The Mystery of the Meanest Teacher: A Johnny Constantine Graphic Novel

by Ryan North, Derek Charm (Illustrator)

THE MYSTERY OF THE MEANEST TEACHER: A JOHNNY CONSTANTINE GRAPHIC NOVEL is a comedic middle grade graphic novel about two kids with developing magical powers trying to figure out if their schoolteacher is really, secretly, a witch.

After angering a number of hostile spirits in England, 13-year-old magician John Constantine has to find a way out of the country. Persuading his parents to send him to America, John arrives at the Junior Success Boarding School in Salem, Massachusetts. But once there, things don't exactly get any easier for him. He finds himself to be something of an outcast. And he is convinced that his homeroom teacher, Ms. Kayla, really has it in for him. Worse, he's convinced that's she's really a witch.

Fortunately, John is able to find one kindred spirit at school with whom he's able to form an alliance--another misfit named Anna, who also happens to have her own developing magical powers. (Spoiler alert: her real name is Zatanna.) John recruits Anna in his efforts to uncover the truth about Ms. Kayla and expose the Meanest Teacher's real identity to the world.

Joined by a friendly demon named Etrigan, these two amateur sleuths will uncover clues and stumble upon forces beyond their control in a humorous series of misadventures.

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

160 pages, Paperback

First published June 29, 2021

About the author

Hi, I'm Ryan! I was born in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada in 1980 and since then have written several books. You can read my Wikipedia page for more, or check out my author site at RyanNorth.ca!

I'm the author of the webcomic Dinosaur Comics (that's the comic where the pictures don't change but the words do, it's better than it sounds and I've also done crazy things like turn Shakespeare into a choose-your-own-path adventure, write a comic for Marvel about a girl with all the powers of a squirrel, or mess up walking my dog so badly it made the news.

I'm working on more stuff as we speak, hopefully it's good

Reviews

[Ryan North · Rating 5 out of 5]

I wrote it, so I'm pretty biased, but let me tell you why I think it's something special. It's a middle-grade graphic novel about a lovable magic-using misanthrope - Kid Constantine - who's sent to America after cheesing off basically everyone he knows in England. And of course he very quickly gets in over his head with some supernatural shenanigans. But it's also a story about friendship, about what we owe to each other, and about finding the courage to be who you really want to be. Constantine and Anna are the two leads of the book, two kids who find out they can do magic, real actual magic, and very quickly find out that also means they're in the crosshairs of forces who don't have their best interests at heart. And while I'm biased on the writing, on the art I can objectively say that Derek Charm drew the heck out of this book, making the characters feel alive and friendly and approachable, but also not shying away from the spookums.

The book is stand-alone, so you can give it to any little heckraiser in your life and they'll have all they need within its pages. But if you're an adult who's familiar with the character of John Constantine - one of DC's least kid-friendly characters - I think you'll like what you see here too! It's a bold choice to put Constantine in a middle-grade graphic novel, and yes, while our version doesn't drink or smoke (obviously!), he's the same charming, incorrigible, fascinating scoundrel we all know and love. I hope you enjoy it!

[Chad · Rating 4 out of 5]

This comic seems to exist solely to give Alan Moore an aneurysm, to make a kids' comic of DC's biggest bastard, John Constantine. I'm looking forward to a Watchmen comic for middle school kids next. (Maybe it can be about getting Dr. Manhattan to wear some pants?)

Kid Constantine, as he likes to be called, does consort with all kinds of demons ( which would have the church moms I grew up around spinning in their pews.) He transfers to an American school after wronging some ghosts over in England. There he meets Anna and they get into hijinks while teacking other magic. Eventually they come to think their teacher is a witch. Then they befriend The Demon. This thing reads like a Justice League Dark for the junior high set. It's actually quite fun. Much less twee than Ryan North's Squirrel Girl.

The one thing I don't get is DC's insistence to try and distance their selves from their regular comics. Both Constantine and Zatanna go by different names and Zatanna casts spells in whispers instead of talking backwards. If I was working for DC, I'd do everything I can to lead kids who read this to my regular line of comics.

