Punycorn by Andi Watson

Carbuncle is a land of endless rainbows and sugar-sprinkled doughnuts - until the vile Sir Ogre and his sister unleash their evil army on the happy kingdom. Who can stop his outsized appetite for destruction? Punycorn! A trainee cadet in an elite troop protecting the kingdom of Carbuncle, although he's not taken very seriously because he is the smallest and clumsiest in the brigade and is mostly tasked with cleaning Uni Palace. But even though Punycorn may not look like a hero, aided by a fireless dragon, a feisty dung beetle, and a magic sword with a hidden secret, he might just be Carbuncle's only hope, especially with the hero unicorns off on their own secret mission. Can he bring them together as a team to save the day?

Told from the perspectives of both Punycorn and Sir Ogre, this is a traditional good versus evil, David and Goliath story, presented as a full-colour graphic novel that moves along at a fast pace with plenty of action and humour carrying it forward. While the theme may be familiar and the reader assumes that Punycorn and his cohort will triumph, there are some more complex elements that could lead to deeper discussion such as Punycorn's inability to see his own puny nature and his positive outcome compared to Sir Ogre's inability to recognize his arrogance leading his downfall. Does pride, indeed, come before a fall?

Themes: Graphic novel, Heroes, Monsters.

Barbara Braxton