Journey to the Centre of the Earth by Jules Verne

Retold by Davis Worth Miller and Katherine McLean Brevard. Ill. by Greg Rebis. Raintree, 2011. ISBN 978 1406225006. Series: Graphic Revolve
The Adventures of Tom Sawyer by Mark Twain retold by M.C. Hall. Ill. by Daniel Strickland. Raintree, 2011. ISBN 978 1406224993.
This series of graphic novels revisit classic stories in a 72 page colourful graphic style using a variety of authors to retell the stories and a range of different artists for the images. This will inevitably lead to differences in style but the similarities in presentation might encourage readers to explore the works of a range of authors and become familiar with the essence of some well known stories. Journey to the Centre of the Earth is well told, the small number of characters and dramatic settings making it ideal for the graphic format. Tom Sawyer is less successful, the story seems quite disjointed and the characters rather strange. However there is some background information at the end of the story which mentions Mark Twain's character of Injun Joe being a negative stereotype. As well as background to the story and authors, the books also feature a short glossary, discussion questions and writing prompts. Journey to the Centre of the Earth includes two pages of information about the formation of the Earth's centre. There are another 16 titles in the series so most tastes are catered for. They would find a place in any upper primary or middle school library and some could be useful readers for ESL students.
Sue Speck