Arthur and the Golden Rope

The Brownstones have been adventurers for generations, the artifacts from their exploits housed in a family vault; this tale, Todd-Stanton’s debut, is about the first of their clan: an Icelandic boy named Arthur. When the giant wolf Fenrir destroys his village’s great fire, Arthur is chosen to seek help from the Norse gods. Arthur’s quest to find Thor and his kin is easy compared to the one that Thor sends him on: to acquire the ingredients to create a golden rope to bind Fenrir. Blending elements of picture book and graphic novel, Todd-Stanton’s book offers a light introduction to Norse myth, drawn in a style that evokes both classic Franco-Belgian comics and the work of contemporary creators like Kate Beaton and Noelle Stevenson. Earthy colors and numerous scenes of daring action invite readers into a magical and mythical world, as do endpapers featuring characters (both god and monster) and maps. Arthur—small of stature, bespectacled, brave, and quick-thinking—is first-rate proof that tiny can be mighty, and readers will look forward to hearing about his descendants’ adventures. Ages 5–9. (Feb.)