Review: Meanwhile by Jason Shiga

 

Summary and image from Amazon:

Chocolate or Vanilla? This simple choice is all it takes to get started with Meanwhile, the wildly inventive creation of comics mastermind Jason Shiga, of whom Scott McCloud said “Crazy + Genius = Shiga.” Jimmy, whose every move is under your control, finds himself in a mad scientist’s lab, where he’s given a choice between three amazing objects: a mind-reading device, a time-travel machine, or the Killitron 3000 (which is as ominous as it sounds). Down each of these paths there are puzzles, mysterious clues, and shocking revelations. It’s up to the reader to lead Jimmy to success or disaster.

Meanwhile is a wholly original story of invention, discovery, and saving the world, told through a system of tabs that take you forward, backward, upside down, and right side up again. Each read creates a new adventure!

 I was so excited to get this book from the library because I thought the idea was so cute!  I love the thought of a choose your own adventure graphic novel.  The pages themselves were a slick plastic, very durable, and the illustrations were simple but really eye catching.

That being said, the book was really stinking hard to follow!  I got the arrows to the other pages, but the little ones on each page and the kind of bubble one that linked panels were REALLY hard to see and follow.  Because of that, I'm not sure my kiddos would be able to follow and enjoy the book. 

*I read this book as it was a nominated title for Virginia Readers Choice.  My opinion in no way reflects the opinion of the committee.*