The Rise of Aurora West

Gr 6 Up—This prequel to Battling Boy (First Second, 2013) reveals the backstories of some of the supporting characters introduced in that book. Aurora West, the daughter of science hero Haggard West, is training to be a monster hunter just like her father. While chasing down monsters that are stealing parts for a mysterious device, Aurora encounters a symbol she remembers from her past. Tracking down the origins of the symbol, she discovers that her imaginary friend from her youth was actually real, became one of the villains that she frequently battles, and may have even been involved in her mother's death. Since Aurora and her father were only briefly mentioned in the previous installment, this volume does a wonderful job of fleshing out their characters further; readers see an Aurora that's not as confident in her abilities, and a slightly jaded and darker side to her heroic father. Pope's gritty, experimental art from the original Battling Boy has been replaced by Rubin's more traditional style, giving a '60s "Silver Age" appearance to the work. Although fans will long for the old, full-colored artwork of the original, the new style works to evoke a nostalgic atmosphere. Die-hard fans of the previous work will definitely want to pick up this book, but those new to the series will want to start from the beginning of this epic sci-fi.—Peter Blenski, Greenfield Public Library, WI