Now, Emily faces her toughest decision yet when trying to protect the people she loves: to trust the mysterious amulet, or take her little brother and face the unknown creatures of Alledia on her own. The colors in the video are much more vibrant than the finished book.Being the oldest child of two and having witnessed the death of her father at a young age, Emily Hayes is accustomed to taking on the responsibilities that go along with taking care of her family. In the following video, Kazu Kibuishi introduces the series and then talks about the production process.

I don't want to give away the story, so I have to be vague here, but several of Emily's choices would also make great discussion points, especially because Navin often disagrees with her. Topics for discussion include family responsibilities, brother-sister relationships, loss of a parent, and moving to a new home. The Stonekeeper is a fun and engaging read all on its own but it would also make a great book club selection. The expressions on the characters' faces telegraph quite a bit of emotion, and Kibuishi clearly conveys motion and speed. I just love the muted blues and teals of the illustrations, which are punched up with a bit of pink (click the scan to enlarge it). The rescue mission is exciting and has unexpected results, which set up the basis for the next book in the series. Emily is forced to make several decisions, including whom to trust and when to use the power of the amulet. Emily and Navin chase the monster, entering an alternate world in which they learn the secrets of the amulet necklace and look for help saving their mom.Īmulet 1: The Stonekeeper is a fast-moving story that's full of fanciful creatures, mysterious messages, and awesome machines. Hayes is kidnapped by a strange creature. When the family goes to investigate, Mrs. Later that night, they are awoken by a thumping noise coming from the basement. While exploring their new digs, Emily and her brother, Navin, discover a pretty necklace that Emily decides to wear. Two years after Emily Hayes's father died in a car accident, her mother moves the family to a small town so they can live in an abandoned house once owned by Mrs.

The Amulet series is a mix of fantasy, adventure, and steampunk and is perfect for middle grade readers and their parents. I don't know why waited so long to read it, but I'm so happy I rediscovered this book on my shelves.

Shortly after I discovered graphic novels a few years ago, I bought Kazu Kibuishi's Amulet: The Stonekeeper, book 1 of a series that is now up to volume 6 of a projected ten-book project.

Amulet the stonekeeper by kazu kibuishi