Graphic Novel Review - Little Monarchs

Rob reviews Little Monarchs by Jonathan Case...

Little Monarchs is an all-ages sci-fi tale about a post-apocalyptic world that's saviour rests on the wings of the Monarch Butterfly. What follows is a cross country tale as 10-year old Elvie and her caretaker Flora follow the migratory trail of the Monarch, whilst contending with other situations in this apocalyptic environment.

When Holiday House approached me I'm regards to reviewing Jonathan Case's graphic novel I was a little apprehensive. While I have covered all-ages books in the past, I wasn't sure if this would be a graphic novel I could relate to. However from reading the press release and seeing how much research Case put into creating Little Monarchs, reading the novel made me appreciate the experience a lot more.

Developed with help from conservationists at the Xerces Society, Monarch Joint Venture, and Monarch Watch, Case has added a depth of scientific accuracy to the narrative. Not only this but he's also based the story upon real-world locations, and added their coordinates and compass bearing too. While I sadly don't live in the US, I can imagine being able to follow the path of the story being quite thrilling for younger readers. Away from this and through its narrative, you're also able to learn other basic survival skills such as knot tieing, and an introduction to star navigation - which is something I've attempted to do in the skies above my home.

So, what's the story about?

Fifty years before the story's setting, an event dubbed "Sun Sickness" wiped out nearly all mammal life on Earth. The few that remained live in sheltered communities and now live a nocturnal life. 10-year old Elvie and her biologist caretaker, Flora can travel during the daylight all thanks to Flora discovering an antidote that uses the scales from a monarch butterfly's wings. Now the duo are on a mission to follow the butterfly's migration to gather enough scales to mass-produce this life-altering vaccine. However the journey isn't an easy one, and as such Elvie and Flora will discover that not everyone wants to be saved.

While the story does fall into some post-apocalyptic clichés, it's still a compelling read. There are plenty of heartwarming moments, intrigue, and drama as the duo make their way to Mexico. While this graphic novel is aimed toward the more younger reader, there is just enough tension and danger throughout to keep older readers interested.

Both characters are well designed and come across well. Elvie is arguably the novel's main character, and she's certainly relatable to many younger readers. She's a bright spark living within a decaying world. And while she's seen her fair share of loss within her short years, it's not dampened her spirit. The same can also be said for Flora. As the adult, she's the more grounded of the two, and while she doesn't necessarily want to put Elvie into harm's way, she does so to make her future a little brighter. While she has taken care of Elvie since her parent's death, Flora treats her like the individual she is and acts as much as a teacher as a parent.

Away from its captivating story and Little Monarchs is full of gorgeous illustrations. The artwork takes on a watercolour style, with plenty of soft tones and strong line work. At certain points, the graphic novel makes way for pages out of Elvie's journal. While these intermissions give way for the scientific nature of Little Monarchs to take over - it perfectly captures the tone and atmosphere that Jonathan Case has created.

Elvie and Flora travelling to wrecked boat

All in all, Little Monarchs is a compelling read. The story is a great adventure that's grounded within science and reality and features a cast of relatable characters. The inclusion of real-world locations is a brilliant touch as it gives a lot of discussion points, and a fair few places to visit if you're ever in the Pacific Northwest. Throw in some gorgeous artwork, and Jonathan Case has created a truly wonderful and heartwarming tale!

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Rob Lake - For more comic book and video game chat why not follow Geek Culture Reviews on Twitter and Facebook @GeekCultureRev

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