Lumberjanes: Bonus Tracks

Lumberjanes #SS1

by Shannon Watters (Creator), Grace Ellis (Creator), N.D. Stevenson (Creator)

The Lumberjanes short stories collected for the first time in paperback! 

Join April, Jo, Mal, Molly and Ripley as they explore their all-girls camp. From ghost ponies to strange plants, these Lumberjanes are ready to take on anything that comes their way as long as they have each other.

With stories written by Eisner Award-winner Faith Erin Hicks, and New York Times bestselling author Holly Black, these adventures are definitely something you don’t want to miss. Collecting all the Lumberjanes one-shots for the first time, Lumberjanes: Bonus Tracks has a star studded cast of talent that is just too good to pass up!

Featuring Faith Erin Hicks (Nameless City, Friends with Boys), Rosemary Valero-O'Connell (Lumberjanes/Gotham Academy, Laura Dean Keeps Breaking Up with Me), Jen Wang (In Real Life, Adventure Time with Fionna and Cake: Card Wars), Christine Norrie (Hopeless Savages), Kelly Thompson (Jem & The Holograms, Hawkeye), and Holly Black (The Spiderwick Chronicles).

Genres: Graphic Novels, Comics, Fantasy, Young Adult, LGBT, Fiction, Middle Grade

127 pages, Paperback

First published April 3, 2018

About the author

Senior Editor at BOOM! Studios | Head of BOOM! Box | Co-Creator/Writer of Lumberjanes | your favorite boy band butch [she/her]
(from Twitter profile)

Reviews

[Magen - Inquiring Professional Dog Trainer · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a really sweet series. I enjoyed it more than the most recent volumes where Noelle Stevenson left the series. I enjoyed how all these stories did something very different than the main plot line and featured more diverse plots. I hope there's another volume like this one! If you've enjoyed Lumberjanes, check this out. If you haven't read Lumberjanes, no worries! For the most part, you'd understand everything that happens in this series (there's one exception, Faire and Square where they use a portal. I think the comic is understandable without having read the role the portals play in the series. The plot is clear and the significance of the portal doesn't play a role in this comic. But, I'd rather give a heads up than be confused).

[Liz (Quirky Cat) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Lumberjanes: Bonus Tracks is a collection of the one-shot and special issue stories that have been published so far for Lumberjanes. These are the stories that were published separate from the main plot, and had their own naming (no number involved). I personally always forget to grab these sort of issues when they come out, so I was really happy to see they made a collection of all of them together.
The issues included are: Beyond Bay Leaf, Makin’ The Ghost of It, Spinxhes and Riddles and Wishes Oh My!, Faire and Square, and Las Estrellas Del Campo: Edicion Lumberjanes. Every issue has its own set of guest authors and artists, which is pretty cool; unless you don’t like change.