Derek Charm's art is excellent. I hope he does some more of these for DC.

[Rod Brown · Rating 2 out of 5]

The Squirrel Girl team disappoints with a sanitized kiddy version of John Constantine. I mean, first of all, with all the characters at their disposal why would DC want to market cynical Constantine to the G-rated crowd? Because of the TV version that's been floating around the Arrowverse the past few years? (I haven't seen him.)

I didn't buy the character in this form nor in this story with its weak plot that finds Kid Constantine (his preferred name!) moving into a Massachusetts boarding school to escape some magical heat in England, only to find himself deep in the magical loo again. Amongst its silly turns is one that hinges on the amount of salt in sweat (and my friends it is a ridiculously minuscule amount unlikely to be of help outside of topping a single pretzel).

There's a big reveal at the end about one of the main characters that will probably be lost on many younger readers and is obvious from page one for older DC fans. So I'm not sure what the point of it is, really.

[Molly™☺ · Rating 3 out of 5]

Conceptually, this shouldn't work, but North manages to bring this idea to life with style and heart. There's a surprising amount of chemistry between the leads, and their friendship is very believable. Despite the magic, they do things that a lot of kids can relate to: passing secret notes in class, being lost on your first day at a new school, etc. A very charming alternative to the usual Constantine shenanigans, it's a simple story that can be enjoyed by everyone.

[Ben Truong · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Mystery of the Meanest Teacher is a graphic novel and is written by Ryan North and illustrated by Derek Charm. It is the retelling of the origin story of the magical occult detective.

This middle-grade graphic novel re-creates the origin story of John Constantine, going by Johnny, he is a fish-out-of-water Brit making his way in an American boarding school. On the run from some hostile spirits in his native England, Johnny hides out at the Junior Success Boarding School in Massachusetts. However, America has its own fair share of demons – like Johnny’s homeroom teacher, Ms. Kayla. With the help of a fellow outcast named Anna – a character who may be more than what she seems, Johnny fights to reveal Ms. Kayla's true nature.

The Mystery of the Meanest Teacher is written and constructed rather well. With crisp coloring and crackling panel work, it is a smart introduction to a lesser-known character. The graphic novel benefits its main characters' lack of all the cultural baggage that surrounds the more well known characters.

All in all, The Mystery of the Meanest Teacher is a terrific middle-grade debut for a classic DC Comics antihero.

[Dakota Morgan · Rating 4 out of 5]

It's hard to imagine smokin', drinkin' John Constantine as a kid, but Ryan North pulls it off in The Mystery of the Meanest Teacher. Kid Constantine is very much a Calvin (& Hobbes) construct: too clever by half, prone to overconfidence, quick to crack a joke. Because this is a tale for the young, Kid Constantine does learn a crisp, clear (bland) lesson by the end, but the rest of the book is Saturday morning cartoon fun.

Kid Constantine runs afoul of some ghosts in England, so he cleverly gets himself sent to America to attend a Massachusetts boarding school. There, he meets a young girl with similar magical abilities and a teacher who just might be a witch. With the help of another local character, the pair work to undermine the witch. The Mystery of the Meanest Teacher is simple stuff, but North brings a good amount of smart fun so that even adult readers will find themselves chuckling. And Derek Charm's artwork is perfect for the tone and fast-paced storytelling. Put all the kid DC characters in this duo's hands!

[Renata · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is cuuuute! I've gotten more into the Constantine character via the Legends of Tomorrow show, only to be a little disappointed at how grim-dark most of his comics are compared to the cheerful chaos of that show. The adventures of teen Constantine are more what I'm looking for PERSONALLY. Ryan North is such a funny writer, and the grim, magic-noir-ish tone with teen problems is funny. This is from the DC Kids line and I would say the story is pretty simplistic but the comedy keeps the story moving along, unlike the Meg Cabot Black Canary: Ignite which is also from the DC Kids line and just felt really asinine because the story was so simple and it didn't really have much else going for it, SORRY MEG.

