Status
Available
Call number
Series
Publication
Amulet Books (2012), Hardcover, 128 pages
Description
An anthology of short graphic works by such artists as Kazu Kibuishi, Dave Roman, and Raina Telgemeier, all on the theme of a mysterious box and the marvels, or mayhem, inside.
User reviews
LibraryThing member abbylibrarian
A great collection of seven comic stories, each about a mystery box. Each story is quite different from the others, both in content and style. This collection includes the work of Raina Telgemeier (creator of the graphic novel SMILE) and Kazu Kibuishi (creator of AMULET), as well as some other
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artists I was less familiar with. Show Less
LibraryThing member EuronerdLibrarian
I really liked seeing the different styles of illustration, different kinds of stories. It was so interesting to see what so many different author/illustrators did with one idea. The stories themselves vary from creepy to adventurous to funny to mystical and are all well-done.
LibraryThing member fyrefly98
Overall Summary and Reviews: This is a collection of short stories, that are all based on the simple question: What's in that mysterious box? About half of the stories are funny, and half are sort of sad/poignant, but they're all beautifully drawn and interesting takes on the theme. 4 out of 5
Individual Stories: - "Under the Floorboards" by Emily Carroll is a story of a girl who finds a box under the floor with a small wax doll. At first, the doll is useful - doing her chores, etc. - but eventually it starts to become a problem. This story walked the borderline between cute and creepy really effectively, although the plot reminded me quite a bit of Anya's Ghost.
- "Spring Cleaning" by Dave Roman & Raina Telgemeier involves a boy who finds a mysterious box while cleaning out his house, only to find his house full of some very pushy wizards. Cute story, although the ending was a little climactic. As always, Telgemeier's artwork was great.
- I'm also a big fan of Jason Caffoe's art. At first, "The Keeper's Treasure" reminded me of his story "Sentinels" from Flight, Vol. 7. It's a story of a young adventurer looking for a treasure inside a hidden temple, and the guardian he finds in the labyrinth is not exactly what he expects. It's a cool idea for the story, but I'm still not sure how I feel about the way it ended, and the message that it sends.
- "The Butter Thief" by Rad Sechrist involves a grandmother who is convinced that a trickster spirit is stealing butter from the kitchen, and a granddaughter who doesn't believe - until she gets turned into a spirit as well. Cute story (vaguely reminiscent of Spirited Away, although lighter and funnier), with appealingly unusual artwork.
- "The Soldier's Daughter" by Stuart Livingston with Stephanie Ramirez involves a girl who finds out her father has been killed in the war, and goes out to find his killer. While I can't fault this story's message (which is basically "an eye for an eye makes the whole world blind"), I don't know that it brought very much new to that message, either. It also strayed furthest from the "What's in the box?" theme.
- "Whatzit" by Johane Matte involves a small alien working his first shift at a box-sorting plant, a mysterious box he encounters, and the havoc that is unleashed when he opens it. Cute, funny, and totally worth it for no other reason than the image of the little alien scraping a flattened unicorn off the side of a planet.
- "The Escape Option" by Kazu Kibuishi is a story of a young man who encountered a recently-arrived alien cube, and gets sucked inside and given a dire warning about the future of humanity. This artwork was lovely (unsurprisingly), and an interesting mix of darkness and hope to the story.
Recommendation: Like the Flight anthologies, this is definitely worth reading if you're interested in getting a sampling of artwork, styles, and stories.
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stars.Individual Stories: - "Under the Floorboards" by Emily Carroll is a story of a girl who finds a box under the floor with a small wax doll. At first, the doll is useful - doing her chores, etc. - but eventually it starts to become a problem. This story walked the borderline between cute and creepy really effectively, although the plot reminded me quite a bit of Anya's Ghost.
- "Spring Cleaning" by Dave Roman & Raina Telgemeier involves a boy who finds a mysterious box while cleaning out his house, only to find his house full of some very pushy wizards. Cute story, although the ending was a little climactic. As always, Telgemeier's artwork was great.
