Cast Away on the Letter A: A Philemon Adventure

GR 4–6—When young farm boy Philemon Is Sent To Fetch Water From The Well,he finds a mysterious bottled message floating at the bottom. Curious, he investigates the well, only to fall in. When he resurfaces, he finds himself marooned on an "A"-shaped deserted island with all sorts of strange creatures and plant life. Now stranded, he must rely on a hermit named Mr. Bartholomew and his centaur butler, Friday, to not only survive the island, but find a way back home. Modern audiences may find this book, originally published in 1972, a little odd, but fans of fantasy and adventure classics, such as Norton Juster's The Phantom Tollbooth, will feel right at home. Fred's surreal and dreamlike drawings really bring the world to life, and his attention to detail is evident on every page. Vivid, psychedelic colors make the illustrations pop and match the mood of the crazy world that he has created. Back matter includes notes about the various allusions made to other texts and artwork. Published for the first time in the United States, this work is a good additional purchase for those looking to build their graphic novel collections for middle graders.—Peter Blenski, Greenfield Public Library, WI