The Horn Book Guide

INTERMEDIATE FICTION

Pullman, Philip

The Adventures of John Blake: Mystery of the Ghost Ship

160 pp. | Scholastic/Fickling/Graphix | May, 2017 | Trade ISBN 978-1-338-14912-8 $19.99 | Ebook ISBN 978-1-338-16659-0

(2) 4-6 Illustrated by Fred Fordham. Intersecting story lines and a large cast of characters swirl around John Blake and his time-hopping ship the Mary Alice. Pullman's first original graphic novel is a narrative of corporate greed, murder, and collusion. Cinematic illustrations, a strong sense of atmosphere, and liberal deployment of panels carry much of the storytelling. Readers searching for a rollicking comic adventure will be thoroughly satisfied.

Reviewer: Patrick Gall | Horn Book Magazine Issue: July, 2017