Crystal Cadets

Gr 3–6—On Zoe's birthday, she receives a diamond from her birth mother and meets three girls who also have powers given to them from inherited gemstones. Together they search for other cadets to drive back The Darkness, a malevolent force that takes the form of tentacled lizards and can control those who are dishonest or irresponsible. The color work here is warm and attractive; it glows in a way that befits the gemstone motif and easily pulls viewers into the story. But neither the visuals nor the plot will keep many readers, except for those who love any and all magical girl adventures. There is a complete absence of convincing peril, and the action and panel transitions rarely generate any narrative suspense or rising action. In part, this seems to be due to formatting that tries to accommodate both print and digital publishing, but mostly the book lacks compelling structure and features many examples of clunky visual storytelling. The story is gamely moralistic and the characters diverse and inclusive; it has all the hallmarks of a production that means well but ultimately means little else.