It's best for a children's graphic novel collection but would have tween appeal and also, adult Legends of Tomorrow fan appeal.

[Cale · Rating 3 out of 5]

Constantine is not a character you would think the child version of would work, but Ryan North is game to try, and he mostly succeeds. Kid Constantine is recognizable as a little hellion who manages to get himself in trouble with everyone, and stumble into a world-threatening mess while at school. He and his associates (several of whom are very recognizable and also well utilized) stumble their way into friendship in ways that will be familiar to the target audience but are still enjoyable to older readers.
North has softened his absurdist edges here, which is a little disappointing. It's still an enjoyable read, and surprisingly dense considering its target audience, but it's not nearly as memorable as his Adventure Time work or his Squirrel Girl. Constantine and Co. have their fun and their arguments and a satisfying ending, but things feel a little too softened for my tastes.

[Brandon · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a fun one! Constantine gets into some trouble (as Constantine does), then gets sent to a boarding school in America where he makes a new friend and also catches his eyes on a mean teacher who the two think, maybe, sort of, could be an evil witch trying to eat their classmates or destroy the world or whatever. It's fun! Kid-sized Constantine and "Anna" (who I didn't realize was Zatanna until the last third of the book, making me feel like an idiot) along with some demons and spells and magic and ghosts, trying to save the world!

It's like a children's book version of Justice League Dark. I liked them trying to come up with answers to their mystery with what limited spells and tricks they could muster, turning things into a matter of smarts and ingenuity rather than being some big action fantasy adventure. Constantine's journey of learning to let people in, instead of pushing them all away, and taking ownership of his mistakes is a great lesson for kids to learn. Sometimes it's cool to be the weird kid, and to make weird friends.

[Daniel Sevitt · Rating 5 out of 5]

Found this unexpectedly on a real-world visit to an actual shop and snapped it up. It's about as much fun as it's possible to imagine. The overlap of people who loved Jamie Delano's early run on Hellblazer and who also read the occasional middle-grade book can't be all that huge, but for the right audience this will be very appealing. I might have made Kid a little more Liverpudlian and a little less parented, but it's entertaining and daft. The friendships have weight and Anna's reveal was exactly as delightful as it was predictable.

Completely wonderful.

[Court · Rating 5 out of 5]

DC is absolutely killing it with these middle grade books. They're all adorable and have amazing in-jokes (I want a "Heck Blazer" t-shirt), plus a lot of cool appearances from unexpected characters. I hope Swamp-Kid meets Johnny Constantine some day.

[Guilherme Smee · Rating 3 out of 5]

Trazer uma versão "kids" de John Constantine pode ser um tiro no pé, afinal, não existe personagem mais "maduro" em todo universo da DC Comics que o Hellblazer. Mas a DC Comics foi lá e fez. O começo da HQ até é interessante, os desenhos são bastante cativantes e carismáticos, lembrando muito desenhos animados. O encontro de Constantine com a menina que vai se revelar Zatanna é legal também. Mas quando a antagonista da história se apresenta, tudo começa a descambar. A personagem não parece muito bem caracterizada como uma ameaça. Não se entende bem porque ela é uma vilã e o que pode fazer. Para piorar, é inserido Etrigan, o Demônio na trama, tirando ainda mais o protagonismo de Constantine. Quem sabe se a HQ tivesse sido pensada para a linha Teens e não para a linha Kids tivesse funcionado melhor em diversos âmbitos, mas infelizmente não foi o caso aqui...

[Stephanie Cooke · Rating 5 out of 5]

A delightfully magical adventure that poses the question “What would John Constantine’s childhood look like…” and answers in the most fun way possible. Ryan North and Derek Charm deliver a story that delivers as much heart as it does comedy.

[Maggie Lovitt · Rating 5 out of 5]

Johnny Constantine has a way of getting himself into trouble, both in our world and the ghost realm. Which is precisely why he finds himself left with no other choice than to leave England to attend school in America. With his parent’s blessing of course. Well, more like a demonically persuaded blessing.

