, dress up in costumes, and avoid schoolwork.

Most of the individual comics don't actually have a funny punchline. It's just sort of whimsical and random with no real point. It reminds me a little of Antoine de Saint-Exupéry's "The Little Prince" with the moon and stars and a dreamy child drifting along through an aimless plot.

The artwork is lovely with soft sepia tones and delightful details in clothing and facial expressions. There are books littered throughout the illustrations, sometimes being read, or in stacks on the floor, scattered across the grass, flying around in the air, and sometimes just sitting demurely on a shelf.

I really love the fanciful artwork, but the dialogue just doesn't hold up the non-existent story. I doubt this would capture a child's attention, although it might fuel the imagination of dreamy adults.

Disclaimer: I received an ecopy of this book from the author/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.

[Lör K. · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received a free copy of this thanks to Netgalley and Diamond Book Distributors. This is no way affected my review.

Publication Date: 05th September 2017
Review Date: 01st November 2017

I know that this is likely a children’s graphic novel, but frankly, I saw it, and I really wanted to read it. The cover design was really sweet, and it sounded like a short and sweet little adventure. I was right!

Little Pierrot tells the story of a young boy, possible homeless, with a big imagination. With his best friend Mr. Snail, he gets up to all kinds of adventures, and learns along the way across 52 beautifully illustrated pages.

The first thing I noticed about this was the absolutely stunning artwork that simply took my breath away. I don’t think I’ve ever been as taken aback by a graphic novel since The Arrival by Shaun Tan. The Arrival told a very heart felt story, and this does as well, just of a completely different genre.

Pierrot is a young boy with a big imagination who wants to go places in the world. The only problem? He’s a small child. But with the help of his friend Mr. Snail, he can do whatever he wants, whilst learning important life lessons on the way.

This story really gave me a lot of nostalgia. I remembered what it was like to be a young child, with the world at my fingertips. When my bed was a pirate ship, and my curtains a horrifying monster. And then my Dad coming in to tell me off because I was being too loud and they’re just curtains. Reading this was a lot like reading through my old childhood and honestly, I was almost moved to tears reading through this. It was utterly stunning, and simply, I recommend this to anyone with children. This really shows some life lessons, but allows the imagination to still run rampant and wild, and I would definitely recommend this for children.

I think this is a wonderful book, with a lot to learn from, and I might read this more than once, just because of how beautiful the artwork is. Simply stunning.

[Nostalgia Reader · Rating 3 out of 5]

A very short comic with a very lovely sepia-toned palette with cute characters (both human and snail). This is not exactly a proper storyline, but rather tiny vignettes with Pierrot and Mr. Snail discussing the possibility of getting to the moon, the physics (or lack of) involved, and the wondrous possibilities of dreams. While I enjoyed the themes and the artwork, I wished that it was a more cohesive storyline that set in place the rest of Pierrot’s adventures (this being Volume 1). It was pretty to read and look at, but I’m not really invested in the further storyline. I was also disappointed that there wasn’t really much surreal imagery used, as the blurb suggests; while I’m sure further volumes will have more, this one was sadly lacking and was one of the main reasons I requested it.

In the end, it seems to be more of a melancholic French look at the nostalgia of childhood dreams–a book more for adults than for children. And even though that summary is incredibly on point with my aesthetic, it still just fell flat for me.

Thank you to NetGalley for providing me with a free copy to review!

(Cross posted on my blog.)

[Wayne McCoy · Rating 4 out of 5]

'Little Pierrot Vol. 1: Get the Moon' by Alberto Varanda is not a cohesive story, but a series of panels and short comic strips. That will help the reader as they embark on this journey.

Little Pierrot is the main character. He's a little boy who seems to not like school much. He has a snail friend that he calls Mr. Snail. He has conversations with Mr. Snail about luck and staying out of his garden. Pierrot tends to lean towards the fanciful rather than the practical. Mr. Snail is there to provide common sense of sorts.

The art is whimsical and fun. Pierrot's hair sticks up in unmanageable spikes. The coloring and characters present a feeling of whimsy, as if this were a cartoon from a bygone era. I enjoyed reading this.

I received a review copy of this graphic novel from Lion Forge, Diamond Book Distributors, and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you for allowing me to review this graphic novel.

[Kathy · Rating 3 out of 5]

A series of snippets about Little Pierrot and his snail friend. Some of the snippets worked very well with touches of humor and whimsy. Other snippets felt like they needed another panel to tie the bit together.

