Common Sense Media Review
By Michael Berry
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
Galaxy-spanning graphic novel adventure off to grand start.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 8+?
Any Positive Content?
Where to Read
What's the Story?
Only by relighting the Five Beacons can the Five Worlds be saved in THE SAND WARRIOR: 5 WORLDS, BOOK 1. Oona Lee, the clumsiest student at the Sand Dancer Academy, believes that her missing sister is the only person who can fulfill the prophesy. She teams up with orphan An Tzu and star athlete Jax Amboy, banding together to restore the power of the Beacons before the worlds they protect fatally overheat. Along the way, they meet new allies, confront dangerous enemies, and come to realize their own hidden powers.
Is It Any Good?
The artwork is gorgeous in this exciting sci-fi saga, even if the plotting sometimes seems a little murky. In The Sand Warrior, brothers Mark and Alexis Siegel and their collaborators present a unique vision of the future, full of robots, plant people, and other space-based wonders. Unfortunately, it's not always clear what's happening and why. Readers who wish to immerse themselves in the illustrations may be more satisfied than those who want a tightly detailed story. In any case, this first volume gets off to a rousing start.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about how The Sand Warrior uses the conventions of comics to tell its story. What kinds of stories are best suited for the graphic novel format?
How does the book address the notion of a "chosen one"? Why does the concept of a "chosen one" appear in so many myths and legends?
How is violence used in The Sand Warrior? Is it shown as a useful strategy?
Book Details
- Authors :
- Illustrators : Xanthe Bouma , Boya Sun , Matt Rockerfeller
- Genre : Graphic Novel
- Topics : Adventures , Friendship , Robots
- Book type : Fiction
- Publisher : Random House Books for Young Readers
- Publication date : May 2, 2017
- Publisher's recommended age(s) : 8 - 12
- Number of pages : 256
- Available on : Paperback, Nook, Hardback, Apple Books, Kindle
- Last updated : September 30, 2025
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