Unfortunately for “Kid” Constantine, America isn’t without its own magical dilemmas and he quickly finds himself faced with a race against time to stop the end of the world. (READ MORE: https://yourmoneygeek.com/review-the-...)

When I found out that The Mystery of the Meanest Teacher was about John Constantine — or rather, Johnny Constantine — I had to have it. Few people in my life know that John Constantine is one of my all-time favorite DC Comics characters, but he is and this graphic novel is everything that I wish I could have had when I was in middle school. 

Johnny Constantine, who prefers to go by “Kid” Constantine since he’s one of those mysterious, charming lone wolf types who wears a suit-and-tie tee and trench coat, is everything you would imagine a young John Constantine would be. He’s a menace, always getting himself into some form of trouble, and he’s got magical abilities. Magical abilities that he tries to keep under wraps, except when he finds someone just like him in America. 

Despite claiming that everyone likes him because of his charming charms, Constantine doesn’t make many friends when he starts attending Junior Sucess Boarding School. Maybe it’s because it’s the middle of the year or maybe it’s because he calls everyone “love” and is a little too smarmy. But being a social outcast puts him in the path of the school’s other outcast — Anna, who just so happens to have magical powers. 

It’s a good thing these two magical outcasts find each other because they might just be the only ones that can stop their possessed history teacher from opening a world-ending portal! 

Anna is a formidable character in her own right, but I adored her dynamic with Constantine. They were such kids, trying to figure out where they stood with one another and he certainly made this more difficult by trying to act like he was too cool to have friends. 

The Mystery of the Meanest Teacher is a joy to read from start to finish. Ryan North’s story and dialogue are just so enjoyable. I loved the way he brought Constantine’s personality to life and paired with Derek Charm’s illustration style, I spent the entire time imagining this as an animated series. I want to see more of Constantine and Anna’s misadventures, especially if their friendly demon Etrigan is along for the ride. 

There is just so much to love in The Mystery of the Meanest Teacher and if you love John Constantine as much as I do, then you won’t want to miss out on this graphic novel. I know “kid versions” of characters aren’t for everyone, but there is just so much of the snark and charm of the adult Constantine that is boiled down into this pint-sized menace. 

[Dubzor · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good to see Ryan North and Derek Charm working together again. North seems to have a knack for connecting with his artists. It makes everything he works on feel so polished and complete.

The story works far better than a "Kid Constantine" concept has any right to. A lot of that goes to North. He manages to capture the character of John Constantine perfectly to the point where the lack of chain smoking and filthy mouth doesn't harm the presentation. Also, Zatanna is great, but it's hard for me to read anything with my favorite magician in it and not have a good time.

[Danielle · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is so cute - Constantine is one of those characters that it seems like he'd be hard to adapt for kids, but I think North did a really good job. There was a cameo that I wasn't expecting, and I liked the way that this didn't take the easiest route when writing the characters.

[Alex Sarll]

Yes, that's an all-ages graphic novel starring a young John Constantine - although there's one hint that, as with Dennis the Menace, this may be the son of the original. But either way... DC have been doing these for a while, out of whatever shreds of continuity they retain and aimed at younger readers, but none of the previous ones have had a character/creator combination that interested me. Here, though, besides Constantine there's writer Ryan North, much of whose career has been spent pulling off projects which sound like bets, and artist Derek Charm, his second collaborator on the finest of said projects, The Unbeatable Squirrel Girl. Sadly, this time even they can't escape the event horizon of a terrible idea. I mean, I can accept that Kid Constantine isn't going to be puffing on a gasper the whole time, and a lollipop is a legitimate substitute, but he ought to be obtaining them from a sweetshop, not a candy store, at least before he heads across the fishpond. And once there, more fundamentally, he shouldn't be on the back foot, because that's the point where the character isn't even a young Constantine anymore, just someone with a vaguely familiar colour scheme and a couple of magic tricks. But it was the learning lessons about friendship from a cuddly lunk take on Etrigan which really had me reaching for the spells of banishment. A comic about a Kid Constantine who was a right little shit might have worked, though I suspect this creative team may be too fundamentally sunny to pull it off; this child is at most a scamp, and it won't do.