- I'm also a big fan of Jason Caffoe's art. At first, "The Keeper's Treasure" reminded me of his story "Sentinels" from Flight, Vol. 7. It's a story of a young adventurer looking for a treasure inside a hidden temple, and the guardian he finds in the labyrinth is not exactly what he expects. It's a cool idea for the story, but I'm still not sure how I feel about the way it ended, and the message that it sends.
- "The Butter Thief" by Rad Sechrist involves a grandmother who is convinced that a trickster spirit is stealing butter from the kitchen, and a granddaughter who doesn't believe - until she gets turned into a spirit as well. Cute story (vaguely reminiscent of Spirited Away, although lighter and funnier), with appealingly unusual artwork.
- "The Soldier's Daughter" by Stuart Livingston with Stephanie Ramirez involves a girl who finds out her father has been killed in the war, and goes out to find his killer. While I can't fault this story's message (which is basically "an eye for an eye makes the whole world blind"), I don't know that it brought very much new to that message, either. It also strayed furthest from the "What's in the box?" theme.
- "Whatzit" by Johane Matte involves a small alien working his first shift at a box-sorting plant, a mysterious box he encounters, and the havoc that is unleashed when he opens it. Cute, funny, and totally worth it for no other reason than the image of the little alien scraping a flattened unicorn off the side of a planet.
- "The Escape Option" by Kazu Kibuishi is a story of a young man who encountered a recently-arrived alien cube, and gets sucked inside and given a dire warning about the future of humanity. This artwork was lovely (unsurprisingly), and an interesting mix of darkness and hope to the story.
Recommendation: Like the Flight anthologies, this is definitely worth reading if you're interested in getting a sampling of artwork, styles, and stories.
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LibraryThing member krau0098
This is a graphic novel collection of seven different stories, all of them featuring a mysterious box of some type. It was a high quality book with some excellent stories.
My favorites were: The Keeper’s Treasure (about a boy searching a mysterious labyrinth for a mystery box), The Solider’s
Overall all of the stories are pretty decent and are appropriate for children. The collection is aimed at middle grade and older. I definitely recommend this for fans of fantasy graphic novels. It’s something that readers of all ages can enjoy. Read below for brief descriptions/thoughts on all the included stories.
- Under the Floorboards by Emily Carroll (4/5 stars)
About a secret wax friend that comes out of a mysterious box and goes terribly wrong. Loved the drawing style and the irony of the story.
- Spring Cleaning by Dave Roman and Raina Telgemeier (3/5 stars)
A kid finds a box in his closet that a bunch of mysterious people are dying to get their hands on. Very cartoony illustration with heavy lines.
- The Keeper’s Treasure by Jason Caffoe (5/5 stars)
Loved the illustration on this one, very reminiscent of Kibuishi’s Amulet series which makes sense because Caffoe does some of the color and background for Kibuishi. This one is about a boy braving a labyrinth to discover a secret box. Loved the irony and humor, excellent story.
- The Butter Thief by Rad Sechrist (4/5 stars)
The illustration in this story has a very asian/manga feel to it. I enjoyed the limited colors used and the style. The story is about a girl who gets turned into a spirit and has to figure out how to get turned back. Again lots of irony and very cute and funny.
- The Soldier’s Daughter by Stuart Livingston with Stephanie Ramirez (5/5 stars)
The illustration and color in this story is awesome. This is a very classic fantasy story. A girl finds out her father is dead and leaves to avenge him. On the way she discovers a secret box that makes her reconsider her goals.
- Whatzit by Johane Matte and Saymone Phanekham (3/5 stars)
Very sci-fi and humorous little story. The illustration is very classic cartoony in style. A young apprentice is tasked with keeping the boxes that contain the universe sorted in preparation for landing. When a mysterious box ends up in his keeping all sorts of shenanigans ensue.
- The Escape Option by Kazu Kibuishi (5/5 stars)
The absolutely beautiful and stunning backgrounds and colors that are Kibuishi’s hallmark illustrate this story. In this story a boy gets sucked into a mysterious box and told the earth is on the path of destruction. He is given a choice that will change the outcome...or not. Ironic and very well done. I enjoyed this one a lot.
