Earth Boy by Paul Tobin

 

This is a very cute graphic-novel that reads like a cross between a magic school and a space opera. Benson is a young boy who lives on a farm but dreams of going up to space. When he finds out he's been accepted into the prestigious inter-galactic academy as the first human student, he's filled with pride and thinks that something about his application must have made him feel special. But the other students all regard Earth as a backwater, and with the exception of a few of his friends, everyone bullies and ridicules him like he's some kind of yokel.

I did like this book a lot. The motifs of friendship and acceptance were great and Benson's cast of friends are all adorable. There were several twists I didn't anticipate and I liked the world-building. It was more text-heavy than I prefer in a graphic-novel, though, and the font was VERY small. I had a hard time reading it and I'm in my thirties, so those with older eyes or who are more far-sighted may have issue reading the text. I also felt like the pace of the book slowed in the middle: the beginning and the end were the best.

If you like graphic-novels that focus on adventure and enjoy space drama like Star Wars and Star Trek, this will be a great fit for you.

Thanks to the publisher for sending me a copy in exchange for an honest review!

3 to 3.5 out of 5 stars