[Jeimy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another precocious child, but nobler. More Pepito than Calvin & Hobbes or Phoebe & Marigold Heavenly Nostrils.

[J.L. Slipak · Rating 2 out of 5]

Available Now For Purchase!

Thanks to Netgalley and Lion Forge for a copy of this book to read and provide my honest review.

Description
Little Pierrot is a young boy with a very large imagination and his head forever in the stars. Joined by his snail buddy, the aptly named Mr. Snail, he sets off to explore the boundaries of space in a series of magical and surreal adventures: first to reach the Moon, and then the Stars… Classic comics storytelling for young readers in the vein of Calvin & Hobbes.

Available Editions
EDITION Hardcover
ISBN 9781941302590
PRICE $14.99 (USD)

MY BOOK REVIEW:

The illustrations in this book deserve a 5 out of 5 stars, or even some kind of award. They are probably one of the best I’ve come across lately out there. Endearing, sweet, and expressive. You can’t help but fall for the relationship between a boy and his snail because of the drawings.

With that being said… I did not like the writing. Forgive me, but a lot didn’t make sense to me and I felt a lot of the words used might be more directed to adults than to children. The humor was dry and confusing at times. It’s unfortunate too because of how wonderful the illustrations are.  Mind you, every now and then, one of the snippets of humor did shine through.  When that happened, the illustrations and words connected and seemed to work, although, still not age appropriate.

If you are more interested in illustrations, then this book is for you. If you are looking for the whole package, then I’m afraid this book failed to deliver, or at least, it did for me.

[Littlest Bookshelf · Rating 5 out of 5]

Created by Alberto Varanda, Little Pierrot: Get the Moon is a graphic novel that explores the thoughts and adventures of a boy named Pierrot. His story is told through moments captured in comic panels, igniting memories of the unforgettable Calvin and Hobbes.

From the human and animal pairing to existential explorations, the comparisons between the two creations are numerous. That’s not to say Little Pierrot doesn’t stand on its own merits.

Varanda does an excellent job of humanizing Pierrot and his snail companion through a combination of charming illustrations and masterful storytelling. Each comic has a lesson to teach readers both young and old.

Exploring topics like immigration and independent thought, sharing the comics in this graphic novel with children is a great way to start conversations about complex subjects. Because of how Varanda creates opportunities for discussion around such relevant topics, Little Pierrot is one of my favourite books this year.

The illustrations in Little Pierrot are each wonderfully-drawn works of art that endear readers to the characters and the world they inhabit. Varanda combines the young protagonist’s imagination with real-world objects to create a landscape that immerses readers into the story.

Published by Lion Forge, Little Pierrot Vol: 1 Get the Moon is an amazing graphic novel that explores complex themes through the eyes of a child. This comic is one of the best I’ve read this year and is a must-have for any house.

[Dec · Rating 4 out of 5]

***I received a copy of this work through netgalley.com in exchange for an honest review.***

It is described as "Classic comics storytelling for young readers in the vein of Calvin & Hobbes", and although the characters have a relationship that mirrors that of Calvin and Hobbes, I feel the comic might be too inaccessible for younger readers. I enjoyed it mainly because I could appreciate the art (beautiful), but there's certain things like not defining Newton's 3rd law or the main characters using a photobooth (but it's not obvious that it is a photobooth) that I think would be lost on children. Similarly it is not clearly defined when a sequence is spread over multiple pages or just the one page, the only way to know is when a small snail appears in the bottom corner to signify the end, but it is not immediately obvious nor explained.
However I feel adult readers would enjoy this more as the story seems to have an aura of reminiscence and tries to capture the charm of a child's imagination as it transforms the world, and there are messages about cherishing this feeling and not growing up too fast (forever young) that might hit sentimental notes in people.

[Jason Brown (Toastx2) · Rating 2 out of 5]

Little Pierrot: Infantile universal introspection

I am thankful this #lionforge release was only 50 pages. Any more and my eye rolling may have caused permanent injury

Pierrot is the classic genericized ‘sad clown’ in French culture. Used iconically by hundreds of artists, Pierrot is frequently paired with imagery of La Luna, picnics, and non-technological scenery.

I dislike Pierrot, and associate him with strong feelings of annoyance. Had my brain put 2 and two together that Little Pierrot was a chibi version of Pierrot, well, I can advise I would have skipped this entirely. But It didn’t, so I put on as non-biased a face possible and read it anyway

Little Pierrot was a mixed bag. Cute as hell artwork, lots if deep detail and beautiful scenery. Disjointed story, like a series of sometimes related vignettes. LP is a kid, a little kid.. he has a talking snail as a friend. As they talk LP and the snail drop bombs of deep introspection that fail to explode.. They are half formed marketing slogans for wheat paste wall posters.