My favorites were: The Keeper’s Treasure (about a boy searching a mysterious labyrinth for a mystery box), The Solider’s
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Daughter (a girl set on avenging her father finds a box that makes her rethink things), and The Escape Option (a boy is pulled into a mysterious box and given a choice about the future of our planet).Overall all of the stories are pretty decent and are appropriate for children. The collection is aimed at middle grade and older. I definitely recommend this for fans of fantasy graphic novels. It’s something that readers of all ages can enjoy. Read below for brief descriptions/thoughts on all the included stories.
- Under the Floorboards by Emily Carroll (4/5 stars)
About a secret wax friend that comes out of a mysterious box and goes terribly wrong. Loved the drawing style and the irony of the story.
- Spring Cleaning by Dave Roman and Raina Telgemeier (3/5 stars)
A kid finds a box in his closet that a bunch of mysterious people are dying to get their hands on. Very cartoony illustration with heavy lines.
- The Keeper’s Treasure by Jason Caffoe (5/5 stars)
Loved the illustration on this one, very reminiscent of Kibuishi’s Amulet series which makes sense because Caffoe does some of the color and background for Kibuishi. This one is about a boy braving a labyrinth to discover a secret box. Loved the irony and humor, excellent story.
- The Butter Thief by Rad Sechrist (4/5 stars)
The illustration in this story has a very asian/manga feel to it. I enjoyed the limited colors used and the style. The story is about a girl who gets turned into a spirit and has to figure out how to get turned back. Again lots of irony and very cute and funny.
- The Soldier’s Daughter by Stuart Livingston with Stephanie Ramirez (5/5 stars)
The illustration and color in this story is awesome. This is a very classic fantasy story. A girl finds out her father is dead and leaves to avenge him. On the way she discovers a secret box that makes her reconsider her goals.
- Whatzit by Johane Matte and Saymone Phanekham (3/5 stars)
Very sci-fi and humorous little story. The illustration is very classic cartoony in style. A young apprentice is tasked with keeping the boxes that contain the universe sorted in preparation for landing. When a mysterious box ends up in his keeping all sorts of shenanigans ensue.
- The Escape Option by Kazu Kibuishi (5/5 stars)
The absolutely beautiful and stunning backgrounds and colors that are Kibuishi’s hallmark illustrate this story. In this story a boy gets sucked into a mysterious box and told the earth is on the path of destruction. He is given a choice that will change the outcome...or not. Ironic and very well done. I enjoyed this one a lot.
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LibraryThing member LaneLiterati
Unfortunately the best box story was omitted from the final cut, in which Brad Pitt tirelessly asks "What's in the box?!" This was quite underwhelming, but it's a quick read. If you're a fan of Kazu and his work, I would suggest at least flipping through to read the stories you find interesting.
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Again, it's nothing special, but it goes by so quick that it doesn't hurt to give it a shot if you're a fan of Amulet and other stories. Show Less
LibraryThing member LibraryGirl11
A colleof short graphic novels all centering on the idea of a mysterious box. Beautiful artwork.
LibraryThing member jen.e.moore
A cute collection of short comics about kids and mysterious boxes. (Yes, I read this because Amulet is always checked out.)
LibraryThing member MissMurray2014
This book is made up of seven short graphic tales that all ask the same question, What is in the box? It is full of magic, mystery, and travel to new worlds and places. Many life lesson are learned a long the way. It also has a great deal of Onomatopoeia words that would aid in a lesson about how
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to correctly use these types of words in writing. Show Less
LibraryThing member pussreboots
Explorer: The Hidden Doors by Kazu Kibuishi is the third graphic novel anthology in the series. The other two are The Mystery Boxes and The Lost Islands. This one contains seven short comic adventures based on the theme of a hidden door.
The Hidden Doors contains works by Kazu Kibuishi (of the
My favorite of the set is the one done by Kibuishi. It involves a chase through a series of doors, a la the climax in Monsters Inc. The nature of these doors though is something very different and very personal.
My next favorite is a treehouse in a park that gives children the opportunity to change themselves as many times as they want. The fun here is just how many of kids have discovered this secret place without letting on that they know.
