Small Volcanoes

Gr 3–5—Nancy is only eight years old here, and her skills are not exactly honed yet; this might make her more relatable to a younger audience. She appears to be a clumsy, silly girl who gets herself into many predicaments, though she is touted as being smart and clever by her friends and family. This case involves missing science projects. Nancy, Bess, and George have a suspect, but will they solve the case? Goldberg has colored for Marvel and has worked on "Archie" comics, and this art definitely has an "Archie" look to it. The drawings are clear and the colors are vibrant. Unfortunately, the word bubbles are sometimes directed toward the wrong character. A few lines are groan-worthy, and even though some readers will see past that, the ending is so implausible that they will be highly annoyed by the cute wrap-up. Though this graphic novel might be picked up by Nancy Drew's many fans, it is not a strong choice.—Mariela Siegert, Westfield Middle School, Bloomingdale, IL