I got the opportunity to sample lots of amazing books this summer, but by far my favorite was Ryan Andrews' graphic novel masterpiece This Was Our Pact. This one had it ALL, you guys: Fantastic characters, gorgeous imagery, and the most perfect ending.
Every year during the Autumn Festival, the residents of Ben's town set hundreds of lanterns adrift on the nearby river. Legend has it that, when the lanterns have traveled far enough downstream, they change into stars and float into the sky. Of course Ben and his friends don't believe the stories, but they're still curious. So they make a plan to hop on their bikes and follow the lanterns to see what happens to them.
That IS the plan, anyway. But soon enough Ben's friends drop out of the journey, one by one (ok...Taco Night is a pretty good excuse). And soon it's only Ben and Nathaniel, a somewhat nerdy and awkward classmate whom Ben cannot stand. But Ben won't let a tagalong distract from his mission. And Nathaniel is just as determined.
Over the course of the night, the rivals have some unbelievable experiences and encounter some pretty fantastic characters...like Fisherbears and Giant Map-Making Crows and witches who wish to harness the sun. And over the course of the night, the boys become friends in the way only people who have shared amazing experiences can.
And they DO discover what becomes of the lanterns. And it's even more incredible than they could have imagined. But no spoilers.
I loved this story, you guys, Absolutely loved it! And I think you will too. So check it out! And if it's not on the shelf (and chances are it's not, because word of this book's awesomeness has spread), ask a librarian to put it on hold for you. I promise you you'll be glad you read this one!
--AJB
No comments:
Post a Comment