[Laura · Rating 3 out of 5]

An alternate universe version of Constantine where his mother didn't die in childbirth and his father doesn't hate him. Or possibly an alternate universe version where John Constantine grows up, gets his life sorted, and has a kid he names John Constantine.

13 year old Johnny Constantine -- or "Kid" as he likes to be known -- makes a mess by eating a sacrifice meant to keep one of the Great Old Ones asleep for little longer and has to hide in hell at night. The demons he's shacking up with every night convince his parents to send him to America. There, his spells don't work quite right. He also meets a young Zatanna and Etrigan, with whom he fights monsters.

I liked it, mostly. Loved his Heck Blazer t-shirt. Laughed out loud several times, especially at the first group of demons desperately trying to figure out how to get this kid out of hell. He was stinking up the place.

I didn't like that both Constantine and Etrigan thought witches were categorically evil -- to the point that Etrigan and his mates have been keeping watch outside of Salem for century to protect humanity from them.

But it was done with great love for the characters and I appreciated that Constantine, even as a 13 year old, is struggling with whether to save the world with people he has complicated feelings about or flee the battle and eat licorice suckers the rest of his days.

[Julia Pika · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thanks to NetGalley & DC for the early copy in exchange for an honest review.

This is a re-imagining of John Constantine's life through a kid's lenses, and it works brilliantly. Be forewarned, however, his comic stories involve demons and witches, as does this book. They're really not that scary in this graphic novel thanks to the snarky yet soft art style, but just want to warn anyone that's just not into that stuff.

I absolutely ADORED the art style throughout the book, I would say it's close with Ben 10's animation style with how bright and expressive it is. Gosh, I hope this gets turned into an animated movie or something, it works really well. The demons Johnny hangs out with look like muppets, it's hilarious.

Anna and Johnny were great as well, Anna had a bustling personality and pushed Johnny to grow into his jerk with a heart of gold persona he often has in the other comics. There's a GREAT cameo of a popular demon character that more seasoned DC fans will know and they did a great job adapting the character here!

Brilliant graphic novel, DC keeps hitting these out of the park!

[Nate]

Despite my love for John Constantine and the (second) Unbeatable Squirrel Girl team of Ryan North and Derek Charm, this didn't work for me at all. I realize I'm not the target age group but the story felt very flimsy and awkward. In his original incarnation Constantine is a cynical bastard, one of the darker characters in DC's arsenal, and I don't understand the choice to star a kiddie version in a middle grade comic. It feels wrong for this character. And what’s with John wanting to be named Kid Constantine?

I will say that Etrigan’s disguise in the last chapter got a chuckle out of me.

[Sarah · Rating 3 out of 5]

Hahaha... Constantine as a middle grade graphic novel is a hilarious concept (and I loved him wearing the shirt that said "Heckblazer"), and there were some pretty funny bits in there, but I'm not sure it actually really succeeded. I think it mostly works as a one off gimmick that is probably funnier to adult Hellblazer fans looking for a laugh, although I'd have to ask an actual middle grader what they think.

[Jessica · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received an eARC of this book for review purposes. All opinions are my own.

The Mystery of the Meanest Teacher is intended for children ages 7+. There aren’t any warnings for this book despite there being ghosts and demons. None of them are particularly scary. Most of them in fact are friends of Johnny Constantine’s!

I thought the story was quite entertaining. John Constantine was recognizable in his younger iteration. He thinks he’s amazing, but not without struggles. He also recognizes his failures and had some very real growth throughout the story. Johnny learned that he wasn’t so alone when he found a friend in both Anna and the friendly demon Etrigan who is famous for speaking only in rhymes. He also learned that he can’t abandon his friends when times get tough and that his friends will also be there for him as well.

