Meanwhile

3,856 Story Possibilities

Citation:

Meanwhile by Jason Shiga.  (Amulet Books, 2010).  75p. Graphic Novel Junior Book.

Summary:

Chocolate or Vanilla?  The answer you give will take you on a different adventure that could lead to doom or delight.

Critique:

a.         The chance to alter the story and have a different adventure each time you read this book will engage the same reader time and again.

b.         The opportunity to follow a different path by moving up, down, left, and right is an entertaining as it is frustrating.  You may have chosen a path that ends in doom, and you have to start over taking a different path hoping to find the one that leads to happiness and delight.  The frame pictures and different color paths allow the easy navigation of your story.    

c.         “END” (p. 20, 22, 25, 38, 58) is all it says when your path has finished.  Time to start over.

Curriculum Connection:  

Meanwhile is a great graphic novel that will pull in the most reluctant reader.  The opportunity to change the ending or the middle would be a great connection to language arts lessons on alternate endings.