Like any Lumberjanes story, the short stories included in this collection are light and fun, but also have a deeper point hidden inside them. It was fun having a chance to read a bunch of Lumberjanes plots that got wrapped up relatively quickly – not that I have any problem with longer term plots (they’re actually what I prefer to read).
I did notice a trend in a few of these issues (I almost wish they trend had lasted through all of them); Jen is the instigator in a couple of the Lumberjane adventures. I understand that she is dragging their butts out to try and teach them things (that sort of is the point of the camp after all…) but sometimes I feel like the woman is tempting fate, you know?
Beyond Bay Leaf happens because Jen insisted the Roanoke cabin get up in the middle of the night and go stargazing. I mean, really? Who honestly thinks it’s a good idea to have a cabin full of mischievous kids like the Lumberjanes out at night, with only one adult to supervise? Not convinced? Need I remind you that Ripley is one of those campers? So of course it’s really no surprise at all when she runs off after spotting a ghost pony. It’s also no surprise that the rest of the cabin (minus Jen) run off after her.
So yeah, a whole cabin of the Lumberjanes, lost in the woods, at night. That’s actually not terribly different from some of the other situations they’ve been in, is it? So no surprise there either. The adventure they have is a pretty good one, and parts of the story truly reminded me of The Last Unicorn, so major nostalgia points there!
Makin’ the Ghost Of It is another one of the stories that happens solely because of Jen’s insistence. Also, side note: I would have guessed that titles for the first two issues had gotten swapped, but my brain just keeps wanting to focus on the ghost pony, so that may be why. Anyway, Jen dragged the Roanoke cabin out to do some foraging and plant identification. Which is kind of cool, but also a germaphobes nightmare (seriously – asking somebody to eat plants right out of the ground, without washing it first? No wonder some of them freak out).
To Jen’s credit, this one didn’t really sound dangerous at first glance (going on a nice hike in the middle of the day, no big deal), until the abandoned mining camp is mentioned. Um, what? Apparently there’s a mining camp up the mountain that was abandoned after the gold rush craze. Naturally there’s a ghost story to go along with it (of course), which Jen delights in telling them.
Honestly, I’m surprise the story ended up as it did. I would have been willing to bet that the cabin would have wound up in the middle of an actual ghost hunt or something. Jen needs to stop putting ideas in their heads.
I feel like Sphinxes, Riddles, and Wishes, Oh My! Is probably the shortest story in the collection. Maybe it just feels that way though. I didn’t actually count the pages. This one is all about Ripley; she’s telling the story of how she ‘saved’ Jen. It’s a fun and light read, while also giving us a quick peek at how Ripley’s mind works.
Faire and Square (I keep wanting to write ‘squire’ there) is a fun issue, and probably one of my favorites from the collection. The Roanoke cabin heads off to a Medieval faire (too bad they hadn’t invited the other cabins), which apparently happens somewhere in the woods by the camp. Apparently there’s quite a lot that happens in these woods. Anyway, while there Molly enters the archery competition, which leads them off onto another quest (literally).
It’s a cute story with everyone having to work together. Also, unlike the other stories I feel like this one really gave each camper a moment to shine. I don’t mind the stories that focus on one of the Lumberjanes specifically, but sometimes it’s nice to see them all like this.
Las Estrells Del Campo: Edicion Lumberjanes is the last issue in the collection, and it’s another Ripley heavy story. Ripley is adorably close to her family (something that’s been hinted at multiple times, but the depth of which hasn’t really been revealed), to the point where they’ll write her letters detailing every episode of her favorite show as it airs. Which is actually pretty sweet. That is until they miss an episode, throwing Ripley into wave after wave of despair and withdrawal.
Which is something the Lumberjanes are more than willing to step up and help out with. This was a pretty cute issue, on the whole. Everyone in the cabin rallied together to try and help Ripley’s mood out, and it was really sweet seeing how close Ripley is to her family. It’s nice to know that some of the girls have a good family life at home (I feel like they’re fairly evenly balanced, on family lives for everyone, but sometimes the bad seems to outweigh the good).
Overall I loved this collection of short stories. I really hope they continue to bundle the stories up like this, since I’m really bad at noticing the issues when they’re not part of the main story (read: when they’re not numbered and located in the same spot of the store; I’m silly like that).


For more reviews, check out Quirky Cat's Fat Stacks

[Marc *Dark Reader with a Thousand Young! Iä!* · Rating 2 out of 5]

This is the first time I have seen a typo in a graphic novel. Bad letterer!

[Chris Lemmerman · Rating 3 out of 5]

Collecting all of the Lumberjanes one-shots (so far), the 'Janes face off against dinosaurs, demons, ghost ponies, and telenovelas in this worthy addition to the Lumberjanes canon.

We start with Beyond Bay Leaf, by Faith Erin Hicks and Rosemary Valero-O'Connell (who drew most of Lumberjanes/Gotham Academy, for those keeping count). This is probably the strongest story collected, with Ripley and the gang splitting up to take part in a lifelong feud between those ghost ponies I mentioned and a creepy demon wolf lady. Ripley's awe at literally everything is infectiously cute, as always.

Makin' The Ghost Of It seems like a good Lumberjanes story right up until the end where it gets a scientific explanation which sticks out in 'Janes canon since usually the supernatural answer is the right one (even if it's not in the way we think). The art's pretty solid here though, I'd be curious to see Christine Norrie on the main series at some point.

Faire And Square is fun, and fits nicely into the ongoing series continuity with the dinosaurs and the dimensional portals and stuff, but feels a bit wrote at this point in terms of character development. And then Las Estrellas Del Campo and Sphinxes, Riddles, and Wishes, Oh My! are both short and sweet.