Little Pierrot was a beautiful book that wished desperately to be Calvin and Hobbes, knowing all the time that it doesnt hold a candle

[Paul Franco · Rating 3 out of 5]

There’s no actual narrative here; each page is its own story, like a comic strip. But basically it revolves around a kid with a huge imagination who wants to go into space and explore the stars. There’s also a talking snail who’s like a snobby unappreciative guru, almost an evil Mr. Miyagi or Yoda.
It’s hard to get a sense of this. Some pages are philosophical, some are funny, some try to be funny but don’t make it. Just a kid with his snail going through life, or trying to. Nothing to grasp, and the earth-tone artwork doesn’t help. Except when he dresses as Batman or an astronaut—complete with Chucky T’s—the clothing is remarkably drab.
Wow, those kids are extremely studious; all except the protagonist paying attention to their work in class. The physics lessons are both funny and painful.
Right away before the story starts there’s a double page of kids walking a row, and they are drawn extremely cute. But that’s the highlight of the visuals. Worse, the font is not easy to read; there’s one page where I couldn’t make out the last word and missed the punchline.

[Deborah · Rating 5 out of 5]

Little Pierrot (v.1) by Alberto Varanda is a graphic novel about Pierrot and the little snail that is his friend. The setting is all the places they go, from school to the garden, and the places their imagination takes them. They confront their fears, and dreams. in a series of self contained illustrations, where each vignette tells its own little story. Totally engaging. It is vaguely reminiscent of Calvin and Hobbs, but this is way better. The illustrator's choice of paper, with the flesh painted faces is breathtakingly beautiful. I am in awe of the stunning illustrations. Bravo. I love the way the faces are painted, the glisten in the eye, the peachy cheeks. Such lovely contrast to the tan paper. This honest review is given in exchange for reading the draftgalley for netgalley. I can already think of the kids I would buy this for! Great for gifts, public libraries, and reluctant readers, as well as graphic novel collections, and collectors. Beautiful.

[Laura · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a series of stripes of a boy and his best friend, a snail. Yeah, not sure if I missed something in the translation, but the two thoughts I had when I read this the first time was, how is he not accidentally stepping on him, and why a snail?

This is one joke where Pierrot is teasing the snail by prepareing a dish with garlic, that only someone who has ever eaten snails, would understand.

Otherwise, this is cute enough. One reviewer said it was a bit like Calvin and Hobbs, and it is, though not enough to make me want to seek more volumes of this out.

Thanks to Netgalley for making this book available for an honest review.

[Laura · Rating 3 out of 5]

A book written in comic book style, sharing the story of Little Pierrot, the young boy who has a very large imagination and is endlessly curious and full of questions. It's a good starting point for young readers who are transitioning from early picture books with minimal text, not yet ready to progress to books without images. I was disappointed in the imagery, with very dull muted brown colours throughout, which didn't enthral me. I would have liked to have seen something a bit more lively, to complement the creativity and liveliness of Pierrot's imagination.

(Thanks NetGalley for this copy).

[Rachel Stansel · Rating 3 out of 5]

Beautiful pictures and some cute parts. The book is made of individual comics but are tied together through the imagination of little Pierrot. The funniest was the escargot part. My other favorite was when Pierrot asks snail what emigration is and snail says "It's an uprooted tree." Then he asks what immigration is and snail says, "It's a replanted stem." A sweet and touching way to look at it. It reminded me a bit of Calvin and Hobbes in terms of the relationship of Pierrot and Mr. Snail and the boys imagination driving the story.

Full disclosure - I received a copy of the book from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

[Jennifer · Rating 3 out of 5]

A French translated graphic novel about a little boy, Pierrot and his friend who happens to be a snail. The illustrations are gorgeous throughout and studying the detail alone makes this worth a go. I see comparisons to Calvin & Hobbes and I agree only in that the pages are little snippets of moments and are not cohesive at all. That is not obvious when you start reading but after several confused moments I surrendered to the author's style and was ok. The tone however is completely different and very French. If I had to Americanize it, I'd like it to Scott Snyder's Batman/Alfred relationship. You know there is a friendship and love there but the brutal sarcasm hides it well. :)

[Theediscerning · Rating 1 out of 5]

Well this was a rum 'un, using a brilliant five-star artistic style with wonderful landscape art and character design, to give us the naffest funnies pages contents out there. A lot of the book promises much more than it can ever deliver, and a lot is just not funny. "I can't find my slippers" moans little kid; "Call them!" is the advice from his friend, who is a snail; the end. Yup, I did type snail - this is bonkers, as well as beautiful. Unfortunately it's just not appealing or clever beyond the artistry. All it is good for is proving you can indeed polish a t- sorry, snail.

