Miles and Jones: The Anaconda Attack

'The Anaconda Attack,' the first book in the 'Miles and Jones' series, introduces the reader to Shackleton, his dad Sam Jones, Amelia, her mum Meg Miles, and the evil antagonist Glam-Evil. The map at the start of the book is helpful in that it’s where most of the action takes place. The best park ever is in their neighbourhood, and on the boundary is the house of Glam-Evil.

This graphic novel is broken up into short chapters and combines the humour of Bad Guys with the action of Indiana Jones and the survival tips of Bear Grylls. Amelia is planning a sleepover at Shackleton’s house. Meg Miles packs an enormous bag with all sorts of seemingly unnecessary stuff. However, when confronted with Glam-Evil’s dastardly tricks and a nest of anacondas, many items prove themselves to be very useful. The text is written in upper and lower case, as opposed to other graphic novels that are all in capital letters. This makes it easier to read for younger readers.

One disadvantage of this book is the black-and-white illustrations. On the shelves, this series is competing with other graphics in full colour with glossy pages. However, the action and humour easily compensate. The onomatopoeia and action-filled illustrations make this a fun read for students aged six to nine years.