The lack of a connecting thread between these stories hurts them a little, since it feels a bit jumbled, and the quality does change between stories, but overall the collection is still fun, and any hardcore Lumberjanes fan will eat this up, I'm sure.

[Brittany · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is an anthology of short stories about the notorious Lumberjanes and their magical adventures. Therefore, the art and stories are different from the original series and in some cases I thought it was done really well and others I was not a huge fan of. Definitely still love the Lumberjanes and their adventures through the magical forest while at summer camp and am glad I read this.

[Renata · Rating 4 out of 5]

Oh my Elaine Stritch, this is an adorable addition to the Lumberjanes canon.

[Amanda K · Rating 3 out of 5]

Cute little collection, some had better art, some had better plot, some missed the mark on both for me but all in all a cute addition.

[Nicole · Rating 5 out of 5]

Read August 2018
I loved these short stories! They reminded me more of the earlier volumes of Lumberjanes which I really liked.

[Dev · Rating 4 out of 5]

A collection of one-shots from the Lumberjanes universe. They're all pretty standard Lumberjanes adventures but also very cute and enjoyable. It's nice to see a range of writers and artists collected in a single volume like this. Unfortunately the print in the last story is VERY small if you are reading from a print copy [yes hello, I am officially an Old Person lol] so I pretty much just skimmed that, but if you have a digital copy [or better eyes] it shouldn't be a problem.

[Britt · Rating 3 out of 5]

I would totally read an entire graphic novel by Holly Black. Good thing I have one at home!

[Julie · Rating 3 out of 5]

I liked a couple of the stories in this really, really well. What annoyed me was that the guest authors and illustrators either haven't read the rest of Lumberjanes, or didn't pay enough attention.

1. Even on the cover, Molly's raccoon cap is ACTUALLY A RACCOON, but in the stories, she's just wearing an actual coonskin cap.

2. Ripley is said to have a sister named Pepita, when we know that she and her siblings (those who have been named so far, anyway) are all named after sci-fi characters (Ripley, Deckard, Leeloo...).

3. The portal in the ren faire story is blue and round, and doesn't close after something goes through it. All the other portals in Lumberjanes have been yellow and kinda squiggly and sparkly, and close after use (unless there are extenuating circumstances).

Yeah, none of these things are a big deal and it's just a comic book and they're just short stories by guests.... but it still annoyed me.

[Gabrielle Stoller · Rating 3 out of 5]

I picked this book up for my "Graphic Novel in a Series" for my college class. I thought it was the first book in the series. Instead it was a collection of one shots. Not bad but not fully what I was anticipating. Still, the story of girls and friendship set across a outdoor camp....fun!

[Anne-Marie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Really cute collection of short stories with the Lumberjanes up to their usual shenanigans. In a short story collection, the variety of art styles actually works really well and it's fun to see the different artists!

[Cendaquenta · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was decent. Storylines were quite interesting but wasn't a fan of most of the artstyles. My favourite was easily the last issue, "Faire and Square".

[sallanvaara · Rating 3 out of 5]

Okay NOW I'm done with the Lumberjanes series! Cute collection of one-off stories!

[J. Taylor · Rating 3 out of 5]

Beyond Bay Leaf-3.5
Makin' The Ghost Of It-2
Faire And Square is fun-3
Sphinxes, Riddles, and Wishes, Oh My!-2.5
Las Estrellas Del Camp-1.5
Illustrations-4
For a total of 2.75 rounded up to 3

[Freya · Rating 5 out of 5]

Review to come :)

[Elyse · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is just a small collection of unrelated one-shots and they were fun! Written and illustrated by different authors.

[Chelsea · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a fun compilation of individual stories with interesting artistic variety.

