Early Book Review: Avalon Chronicles Volume 1: Once in a Blue Moon

Avalon Chronicles Volume 1: Once in a Blue Moon is a graphic novel for tweens and teens by Nunzio DeFilippis, Christina Weir, Emma Vieceli, Christina Weir, and Emma Vieceli. It is scheduled for release on March 21 2012. Aeslin Finn grew up loving a book her parents would regularly read to her, The Avalon Chronicles. However, when her father died the fairy tales were put away and Aeslin and her mother tried to move forward in the real world. Now Aeslin is a teenager and discovers a strange shop as she is walking home from school with a friend. In that shop they discover the sequel to The Avalon Chronicles, Blue Moon. She is about to discover just how true the stories from her childhood were, and that her destiny involves much more than algebra tests and football games.

While the story idea of being pulled into a book or a fantasy world is not new, Avalon Chronicles does it in a way that is still fun/ The artwork is in black and white, which a definite leaning toward the anime and manga styles with some chibi images as well. The feel of the story will definitely appeal to fans of manga, perhaps more the girls than boys.  The characters in the story are eccentric and fun, although arts of the story are more than a little predictable. There are several current cultural references thrown in that will make the readers chuckle.

I recommend Avalon Chronicles Volume 1: Once in a Blue Moon to tween and teen fans of manga, anime, and comic books with a fantasy leaning. It is a quick, fun read that might follow a familiar story idea but still manages to entertain.