The Hidden Doors contains works by Kazu Kibuishi (of the
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Amulet series), Jen Wang (Koko Be Good), Faith Erin Hicks (Zombies Calling), Doug Holgate (Zack Proton) and others.My favorite of the set is the one done by Kibuishi. It involves a chase through a series of doors, a la the climax in Monsters Inc. The nature of these doors though is something very different and very personal.
My next favorite is a treehouse in a park that gives children the opportunity to change themselves as many times as they want. The fun here is just how many of kids have discovered this secret place without letting on that they know.
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LibraryThing member PolyDrive
I found I don't really like reading graphic novels. The stories in this book were so short and there was not a lot of dialogue...which is a great draw for reluctant readers, but this was not my favorite. I could use this book to introduce graphic novels, but also talk about books that are
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compilations of stories by different authors. This could also be used when we talk about genre - fantasy. Show Less
LibraryThing member Lizjensen
This is a collection of short graphic novels about a mysterious box and creepy and fun things inside.
I think this collection would be great for middle school or late elementary. It does have a spooky effect in some of the stories so it might be to scary for younger children. The art is a different
I think this collection would be great for middle school or late elementary. It does have a spooky effect in some of the stories so it might be to scary for younger children. The art is a different
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style for each story. It is all unique and interesting. Show Less
LibraryThing member lissabeth21
What a phenomenal set of stories! My son and I couldn't put it down! He actually woke up early to finish before school.
LibraryThing member ShadowWhisp
Under the Floorboards - Creepy. Glad this wasn't the last story.
Spring Cleaning - Energetic, Lighthearted, Fun.
The Keeper's Treasure - Hilarious, want-to-hug-the-keeper
The Butter Thief - Heartwarmingly moral
The Soldier's Daughter - eh
Whatzit - Adorable, Mischievous
The Escape Option - okay
I'll
Spring Cleaning - Energetic, Lighthearted, Fun.
The Keeper's Treasure - Hilarious, want-to-hug-the-keeper
The Butter Thief - Heartwarmingly moral
The Soldier's Daughter - eh
Whatzit - Adorable, Mischievous
The Escape Option - okay
I'll
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absolutely read the next Explorer anthology. Show Less
LibraryThing member livingtech
Some good stuff, nothing terribly amazing.
LibraryThing member ennuiprayer
Eight tales revolving eight different mystery boxes, each with its own moral and a window into our imagination. A must read for both children and their parents.
LibraryThing member fionaanne
Mostly good, a couple of duds.
Under the floorboards: bland artwork and predictable plot.
Spring cleaning: cute and absurd; bonus points for humour.
The keeper's treasure: solid artwork and story but a troubling resolution imo.
The butter thief: nice art, clever enough plot.
The soldier's daughter:
Whatzit: engaging cartoony art, loved the resolution.
The escape option: well-plotted with lovely illustrations, deserves to be read twice.
Under the floorboards: bland artwork and predictable plot.
Spring cleaning: cute and absurd; bonus points for humour.
The keeper's treasure: solid artwork and story but a troubling resolution imo.
The butter thief: nice art, clever enough plot.
The soldier's daughter:
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preachy and lacklustre plot.Whatzit: engaging cartoony art, loved the resolution.
The escape option: well-plotted with lovely illustrations, deserves to be read twice.
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LibraryThing member VadersMorwen
Very cute
Great bunch of short stories
Fun and quick read
Great bunch of short stories
Fun and quick read
Awards
Black-Eyed Susan Book Award (Nominee — 2015)
OYAN Graphic Rave (2012)
Language
Original publication date
2012-03-01
ISBN
1419700103 / 9781419700101
Local notes
Seven clever stories answer one simple question: what’s in the box? Funny, fantastic, spooky, and suspenseful, each of these unique and beautifully illustrated short graphic works revolves around a central theme: a mysterious box and the marvels—or mayhem—inside. Artists include middle school favorites Kazu Kibuishi, Raina Telgemeier (Smile), and Dave Roman (Astronaut Academy), as well as Jason Caffoe, Stuart Livingston, Johane Matte, Rad Sechrist (all contributors to the groundbreaking comics anthology series Flight), and upcoming artist Emily Carroll.