[Greyson | Use Your Words · Rating 5 out of 5]

Lumberjanes Series Ratings:
Lumberjanes, Vol. 1: Beware the Kitten Holy: ★★★★★
Lumberjanes, Vol. 2: Friendship to the Max: ★★★★★
Lumberjanes, Vol. 3: A Terrible Plan: ★★★★★
Lumberjanes, Vol. 4: Out of Time: ★★★★★
Lumberjanes, Vol. 5: Band Together: ★★★★★
Lumberjanes, Vol. 6: Sink or Swim: ★★★★★
Lumberjanes, Vol. 7: A Bird's-Eye View: ★★★★★
Lumberjanes, Vol. 8: Stone Cold : ★★★★★
Lumberjanes, Vol. 9: ★★★★★
Lumberjanes: Bonus Tracks: ★★★★★
Lumberjanes, Vol. 10: Parents' Day : TBR
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They're so stinking cute!
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I read this book as part of my 2018 Library Love binge, where I read as many library books as possible to take advantage of my great local library network before I move interstate!
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[Megan · Rating 3 out of 5]

Just finished this extra "Lumberjanes" books that has stand - alone stories of Mal, Molly, Jo, April Ripley, and Jen just doing things. I felt like this book was, overall, just okay. I really did like some of the stories that were in here, but then other ones were also just... Eh. Here is a rank of the stories, in my opinion, with what I liked the most and what I liked the least:

BEST
"Faire And Square" by Holly Black - I definitely thought this one was the most interesting and fun out of the entirety of the book, which is why it's earned the #1 spot (obviously). This is about the girls going to like a Renaissance fair ('Nottingham Faire') and, while they are there, some stuff with a dinosaur occurs, of course! I really liked meeting the character of Rowena, seeing the girls get to have fun at the Faire and do different things, some of the messages that occur within the story (like Mal telling the dinosaur how doing new things are difficult, but necessary and Molly saying that her friends are her Merry Forest People), and oh my goodness... The outfits were so lovely. I just thought this one was awesome. If it had been a whole book, I would have read it and loved it. Along with that though, Black did a good job telling the story with the amount of pages she had too. The idea she came up, as well, was just enthralling to me for some reason. ALSO, Mal said Molly looked LIKE A FOX. IN LIKE A... "YOU'RE HOT" WAY AND I ABOUT DIED. 5/5 stars.

"Sphinxes, And Riddles, And Wishes, Oh My!" by Kelly Thompson - Okay, so this one is probably the most ridiculous? It's a VERY short story about Ripley "saving" Jen with the use of a sphinx... Or did she actually save Jen with the use of a sphinx... The world will just never know, lol. Although this one was really silly, I just found it very cute, short, and fun. 4/5 stars.

"Las Estrellas Del Campo: Edición Lumberjanes" by Gabby Rivera - The girls do a whole thing acting out a telenovela for Ripley after her sister forgets to send her a letter about the latest thing that happened on one of her favorite telenovelas, Las Estrellas Del Campo. I really like the "Lumberjanes" stories with low stakes for the most part and I don't know why. I just do. This was another one of them that I just found myself enjoying, smiling at, et cetera. This also had some really cute Mal & Molly moments that I was here for. 3.5/5 stars.

"Beyond Bay Leaf" by Faith Erin Hicks - This was the story about the girls looking at stars (because Jen made them) and then Ripley runs away, finds a 'ghost pony' as she calls it that is needing her help, and the girls, obviously, go looking after her, but, when they do, they meet a person named Sola who is also needing their help. When Ripley and the girls are reunited, some mayhem ensues. This story was just... Okay? Maybe worse than okay? I don't know. It felt like it went on forever and I didn't really care about any of it. I cared a little bit about the 'ghost pony', but I didn't care for Sola at all. I thought certain parts of it were just awkward and weird... Like, I understand it's not cool for Ripley to run off like she did, but the way that everyone was acting as if it's never happened before just sort of annoyed me. I didn't like all the stuff they were saying about Ripley. The only part I really enjoyed was the end when Sola tried to do stuff with Ripley's fears about the friends (and them splitting up). I felt like that was, like, the really only noteworthy thing? 2.5/5 stars, I think??? Maybe 3 if you beg, but, even then, I don't know if I would, lol.

"Makin' The Ghost Of It" by Jen Wang - I really did want to like this one, honestly. I liked the beginning pretty well with the ghost story Jen told and about what happened during the gold rush at the Lumberjanes camp, but then when it got into everything that Mal had saw, trying to "trap a ghost", and what they actually trapped and why... I just couldn't roll my eyes more. I think it was very poorly executed with the pages that this story had and the ending annoyed me the worst of all... The fact that it was just like, "Oh, we have no food, we'll eat plants like how we discussed on the first page!"... It just killed me. Really? All of this for that? -1/5 stars, to be completely honest.

