Graphic Novel – Amulet: The Stonekeeper by Kazu Kibuishi

 

 

A cartoon of a child and a rabbit

AI-generated content may be incorrect.

Kibuishi, K. (2008). Amulet: The Stonekeeper (Vol. 1). Graphix/Scholastic.

The genre for this book falls under is graphic novel, fantasy and adventure. Suggested age levels are from eight to fourteen years old.

Thoughts- Kazu Kibuishi does a great job bringing vivid emotion to his illustrations and immersing the reader in a rich fantasy world. The dialogue feels natural and easy to follow, with relatable family dynamics. The artwork carries a lot of emotional weight, especially in scenes involving tragic loss.

What stood out most to me was how he connects fantasy with real, raw emotions. I’ve never been much of a graphic novel reader, but I thoroughly enjoyed this book and was captivated by the action and the intense scenes involving dark creatures from the fantasy world. The author balances all the elements of the story so well. The opening scene, where Emily loses her father, reminded me of how powerful a single image or picture can be, sometimes one picture truly can say a thousand words.

Critique-  The plot is easy to follow, Emily and her brother discover an amulet with magical powers and are transported to a mysterious and dangerous fantasy world. The story is fast paced and full of action. Emily and her brother must race against time to save their mother who has been captured by one of the creatures of the land. The illustrations give the fantasy world depth and diverse characters such as strange creatures, robots and animals keep the readers engaged.

Discussion Questions –

How does Emily change throughout the story?

What role do the illustrations play in helping you understand emotions of the characters?

Why is the amulet both a gift and burden for Emily?

Lesson Activity: “Comic Strip Rewrite – Telling a Scene Through Emotion”

Students will choose one scene and redraw it in their own comic strip style.

Lesson Objective:

Students will analyze how emotions and themes are expressed through both text and images in a graphic novel. They will demonstrate understanding by recreating a scene from Amulet: The Stonekeeper using their own comic strip layout, focusing on emotional tone and character development.

https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Amulet-The-Stonekeeper-Book-1-Comprehension-Questions-9147947

https://outschool.com/classes/amulet-adventures-a-graphic-novel-journey-DPpEmBMK

https://cbldf.org/2014/09/using-graphic-novels-in-education-amulet/

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