Overall, I think that The Mystery of the Meanest Teacher is a fun story not just for middle grade children, but there’s something for everyone to enjoy. There’s familiar struggles, interesting plot and character development, along with some good lessons along the way. Not to mention a fun reveal at the end of the story on just who Anna actually is! You’re not going to want to miss this one!

My full review can be found here: https://thegeekiary.com/the-mystery-o...

[Sirbriang2 · Rating 4 out of 5]

DC really seems to have a handle on it’s kids and YA comics/graphic novels line. THE MYSTERY OF THE MEANEST TEACHER is another example of them getting things exactly right. The very first scene nails the tone perfectly — lil’ Johnny Constantine steals some enchanted chocolate and winds up being chased by ghosts riding ghost dinosaurs. It’s a little bit spooky, but lighthearted and silly at the same time. That should be no huge shock; the creative team — writer Ryan North & artist Derek Charm (who worked together so well on Marvel’s UNBEATABLE SQUIRREL-GIRL) — are clearly at home with this type of material.

The only issue with this graphic novel is that it spends a lot of time introducing the main cast. That’s understandable, given that this is the first entry in a proposed series (nothing has been announced, but it seems like a given), but I would have liked a bit more time spent on the plot or characters interacting with each other. Still, this is a quick, easy, charming read for a tween audience.

[Pam · Rating 3 out of 5]

Graphic Novel
Johnny Constantine story.
Kid Constantine moves to America to attend boarding school. He meets Anna and discovers he's not the only one with real magic powers. Together, they take on the mystery of why the history teacher completely changed and has become the meanest teacher there. They discover she is a true witch and out to kill them and the other children. Readers see Johnny wrestle with staying and opening to a friend or running away. A decision everyone faces throughout their lives. He stays and together with Anna and a young demon he meets, they discover what happened to their teacher and defeat an elder demon and save the world.
The artwork supports and enhances the story. The character expressions are superb.

[Sesana]

This just didn't work for me. Constantine is a bizarre choice for the DC Kids line (are they running out of characters?) and it just feels wrong. It feels really weird to have a character named Constantine deciding the real magic was the friends they made along the way, and a middle schooler wearing a tan trench coat and calling his teachers "love" is just as weird. I'm not saying that it would be impossible to write a good middle grade comic with Constantine, but this is not it.

[April Cole Ledebur · Rating 5 out of 5]

Didn’t know this existed until I saw at my comic shop. Read it out loud to my six year and we both loved it! As an elementary librarian I have to say DC is doing a great job with these middle grade graphic novels. Looking forward to see what they come up with next and hopefully more Johnny Constantine ones 😉

[Kay S. · Rating 4 out of 5]

A fun book that captures the personality of the characters we love for a middle-grade audience. A solid message for the littles and a fun read for grownups looking for a new take on some old characters.

This book would be a great recommendation for kids into magic or fantasy but are maybe too young to snag PJO or HP or aren't confident enough in their reading for those series yet.

[Elizabeth · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great introduction to Constantine for kids.

[tony dillard jr · Rating 4 out of 5]

Confession time. I've never read a Constantine/Hellraiser comic or graphic novel. I've read lots of stuff involving the character like Saga of the Swamp Thing. I'm a huge, devastated fan of the cancelled Legends of Tomorrow. But the hellacious subject matter of any series named after the character of John Constantine has kept me away- until now!

As a part of DC's amazing run of graphic novels for young adults, The Mystery of the Meanest Teacher is a retooling of John Constantine's earliest days. In the canon of adult DC Comics books, Constantine's young life was wrought with tragedy. This leads to the Brit becoming an expert on the occult. Here, Johnny Constantine has been practicing from a very young age. After he angers some ghosts one too many times, Kid Constantine flees to the States to attend a boarding school.

Thinking he's the only practitioner of magic in the world, Johnny meets fellow outcast Anna. She too knows some magic. And since Kid Constantine's English magic doesn't work so well in America, he becomes a fast friend and confidant.