WORST

There you go. That's my review of this. Hope you liked it! Also, a fun note to add - I loved all the art in this book, shockingly enough! Why do they not use some of these artist more if they are going to change all the time! All five of these illustrators were pretty good!!

[Anna · Rating 4 out of 5]

Bonus Tracks is a collection of one-shot Lumberjanes stories by various artists. It's a very enjoyable read, and impressive for being so versatile--some franchises can't cross over into different styles effectively, but this one works well. I guess it's because from issue one the series was set up without firm rules and with the understanding that anything could happen, so it translates well, with each creator bringing something new. (I must say I don't like the cover, though. Fortunately none of the stories look like it.)

While each of these shorts is a self-contained story, I wouldn't quite call them standalones--a basic understanding of the 'Janes and their origins is assumed. I would say read at least the first three collections (twelve issues) before this one. I read Bonus Tracks after I had finished the seventh collection, A Bird's-Eye View, but I don't think I needed to wait that long.

There are five shorts in this collection, and I'll share my thoughts on each from least favorite (though I enjoyed them all) to favorite:

Sphinxes, Riddles, and Wishes, Oh, My!
-Funny Ripley-centered story, just a few pages long. A bit unusual among Lumberjanes canon as it suggests that the supernatural element was actually made up... though we don't know for sure! The art is okay but not the best--it's cute, but a little simplistic, and Jo, who is notoriously the least consistent-appearing 'Jane from artist to artist, looks particularly not like herself.

Makin' the Ghost of It
-The story is fine, if a little more explainable than usual. Fun to see the Lumberjanes in their pajamas, but I'm not wild about the art style--something about the heavy black outlines and the way the eyes are drawn don't work. Everyone looks like they're wearing make-up. This time, Mal and Molly in particular look off.

Las Estrellas Del Campo: Edicion Lumberjanes
-Another quickie. This one is wacky, but in a great way, as it focuses on Ripley again (but with some cute M&M sweetness). The art style is different, but works well. I've seen a few people saying that you have to be familiar with telenovelas to really "get" this one, and I'm sure that would make it even better, but I still appreciated it fine. The title of the telenovela, of course, translates to something like "The Stars of the Camp", which the Roanokes definitely are! Only two minor quibbles here: first, in this story we hear about Ripley having a sister named Pepita, while it's already been established that all of her siblings have non-Spanish names of sci-fi characters (Ripley, Deckard, Leeloo, etc.). And second, the text in the speech bubbles is really quite small, which could be an accessibility issue for some. Get a magnifying glass if you need one, because this is a hilarious story you won't want to miss.

Beyond Bay Leaf
-I don't understand the title of this one. What is the Beyond Bay Leaf badge for? Other than that, though, the story is really good and fits well with the established Lumberjanes feel. The art style is fine, too. Mal's hair is wrong, and Ripley looks a little off, but everyone else looks good, especially Jen, and the light levels are really well done. I think this one is the longest of the five in this collection--with a little more filling out, it could work as a four-issue arc.

Faire and Square
-My favorite in this collection! A fun setting, great art that flatters all the characters, and all the hilarious quips we've come to expect from this series (including a running equivocation on the word "fox" that every character takes in a different direction). There are fun outfits, Molly gets to show off her archery prowess, Mal gets some nice character development, they have some cute M&M moments together, and everyone is just happy. Funny twist ending, too!

Overall: enjoyable collection that nicely expands on the LJ world. I would love to see some more of these!

[Bill Coffin · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a collective review for the entire Lumberjanes series.

I’ve been wanting to do a complete Lumberjanes read-through ever since I bought the first TPB at the New York ComiCon, back when the series first started. My son and I had just finished reading Namona together, and I was a big Noelle Stevenson fan on the back of that, so Lumberjanes was an obvious choice for what to read next. I read the first few volumes, and then let it sit for a few years as the series ran its course. Now, I have the chance to go back and take it all in as a single, extended reading. So what’s the verdict?

Lumberjanes is a magnificent comic property. Even if it doesn’t speak to you directly (and it doesn’t always speak that strongly to me), the truth is that a book with this much heart, accessibility, respect for each others’ differences, love for a good yarn, and investment in its own characters is a book worth everyone’s notice.

