The adventures of Anders by Gregory Mackay
Allen and Unwin, 2019. ISBN: 9781760632076.
(Age: 7+) This large book contains the first three graphic novels
about Anders and his friends, by author and illustrator Gregory
Mackay celebrating friendship, adventure and creativity. In the
first, Anders
and the Comet Anders and his classmates are surprised
when their teacher gives them a homework assignment for the school
break. They have to write a report on their holiday activities.
Anders, his cousin Eden and new mate Bernie enjoy family outings,
visiting the zoo and a carnival, exploring the local park, playing
video games and play and craft activities. They make bows and
arrows, build a box cubby, imagine they are in far off lands and
have adventures with the Green Grabber.
The second in this compendium is Anders
and the Volcano, which has the three friends camping
near an extinct volcano. When a new friend, Veronica, joins them
with her own flying beetle, Bernie is reluctant to try, and all
seems to go well until they find themselves in a tricky situation.
The third in this collection, Anders and the Castle has mass
appeal once again, pitting the friends again in a tricky situation
they must join their talents to find a solution. While reading this
funny tale of survival, readers will learn a great deal about
castles, as Mackay illustrates various components of castles,
explaining what each is used for. Keeps, moats, castle walls,
drawbridges, cellars, lots of winding staircases and battlements all
figure within this graphic novel to intrigue and inform the readers.
Anders is a positive role model of how to support, interact and
build friendships. He accepts his friends and their choices they
make without hesitation. He is inclusive and encourages new
friendships with the people he meets wherever the friends go. The
full colour graphic novel incorporates explicit learning with
information given to the readers in all three stories, about comet,
volcanoes and castles. The three stories are broken up into chapters
and presents an easy read for younger readers who are just beginning
the journey into graphic novels.
Fran Knight, Rhyllis Bignell and Annette Mesecke