Colonial Comics: New England, 1620–1750

Gr 5 Up—A collection of illustrated stories covering lesser known topics in American colonial history. The first in a series of comics based on underrepresented stories of the time period, the work uses primary and secondary sources, and is told in a way that makes the information accessible to students. All of the entries contain a brief introduction that assumes a basic amount of historical knowledge before presenting the story. Each vignette is short enough to keep the interest of most readers. All of the narratives are excellent, concise, and easy to follow. The illustrations, however, are a mixed bag. Some are sepia-toned, some black-and-white with splashes of other primary colors, some muddy, and others are colored brightly. None of the color schemes seem to be related to the narrative being told. The artwork ranges from realistic to almost clownish, and, as such, detracts from the general cohesion of the work—a weakness in the collection. Especially effective in this volume are the entries by Charles Fetherolf, E.J. Barnes, and Matt Rawson.