Kingyo Used Books, Vol. 1

Gr 10 Up—The titular bookstore, set in urban Japan, buys and sells used manga. The store has thousands of classic series and, seemingly, something for everyone. Each chapter reveals how one or more characters have been influenced by manga. Each one also makes the not-so-subtle point that manga is not just kid stuff. The artwork and the layout are traditional in style. The cover and first few pages are done in color and are eye-catching but the rest of the book is in black and white. The artist/author does a good job creating facial expressions and mood with pen and ink. Many of the stories, however, seem to jump around, leaving readers to fill in gaps in the story. This "meta-manga" does not have the level of action or conflict that most teen and tween readers expect from this genre. Only older, dedicate fans might find it compelling.—Anthony C. Doyle, Livingston High School, CA