Kerry might be lost in this fantastical middle-grade graphic novel, but that doesn't mean he'll give up! With twists and turns at every part of this journey, Kerry's adventure is perfect for fans of Amulet and Mighty Jack.
Kerry needs to get home; his parents are sick. When a spirit in the forest lets him know of a shortcut, Kerry finds himself on a quest filled with magic, self-discovery, and new friends . . . who may or may not help him on his journey. Will he make it through the forest and get home in time to save his parents?
An adventure about fear, loss, and finding your own way, this enchanting story comes to life with a hero that every reader can relate to.
Andrew "Andi" Watson (born 1969) is a British cartoonist and illustrator best known for the graphic novels Breakfast After Noon, Slow News Day and his series Love Fights, published by Oni Press and Slave Labor Graphics.
Watson has also worked for more mainstream American comic publishers with some work at DC Comics, a twelve-issue limited series at Marvel Comics, with the majority at Dark Horse Comics, moving recently to Image Comics.
A young boy carrying medicine for his ill parents travels through a forest fraught with danger and deceptive guides. Who can he trust to lead him safely through the deep, dark woods?
A fun and satisfying adventure for middle-grade readers and up.
Kerry and the Knight of the Forest is a fantasy adventure graphic novel that involves a boy named Kerry getting lost, after chasing a glowing yellow girl into the forest. When he gets into the forest, he meets this giant black diamond with an eye, who tells Kerry about the forest.
The art in this book is top-notch. I loved all of the jagged angles, and I liked the character designs. The color palette in this book is nothing short of incredibly impressive. The art must've taken a really long time, and it shows. The narrative experience of this book is a little bland though.
A lot of this book consists of Kerry walking around with the black diamond, and them talking. The dialogue is interesting, but it is a lot of exposition. I didn't that connected to the main character. The world-building is decently interesting, but I wasn't as compelled as I wanted to be with this book.
This book has amazing artwork, but I think the plot is pretty slow and dragging. I was a little let down with this graphic novel, but I still thought it was an okay experience.
A book that perhaps tries to bite off more than it could chew, this graphic novel for young readers looks gorgeous, with a richly detailed hand-inked world and a wonderfully designed set of colour schemes, but it doesn't prove that great narrative-wise. Called "an adventure about fear, loss and finding your own way" it does feature those things, but doesn't really tell us anything about them. It features a suitably good-hearted young lad seeking the best path home through the forest with the medicine his ill parents need, but the twists and turns aren't all that, and if it thinks it's showing an exemplar where bravery is concerned, or giving a moral about persistence or fairness, well neither really come across. The target reader will see it as a straightforward A-to-B-to-C fantasy adventure – although there's little wrong with that when it looks like this.
A middling fantasy story about a boy trying to get home by taking a shortcut through a dangerous forest. A strange knight agrees to guide him, but things keep going wrong. There is mild excitement and much bickering as they navigate the various beasties inhabiting the woods.
I thought the coloring and action in 'Kerry and the Knight of the Forest' were fresh, exciting and immaculate. The story....was less dazzling most of the time. There were a couple touchstones where it becomes clear what is happening (re:the forest stealing children, the Waystone MAYBE not being a trustworthy character) but in general it was a lot of running around, falling through the ground, the Waystone waxing poetic about various things...etc. Back to the topic of color, this book uses color in a masterful way to make the forest MAGIC and unsettling. Various bright colors against dull or black give it a luminous quality and it's compositions are very well drawn and well balanced. I also really enjoyed the 'special features' at the end of the book such as profiles on various characters and creatures and all of the cover designs the author went through.
This was an interesting graphic novel read. I did read an ARC and would love to see finished illustrations. The story is fairly simple, and I found myself wanting more from Kerry and his hope to deliver medicine to his family and save them. I found the intrigue of being lured into and lost in the forest worked as a hook. The uncertainty about who to trust and who was helping Kerry vs. who was working against him was also very intriguing. There is a lot to dig into and consider about the ending as well. Overall, a great entry level graphic novel for emerging readers and fans of fantasy and quests. #LitReviewCrew
Absolutely charming. There's a subtle message of how everyone does not deserve your kindness, but it's worth trying to see the best in people (with common sense intact). Kerry is adorably earnest and sweet, and his dynamic with Waystone is great. The art style is blocky, colorful, and super geometric. I thoroughly enjoyed this.
4.5, I really enjoyed this. OTGW fans will devour it. The story revolves around the concepts of trust/mistrust in others and seeing the good or bad in people. Delightful, weird, spooky, and poignant.
Another solid middle grade graphic novel. This was an eerie, adventurous, and eventful graphic novel with a very nice and unique art style, strong color themes and atmosphere, and a simple plot line, easy to follow along with. The blurb on the back is from the CREATOR OF OVER THE GARDEN WALL, which I think is so cool. So despite not having many thoughts I'm glad I read it, I appreciate it's simplicity , and if you're looking for more middle grade graphic novels to read then you should definitely consider this one.