Now with a friend with similar interests, Johnny's transition to his new school might be just perfect. Except for his homeroom teacher who absolutely hates him. And she might just be a witch!

My belief that this book might not be filled with demons and black magic was way wrong. I had read the junior graphic novel. Zatanna and the House of Secrets which was pretty tame. Naturally, I thought that would be the case here. But from the very beginning, Kid Constantine is playing fast and loose with fallen angels and long dormant beings of the macabre.

True, I wasn't as freaked out by this story as I've been by the more adult demons and devils that plague John Constantine. But I was still ill at ease. As I've said many a times before, those more darker recesses of horror and the supernatural are just not my thing. And there's some parts of this book that really creep pretty close towards those forbidden shadow places of terror.

Amazon gives a recommended reading age of 7-12 years of age. They also list grade levels of 2nd and 3rd grade. I think those two ranges don't correlate. When I was 12 years old, I was in 6th grade. And with the scary creatures and practice of the dark arts, I doubt very many parents and guardians of 7, 8 and 9 year olds may be very approving of this book. An aspiring 5th grade through senior in middle school will probably be mature enough to read this book. As it goes with kids in general, the appropriateness of this book is up to you the adult in charge.

Personally, I enjoyed this book. There's a great surprise guest in this story of which I've always been a fan of despite their devilish ways. I loved the twist ending. And I'd be on board for a sequel. But yes- I am not a fan of demons or devils. And how this book makes such species kinda the good guys troubles me.

Writer Ryan North (The Unbeatable Squirrel Girl) does make the final baddie truly evil. But North makes all of the other fiends rather likable. It doesn't help that Star Wars Adventures' Derek Charm is such a master illustrator. Everything he draws has that eye-twinkling charm (pun not intended). Derek Charm has a talent that can make mean ol' Emperor Palpatine look grandfatherly. And with the demons that Kid Constantine pals around, the artist makes them look downright neighborly.

An enjoyable book that I personally wasn't all that comfortable with. But that's my hang-up. Not you the parent or guardian.

[Olivia · Rating 4 out of 5]

See my full review here: https://www.yabookscentral.com/kidsfi...

THE MYSTERY OF THE MEANEST TEACHER is an adventure-filled graphic novel about Johnny (Kid) Constantine. We start by meeting Kid as he is on a mischievous caper to get some candy from a ghost - what he doesn't realize is that the chocolate he ate takes years to make, and it also keeps dangerous forces at bay. The ghosts of the UK are now out to get him, and luckily, he is able to hide with his demon friends.

As his demon friends get sick of him, they come up with a plot to get him sent to a boarding school in the US, where the ghosts won't be after him, and he won't be making a mess in their house. At the new school, everything feels different and Kid feels completely out of his element. However, when he makes a new, magical friend, things start to change.

A teacher who really seems to have it out for Kid makes them suspicious - why is she so mean? The two decide to investigate and learn that there are bigger plots afoot that they, along with a rhyming demon who loves heavy metal, need to stop before the world is destroyed.

What I loved: This was an action-filled graphic novel that uses plenty of humor to break the tension. With a mystery to be solved, danger, comedy, and friendship, this was a truly fun read. Children who have experienced a tough teacher will delight in this plot of the most difficult teacher - who is also hiding a dangerous secret. The investigation fun with all the magic makes for a really great plot that touches on themes that are fantastic for the target age group like friendship, sticking by your friends, making new friends, and healing from past experiences.

The illustrations were really high quality with lots of details in every panel, expressive characters, and a great use of color that matches the mood of each scene. There is quite a bit of text throughout, but it is generally easy to follow, and helpful for the age group to really set the stage and explain everything. This is a really charming story and the humor and sarcasm comes across throughout with clear reasonings.

Final verdict: A charming, humorous, and action-filled graphic novel, THE MYSTERY OF THE MEANEST TEACHER is a great story of adventure, magic, and friendship. Highly recommend for middle grade readers looking for a fun read with great characters and a unique plot.

Please note that I received a review copy from the publisher. All opinions are my own.