Friday, May 8, 2009

Into the Volcano by Don Wood


The Pugg brothers, Duffy and Sumo, are pulled out of school one afternoon and, with little warning, are shipped off with a cousin they’ve never met to spend ten days on the volcanic island of Kocalaha. Mister Come-and-Go – as their massive, bald, wrestler-looking cousin is called – takes Duffy and Sumo to their mysterious aunt who then bundles them off on a life-threatening expedition underground, into the depths of an erupting volcano. Mystery and danger run amok as the group’s boat is destroyed, and the boys escape from their rag-tag guides/kidnappers, amid whispers of family conflict and stolen riches. The most frightening moment comes when Duffy disappears down a seemingly bottomless ravine underground, and Sumo has to muster enough courage to lower himself precariously on rope to attempt a single-handed rescue. Will they make it out alive? Who is on their side? When they are uMany of the illustrations in this thrilling graphic novel are dark and haunted, and beautifully convey the dangerous and mystery-shrouded atmosphere in which the Pugg brothers find themselves. This one might be a hard sell for most girls – the drawings are not aesthetically pleasing as many graphic novels are – but boys should love the dark and smoky adventure.



"That the children, who appear to be 10 or 12, have been exposed to such peril knowingly by an adult who has been entrusted with their care is a dark vein running through the story. Wood's vividly colored artwork brings the perils the siblings face into startling focus. Keenly observed depictions of the Hawaiian landscape and geological processes lend an impressive veracity to this exciting and unusual offering. It is a rare example of a graphic novel for young people that is neither manga nor mainstream.” - School Library Journal


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