Nancy Drew, Girl Detective #8: Global Warning - Stefan Petrucha

Great art, but graphic novel lacks thrills.

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Book details

Author:Stefan Petrucha
# of pages: 112
Publisher:Papercutz
Original Publication Date: 03/06/2007
Genre: Fiction - Mystery
Hardcover: $12.95
Paperback: $7.95
Publisher's Recommended Reading Level: 8
Read Aloud: 8
Read Alone: 8

Parents need to know

Parents need to know that this is a modern, graphic novel take on the Nancy Drew stories with few words of substance but great illustrations. Nancy and her friends encounter some scary-for-a-second situations (getting chased by a large lizard, for example), but the drawings never show blood or anything very frightening.

Families can talk about teamwork. Do you think Nancy could have figured out what was going on without the help of her friends? How can you rely on other people to help you? What are the advantages and disadvantages to solving problems on your own? Families can also compare the format of these graphic novels to the original full-length books. Which do you like better? Why? Are the detailed photos a good substitute for words?

Message
Violence
Sex
Language

Message

Social Behavior:

Nancy uses logic to solve this mystery. As the title infers, this graphic novel slips in educational snippets about the environment and its inhabitants such as "Did he have hollow hair like a polar bear," "I was impressed to see that despite all of her money, she drove a little hybrid, almost like mine," and "He cared nothing for the rivers and skies he destroyed for the coming generation."

Consumerism:

The novel has some ads for the other graphic novels in the series -- and even a few pages of the next novel to get you hooked. There are also promos for a Nancy Drew video game, the Hardy Boys series.

Drugs/Alcohol/Tobacco:

Violence

Nancy and pals fight mythical creatures, but the cartoons don't show blood or anything scary. The scariest thing is the creatures' big teeth.

Sex

Language

There's only one line that may offend: "Some thanks for saving your mangy butt."

Common Sense says

What's the story?

Reviewed by Heidi Kotansky

While getting a private tour of a newly built eco-park, Nancy and the manager discover a strange fungus that's killing the plants and that could potentially destroy the park's domed buildings. Several pages later, it does indeed corrode the wooden frame of the buildings, making one come crashing to the ground. The manager enlists the help of Nancy to find out who -- or what -- is sabotaging the park's existence.

While trying to solve the mystery, Nancy and her pals come face-to-face with a komodo dragon in the desert dome, dodge Sasquatch in the alpine dome, and finally, bundle up to fight off the Abominable Snowman in the arctic. The snowman backs into the temperature controls and turns on the heat, causing the ice to melt and the animals to start to overheat. Once they're all safely corralled in the infirmary, Nancy discovers a clue that just might identify the culprit who's reeking havoc, and in return save the park.

Is it any good?

Our mystery-solving heroine is at it again. But this time she's sporting a modern, salmon-colored hair do; big, anime-inspired blue eyes; and tall, fashion-forward boots. Although her image has changed quite a bit over the decades, there's one thing for sure -- her spirit remains the same. In the 8th graphic novel in the series, she uses her proactive, problem-solving skills and quick thinking to get to the bottom of the mystery at hand. It's just too bad that the art -- skillfully crafted in anime style by Sho Murase -- is the only thing that makes this novel stand out.

There are a few educational lessons about the environment and such, but they usually end up feeling preachy and out of place ("I was impressed to see that despite all of her money, she drove a little hybrid, almost like mine!" and "I spent the entire night thinking of the case. I would have even forgotten to brush my teeth if Hannah, our housekeeper, hadn't reminded me."). For girls who want to lose themselves in the pages of a good mystery, it's best to stick to the full-length Nancy Drew books.

Other choices

More Early Nancy Drews:
The Secret of the Old Clock: Nancy Drew Mystery Stories No. 1
The Hidden Staircase: Nancy Drew Mystery Stories No. 2
The Bungalow Mystery: Nancy Drew Mystery Stories No. 3

Modern Nancy Drew Series:
Nancy Drew and the Clue Crew Series
Nancy Drew Notebooks Series
Nancy Drew (All New) Girl Detective Series

Nancy Drew Video Games:
Nancy Drew: Danger by Design
Nancy Drew: The Haunted Carousel
Nancy Drew: Secret of the Old Clock