The story involves a very long and unusual summer for a gang of young women at a summer camp where mythical beasts roams and time works at its own pace. It is full of both epic danger and mundane camp stuff, where we might see our heroines fighting a creature from Greek myth one volume, and play a board game of their own making in another. For them, this time-warping summer camp experience is an extended exercise in facing the many challenges of burgeoning adulthood, where growing together matters more than growing up.

Throughout the Lumberjanes is a strong commitment to representation, and this book really delivers there. Just about every reader can easily see themselves in Lumberjanes, which is a feature, not a bug. Even though the stories themselves can hit a kind of rut without any real stakes or advancement of characters or meta-plot (this was especially the case once Stevenson moved off the book), the fact remains that this is a story that provides a much-needed presence in the world of graphic storytelling. You’re not going to find many books this overwhelmingly positive, especially to any dimension of diversity within the audience, and in a comics scene that so often meets diversity kicking and screaming, Lumberjanes' steadfast embrace of our differences really matters. There are more than a few books that feel cut from the Lumberjanes cloth nowadays, but one imagines they wouldn’t be around if not for Lumberjanes themselves. And you know what? We’re all better for it. Whether you like this book or not, you must respect it, and that is no small thing.

[Arnela · Rating 5 out of 5]

I will never not love a Lumberjanes story [ok that's a lie, but I haven't found a story I don't like THIS FAR].

This is a series of little short story-type adventures that the girls have gone through, I'm not sure why this series of stories is off to the side, as I feel they could have been part of the main story line where they girls are going on random adventures in the woods. Possibly because they're just shorter and more self contained than the other types of shenanigans the girls tend to get into.

I was not expecting the different artists that we're featured in this trade paperback but I'm very happy about it because I've found a lot of new artists to look out for.

Beyond Bay Lead: written by Faith E. Hicks, illustrated and colored by Rosemary Valero-O'Connell, colored by Maarta Laiho; Ripley wanders off and finds a glowing white horse that's trying to escape from the clutches of some strange supernatural being. It gave me old folk tale vibes from home, made me feel all nostalgic.

Making the Ghost of it: written by Jen Wang, Illustrated by Christine Norrie, Colored by Maarta Laiho, lettered by Aubrey Aiese; It felt like your typical kind of camp ghost story where the ghost comes back and haunts your cabin.3/5 simply for there being not enough ghosts.

Sphinxes, Riddles, and Wishes, Oh My!: Written by Kelly Thompson, art by Savanna Ganucheau, colors by Joie Brown, letters by Mad Rupert [everything stops for 10 seconds because I love Mad Rupert, I love her comic Sakana and I recommend that anyone looking for a silly rom-com go read that right now]; This story was included in this years free comic book day Lumberjanes special. It's really short but still cute as Ripley explains how she rescued Jen.

Faire and Square: written by Holly Black, illustrated by Marina Julia; here there be dragons. Very cute and very well written, this could have totally been a part of a regular lumberjanes volume.

Las Estrellas Del Campo: Edicion Lumberjanes: written by Gabby Rivery, illustrated by Gaby Epstein, lettered by Jim Campbell; Ripley missed the last episode of her favorite telenovella so the other Lumberjanes act it out for her. This is it, this is peak friendship.

It's just a few simple and silly side stories of our favorite girls being there for each other and going on adventures big and small. What's not to like?

[Tsana Dolichva · Rating 5 out of 5]

Lumberjanes: Bonus Tracks is the collected volume of Lumberjanes one-shot special issues. I didn't really know what to expect when I picked this book up. I bought it because it (and Volume 4 of the main story) were what was available in the comic book shop. I'm glad I did grab this book, though, as it exceeded my expectations.

Once I overcame the slight weirdness of seeing different artists draw familiar characters in slightly different ways — exacerbated by the fact that I had just read one of the regular volumes — I really enjoyed the short stories presented here. This volume contains five stories written and illustrated by different creators. Each is a self-contained story and they don't require very much prior knowledge of the series except for the general setting. I think there were a couple of very minor references to events in Lumberjanes issues I haven't read, but the plot certainly didn't hinge on them.

