Image Courtesy Amulet Books
Written and Illustrated by Barry Deutsch
Amulet Books, 2012
ISBN: 978-1-41970-398-0 (HC)
$16.95, Ages 8+
Summary
Mirka is back! Having successfully defeated the troll and winning her sword, Mirka is now grounded and bored. Finding a way to get out of her punishment, she seeks out the troll in order to practice with her sword. However, when she angers the troll, he calls down a meteorite on the witches house that sent Mirka his way in the first place. In a mad dash effort to prevent the meteorite from destroying the witch (and everyone she knows and loves), she manages to complicate things even more when the witch changes the meteorite into a carbon copy of Mirka! Now, Mirka has to deal with this imposter who is better at everything. When Mirka shoots her mouth off, one of the two Mirkas will stay, while the other has to leave… forever!
Analysis
Deutsch has really kept up the power and intensity of his Hereville series. Mirka is instantly recognizable as an everygirl type of protagonist, and while she’s an orthodox Jew, it doesn’t make her seem strange or weird. In fact, it makes her even more sympathetic as a character. While not based off of any recognizable Jewish folklore, the stories have the feel of beloved tales passed down from generation to generation. The artwork is inviting without being overly saccharine and the story itself is involved and nuanced.
Final Thoughts
Deutsch has crafted a heroine that is not perfect by any stretch of the imagination, but is easy to relate to. What I thought was a great touch was that Mirka even realizes that she’s not perfect, and embraces her shortcomings in a way that is non-judgmental or denigrating. His artwork is lovingly rendered and emotive without getting too ‘cutesy’ or comical. All in all, this is a fantastic book that really speaks to that difficult age where kids are starting to figure out who they want to be. The book is not due out until November, but it is available for pre-order now (so I suggest you get your orders in!)
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