Space Dumplins by Craig Thompson utilized all of the keywords that normally make me sit up and take notice: space adventure, hi-jinks, talking chickens... I absolutely loved the super colorful illustrations but as far as the story...it didn't completely blow me out of the water. Our main character, Violet, is a little girl living in the Roids which is a space community comprised of members of the working classes (classism is an issue). Her father is employed in a dangerous (and morally suspect) line of work gathering space whale nuggets (poop) which are manufactured to be used as fuel. Things have become increasingly dangerous especially for those living on the fringes as the whales have started to invade populated areas of space and cause massive damage in their wake including Violet's school. So when Violet's mom is offered a swanky job in fashion at the space station (where the extra swanky live) she snaps it up without hesitation and takes Violet with her hoping to earn more money and get her daughter a high class education. But things go from bad to worse in the Roids while they're away and Violet's father is somehow all mixed up in it. With the aid of her friends Zacchaeus (looks like a talking bean) and Elliott (actually is a talking chicken) Violet sets off on a mission to save her father and bring an end to the destruction and terror wrought by the wild space whales. Why are they on a path of devastation and mayhem? And what exactly does her father have to do with all of this? If you're interested in finding out the answers then check out Space Dumplins. My take: 6/10 mostly for the awesome illustrations. 

 

Slightly spoiler-y warning: There are vivid depictions of animal cruelty in this book so if you can't deal with that (and I don't blame you because I had a lot of difficulties) then give this book a pass.

 

 

What I'm Currently Reading: Tales from the Inner City by Shaun Tan

Craig Thompson's books are always, always detailed and gorgeous. He nails the experssions on Violet's face - the openness, determination, and curiosity of being a tween, giving her youth without erasing facial characteristics or making her look adult. The colorist, too, on this one did a fantastic job bringing Violet's world to life. In the story the depth of the world battles the simplicity of the quest, and the the quest keeps shifting - finding Violet a school, Violet going after her dad, the gang saving a baby space whale, are they going to make a revolution and upend the strict plutocracy of their society or are they just trying to get back to status quo and make the rent or what? There's not a clear throughline which makes it seem like a book for readers older than the age group it might be marketed towards, and the conclusion doesn't touch the societal issues it riles up, which left me unsatisfied. But I do love space adventures told in comics because that means the artist can draw a bunch of fun creatures.

Craig Thompson's books are always, always detailed and gorgeous. He nails the experssions on Violet's face - the openness, determination, and curiosity of being a tween, giving her youth without erasing facial characteristics or making her look adult. The colorist, too, on this one did a fantastic job bringing Violet's world to life. In the story the depth of the world battles the simplicity of the quest, and the the quest keeps shifting - finding Violet a school, Violet going after her dad, the gang saving a baby space whale, are they going to make a revolution and upend the strict plutocracy of their society or are they just trying to get back to status quo and make the rent or what? There's not a clear throughline which makes it seem like a book for readers older than the age group it might be marketed towards, and the conclusion doesn't touch the societal issues it riles up, which left me unsatisfied. But I do love space adventures told in comics because that means the artist can draw a bunch of fun creatures.

The art was great!

I loved the family dynamic between Violet & her parents. Violet kicked some serious butt--she was smart, resourceful & stood by her friends (I have a special fondness for Elliot the Chicken) But the whole whale poop thing just seemed silly.

I guess I'd have to say overall it seems half baked. He has some great characters and doesn't quite know what to do with them. Bummer because it really is charming.

The art was great!

I loved the family dynamic between Violet & her parents. Violet kicked some serious butt--she was smart, resourceful & stood by her friends (I have a special fondness for Elliot the Chicken) But the whole whale poop thing just seemed silly.

I guess I'd have to say overall it seems half baked. He has some great characters and doesn't quite know what to do with them. Bummer because it really is charming.