It's not a terrible sampler to get an idea of whether you want to read more Lumberjanes, even if the writers are not the regulars. That said, I think readers will get a little bit more enjoyment out of Bonus Tracks if they've read a bit of Lumberjanes before, since these stories do none of the work of establishing setting or character (which makes sense, given the context). I don't want to say much about the content of the stories since they're so short it would feel like spoilers; I think the blurb says enough. However, I will note that my favourite story was the one written by Holly Black, "Faire and Square", but it was a very close race between all of them.

I highly recommend this volume to fans of Lumberjanes. As far as I can tell, it can be inserted anywhere in your Lumberjanes journey and still be enjoyable.

4.5 / 5 stars

You can read more of my reviews on my blog.

[McKayla · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a cute collection of stories. I'm limited in my access to Lumberjanes content by what my library has available, and I'm surprised they had this, but I'm so glad they did. It was a quick read, to be sure, but I had so much fun. The heart and spirit of the original Lumberjanes series is honored and celebrated in these stories by five guest writers, and even though the art style varies and the voices aren't quite the same, I never felt like I wasn't reading a Lumberjanes story.

If I have one recommendation to make, it's that you might want to wait to read this until you're caught up on the Lumberjanes series. I have currently read only the first two volumes, and these bonus tracks do make reference to things that have not happened yet in my reading. I don't think I was necessarily spoiled, and these references did not impede my enjoyment or understanding of the bonus tracks, but if you're a stickler for reading things in order, you might want to wait on these, or take some time to figure out where in the reading order this volume lies, something I did not do.

[Raj · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a collection of five short stories about our favourite Lumberjanes, with a variety of writers and artists. The earlier ones, Beyond Bay Leaf and Makin' the Ghost of It are more action-heavy while the latter three are shorter and a bit fluffier. Beyond Bay Leaf sees Riley chase after something and the others getting lost while trying to find her. Makin' the Ghost of It has Jen taking the Roanoke girls out on a nature-hike and telling them a ghost story that comes back to haunt them.

While not all the art is to my taste, the writers all manage to capture the essence of the Lumberjanes books (not to mention the chaos) in these five short stories. I'd forgotten how much I enjoyed their company and I look forward to getting back into the series (and now that I've backed the Kickstarter, I'll be able to read the rest of the series [in covers that match the rest of my set]!).

[OneMamaReads · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 Stars

***

The Lumberjanes are back in a set of bonus stories by various artists and illustrators. From ghostly ponies, to weird flowers, even a reenactment of a telenovela. All of the illustrations were unique and brought out the best in each of these hardcore girls.

There was a mix of whimsy and macabre in each of the stories, but the main theme (as always) is friendship and the power that those who possess it wield. The colours are vibrant and the illustrations come alive, jumping right off the page to confront you with wonder. The girls are relatable, lifelike, and their bond is beautiful.

Read my full review here: https://onemamassummer.weebly.com/boo...

[Theresa · Rating 3 out of 5]

Lumberjanes: Bonus Tracks

Reads like a scary paranormal parody of the Girls Scouts and takes place at a crazy scout camp. This one is a compilation of Lumberjanes world stories of other authors based on the theme of ghosts.
1) Beyond Bay Leaf. During a star gazing trip Ripley discovers a ghost pony.
2) Makin’ the Ghost of It. Edible plant identification and a ghost mine causes problems for Jen.
3) Sphinxes, Riddles & Wishes, Oh My! Ripley elaborates her story of rescuing Jen.
4) Faire and Square. The gang rescues Birdie the ‘dragon’.
5) Les Estrellas Del Campo: Edicion Lumberjanes. It’s in Spanish so I have no idea what it’s about.

Footnote: 1) Some of these guys I have no idea whether they are male or female, but since it’s called Lumber’Janes’ I’m assuming female.

[Nick · Rating 4 out of 5]

While not the best Lumberjanes book, this anthology format permitted some wonderful creators to have fun with the characters. I wasn't as enchanted by the "telenovela" story, that is mostly because I don't watch them, and had trouble getting into the mood of the tale. The other stories were a lot of fun. Holly Black, Faith Erin Hicks, Jen Wang, Kelly Thompson and Gabby Rivera had a lot of creative energy to put into these stories. My personal favorite was the Holly Black tale, a fun and weird tale of dinosaurs, Robin Hood and Ren Faires in the middle of nowhere. The others weren't far behind, though, and I will be recommending this to a lot of kids over time.