One of the undeniable facts of growing up on a steady diet of Disney movies and Scooby-Doo reruns means that I’m all about bright colours. Yes, even in my 20s. It influences my taste in decor, my choice of fruit and vegetable (the brighter the better), and even the books I’m more likely to pick up, thanks to a psychedelic cover (Edgar Cantero’s Meddling Kids, anyone?) design. I mean, I’ll read pretty much anything, but vibrant covers always catch my eye over the grim, broody ones of yesteryear. This is especially true of comics— and picking up Saint For Rent creator Ru Xu’s all-ages graphic novel, NewsPrints, was just a natural consequence. I mean: have you seen that cover?
NewsPrints follows Blue, an orphaned girl who disguises herself as a boy in order to keep her job as a newsie for The Bugle, her favourite local paper.
Times are tough for everyone, as The Great War is going on. Blue is desperate to disguise herself so that she has a roof over her head. But, more than that, she craves a place to belong. A place she would immediately be ousted from if it were discovered that she’s actually a girl.
While running from a mean-spirited gang of rival newsboys, Blue stumbles upon the lair of big-hearted, absent-minded Jack, a quirky inventor. Jack learns that, thanks to the war, Blue has quit school. He immediately offers her an apprenticeship with him so that she can keep learning. As time goes on, Blue is more determined than ever to hide her secret… Then, she meets a boy named Crow, who has a secret of his own. Together, they must find the courage to be true to themselves, and to each other.
Admittedly, this was a cover buy, and the artwork inside did not disappoint.
Each of Xu’s pages is beautiful, her panels richly-detailed visual treats. I love her character designs— Manga-infused faces with clean lines, they’re utterly striking, as is the world she’s created around them.
I have a real soft spot for all-ages graphic novels. Matt Gardner and Rashad Doucet’s horror-lite Alabaster Shadows is one of my favourites. Marika McCoola and Emily Carroll’s Baba Yaga’s Assistant, while whimsical, was a surprisingly profound story about choosing your own family. While I enjoyed Xu’s art immensely, and while yes, my eyes did feast on the colour palette chosen, the story itself left a little to be desired.
I don’t mean that at all in a bad way.
I think, if you have a kid in middle school, or you’re brand new to the genre of graphic novels as a whole, NewsPrints will delight you. It expounds on themes of friendship and adventure, and staying true to oneself in difficult circumstances.
But . . .
But gorgeous aesthetic aside, the story just wasn’t for me. Parts of it felt derivative and others disjointed. (Yes, I know, I know, everything is derivative to some degree). I found myself easily distracted while reading, which is a shame, as this beautiful book is only 208 pages, a quick, easy read. I really appreciated the things I did like, and again, I think younger readers will truly find something to latch onto with NewsPrints. But it, regrettably, was not my thing.
Even though I wasn’t a fan of this week’s pick, my favourite part about it was the colours. So, it seemed appropriate that I pick a just-as-colorful, tasty snack to accompany it! After some internet sleuthing, I came across these particularly cheerful-looking unicorn poop cookies. (I am definitely trying this recipe). Recipe credit goes to Byron @ Lord Byron’s Kitchen.
Want to pick up your own copy of NewsPrints? Shop our Amazon affiliate link here!
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