Maybe more like 3.5? I dunno it was nice. Kinda slow at first, the illustrations are nice except for some parts where I think there was a printing issue and it got too dark? I just never quite fell in love with the characters. But there are very cute character cards in the back, and all the creatures are cool. It's hard, I liked it but didn't love it, but I feel like there's a very specific kid who would love this. Just more reasons to make more books☺️
i'd never heard of this but picked it up bc i like the art and i like fantasy set in the woods. it was really good with a great message!! good for kids who like quest-type stories or dnd.
Kerry shows the power of kindness, forgiveness and friendship in his adventure through the forest. He must defeat the evil and save his parents....and a few others along the way.
I really enjoyed this book! The art style and story mesh so well. Kerry is constantly given the option to respond to danger with either kindness or hostility which makes the book read like an old legend or fairy tale.
I actually had way too many plot questions, which seems unexpected for a middle grade book? But the illustrations were such a vibe. Which is why I picked it up in the first place, so....
A fun little story about a kid getting lost in the fable-infused forest.
The narrative is drawn with a deceptively simply art style and beautiful colors harboring interesting patterns and textures.
I wish there was more depth to the characters. The plot points converge too neatly and the end lacks emotional pull because of the too-easy challenge for the protagonist.
Still a good MG graphic novel that I‘ve already read twice.
An imaginative, winding journey through a fantastical forest, following a boy trying to bring medicine home to his family. Fans of Over the Garden Wall will likely enjoy this mysterious, meandering, all-ages comic.
This was cute! It's for kids (I think it was given to me because the protagonist's name is my name, which NEVER happens) but it was still cute and entertaining, all the little creatures of the forest were very adorable! And it took me a few sittings to complete, which is very impressive for a graphic novel!
Kerry and the Knight of the Forest by Andi Watson, 288 pages. GRAPHIC NOVEL. Random House Graphic (Random House Children’s Books), 2020. $13.
Content: G
BUYING ADVISORY: EL, MS - OPTIONAL
AUDIENCE APPEAL: AVERAGE
Kerry has the medicine for his parents, now he just has to get home before it’s too late. When a girl tells Kerry that there is a shortcut through the forest, he races in and gets lost. Finding a guide to help him, Kerry should be home in no time -- if he doesn’t stop for every distraction.
While Kerry is a little exasperating with his inability to focus, he is also a genuinely nice person. I love how Watson illustrates -- through both words and pictures -- the message of good triumphing over evil. Distractions got in the way, but this simple story contains truth that will resonate with readers as we, too, understand getting distracted from important tasks.
This was such a delightful read! I got an arc from the publisher. The illustrations were very well done, especially given that one of the main characters was a stone. Watson did an excellent job conveying emotions through the expressions of its eye.
The end of the story felt a little weak to me, and could have used some fleshing out, but overall the plot was strong and simple. Kerry was super cute and friendly, and I loved how altruistic he was, even though it might have gotten him into some tight spots. It teaches that everyone has good in them, somewhere. There was a line from Kerry that said, “I don’t mean you should put your faith in everyone, only that it’s worth trying to see the best in them.” I think that sums up his character really well, and some of the deeper themes of the story.
I wasn't sure whom to trust as I was reading this. I wasn't sure if this was going to turn out to be an unreliable narrator sort of story or a redemption story or where this was going. The illustrations lend to the mood as they are dark and at times rather simplistic. Kerry wanders and wonders throughout this story as he encounters creatures of the Forest. His quest, which is important and seemed quite straightforward, becomes more hazardous with every decision he makes. There is more than one life hanging in the balance here.
I absolutely adore the feel of this book! The textures and colors and fairly sparse dialogue all build to something magical and slightly creepy but still wonderful. I do think the story get a bit bogged down maybe there at the end, but the art more than makes up for any wibbildy story telling in my opinion (& it's not that wibbildy, I quite like the story actually). Pick it up for the art, stay for the fairytale story & Kerry's relentless kindness.
We got an ARC from ALA Midwinter for a honest opinion. For the ARC only the first few pages are in color.
This is a decent showing for Random House's first round of graphic novels. Would work for a kid who is into DnD. The story reads that way, and they added their own character sheets as well.
Nothing particularly special about it but it is ok for a middle grade read.
As you begin your perilous journey home to deliver medicine for your dying parents... who do you trust? The enigmatic girl? The snail? The one-eyed floating rock? Kerry is overly trusting and not terribly sharp, but he is kind and earnest and persistent. His adventures in the spooky forest are thrilling, and I found myself rooting for him all the way.
This is a cute and simple fantasy adventure about a kid trying to get back to his parents. It reminded me of Coraline and Over the Garden Wall, albeit with less depth. I really liked the emphasis on friendship and the meaning of family - this is good-hearted at its core.