Book Review: Jackie and the Shadow Snatcher
What Parents Should Know
Parents need to know that this adventure story has little to
be concerned about. Good guys prevail and bad guys are punished
in this classic good vs. semi-evil. The only issue for some
families is that Jackie is hoping to skip telling his mom
exactly what he did all afternoon.
Families can talk about the unusual style of this book. Is this more fun to read than "regular" books? How do the pictures help tell the story? Do you think it would be easier or harder to write a book like this? Families may even want to try to make comics of their own. Also, they can discuss Jackie's plan to keep his mom in the dark about his adventure. Is this a good idea or a bad one? What might Jackie's mom's reaction be? Is there a better way for Jackie to handle the situation?
Common Sense Media Review
With its retro comic stylings, this book is a fun addition
to the picture book genre. The story is a little sparse, but
the skillful and nostalgic pencil-sketch illustrations are
enough to keep the interest of both parent and child.
While kids aren't going to appreciate the Keystone Cops look of the book, they will enjoy villains who look like villains and the bravery of the expressive hero (not to mention his intrepid dog).
Jackie's showdown with the Shadow Snatcher (who does as his name implies) is presented in comic book style with connecting panels and dialogue in hand-printed bubbles.
Di Fiori clearly knows his genre, and the illustrations are lush with detail and comic book extras. In one spread Jackie walks across three connecting panels -- a single Jackie appearing in each frame -- creating the effect of one large picture of the evil doer's headquarters while still moving the story forward.
Kids who love comics will get it right away, and kids just learning will have fun seeing a new-to-them way to effectively illustrate a story.
Families who aren't into the graphic look of the book might not find much else to love. Stripped of its fun packaging, the story is trite and the characters undeveloped. Readers may be troubled by plot holes, such as what history Mr. Socrates (the smartest man alive and counsel to Jackie) shares with the evil Shadow Stealer.
Overall, though, the style is so engaging, that the substance doesn't matter quite so much.
Common Sense Media is a nonprofit organization dedicated to providing information to help parents make media and entertainment choices for their families.
Join Us