[Rachel · Rating 4 out of 5]

*thank you to NetGalley and Diamond Book Distributors for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review*

4 stars.
What a cute little comic book! This is good for all ages. The illustrations are a reason enough to take a look at this, but its also a fun, silly read about a little boy being just that. A typical little boy who makes us giggle. Its basically about him and his little friend, Mr Snail, and their imagination. If you have forgotten what its like to be a child, this book gives us a little window into that world.

[coffee · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received a free copy via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review

I really enjoyed this little book! I picked it up because the cover art was really nice and I was glad to see the style was consistent. It didn't really have a linear story, instead we get little snippets of Pierrot's life with Mr. Snail. I really liked seeing how his imagination worked (ie. when he needs to take a shower but it shows him near a waterfall, where he strings up the moon when it has fallen, defining emigration and immigration, etc). I'd love to have a physical copy of this book on my shelves

[Engel Dreizehn · Rating 4 out of 5]

ARC copy for review...I liken the "vintage" European cartoon styling of the characters and the colour palette is simple...earthen monochrome tones mixed with a magical realism atmosphere. The protagonists are interesting...the boy is go-getter with slight stubbornness/sarcastic streak, ready to take on the world but still has a child-like wary-ness of world requiring him to ask his snail friend. The Snail is very much a wise fellow whose is also very sarcastic in tone/manners.

[Loz · Rating 3 out of 5]

I wanted to love this book. The art is amazing, and the concept delightful (Calvin and Hobbes-esque), but it seemed way too disjointed with no room to breathe. I think this book will benefit from multiple readings, and possibly also with a kiddo. If you like absurdist child and animal companion (a snail) stories being both too literal and too existential simultaneously, you'll probably enjoy this!

[Teresa Reads · Rating 3 out of 5]

I was drawn to this book because of the fantastic artwork. Varanda is very talented. Though from the cover it might look like a children's book, the humor is geared for older audiences. Children might not "get it" without explanation. Also, rather than one story, it reads like a comic strip and reminds me at times of "Calvin and Hobbs", which isn't a bad thing, just something to keep in mind if you are looking for a children's storybook.

[Nissa · Rating 4 out of 5]

Little Pierrot is a collection of single and double page vignettes following a boy and a snail. Sweetly drawn, Pierrot does not play much with the other children, but passes the time with a snail who is bossy, wise, and a bit of a realist, and who also desperately wants to eat all the lettuce in the garden. A lovely peek into a child's world of play, curiosity, and celestial possibility. This slender volume holds appeal for all ages.

[Melissa · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thanks NetGalley for an early glimpse.

Gorgeous illustrations and thoughts - utterly beautiful illustrations, and I loved the Calvin and Hobbes-esque relationship between the characters.

The format (no story; just a selection of 'moments') was a little odd to begin with, and it might make slightly more sense if there was a line through - but this doesn't particularly detract from it.

[Apex157x · Rating 3 out of 5]

Overall ok book, the illustrations were hit and miss sometimes bordered on creepy in my opinion but then often times kids like that better than us adults, the silliness of it. I like some of the more mature aspects that make kids think like talking about Newton or Verne. Nice use of the imagination of the character.

[Jason · Rating 2 out of 5]

[This review refers to both vol. 1 & 2 of Little Pierrot]

Don't get me wrong, Varanda's art is absolutely stunning, and I appreciate his use of a limited color palette. But these books read like they're from Precious Moments. Not really to my taste. I was expecting a story or jokes with punchlines and this has neither. I definitely want to check out Varanda's other work, though!

[Dean · Rating 3 out of 5]

I really wanted to like this one more than I did. It had quirky characters and fun situations, but it really didn't resonate that well with me. I kept feeling that something wasn't there, that some part of the joke didn't get told. Cute but not an essential purchase for my library.

[Theresa · Rating 5 out of 5]

Little Pierrot Vol 1: Get the Moon (Hardcover)
by Alberto Varanda
This is an adorable story of a little boy who finds his imagination and world expanded while he dreams of what he can do in life. The pictures are so sweet, the kids will be drawn to the bright and simple designs.