Hereville: How Mirka Caught a Fish

Gr 4–6—In a third adventure in the Orthodox community of Hereville, Mirka learns more about her stepmother when she meets a magic fish whose powers are held in check by a wish Fruma made when she was a teenager. The fish takes Mirka's stepsister, Layele, hostage, making Mirka the "worst babysitter ever." A mix of humor and drama, with plenty of suspenseful chases and battles, this is an enjoyable and absorbing read. Cartoon-style illustrations with bold, clear lines and a limited color palette highlight Deutsch's deft use of the comics medium. At one point Layele, enchanted by the magic fish, dissolves into a school of fish that bombard Mirka with statements reflecting her conflicted feelings about their relationship. Dynamic paneling heightens the action and emotion in many scenes. In one, Fruma transforms into a giant redwood. A close-up of Mirka's shocked face is layered over smaller panels sequencing the transformation. On the next page, panels bleed into a wide view of Mirka running to the rescue. This sophistication and subtlety extend to the depiction of Mirka's relationships, particularly the push and pull with her stepmother. Fruma is argumentative and unsentimental, but she is a reliable and caring adult in Mirka's life. This stand-alone volume should appeal to readers of other graphic novels starring plucky female characters such as Raina Telgemeier's Sisters (Scholastic, 2014) and Vera Brosgol's Anya's Ghost (Square Fish, 2014), as well as fans of humorous adventures such as Jeff Smith's "Bone" series (Scholastic) and Shannon Hale's Rapunzel's Revenge (Bloomsbury, 2008).