World Famous Comics: Kat & Mouse Volume 1 (Kat and Mouse (Graphic Novels))
Kat & Mouse Volume 1 (Kat and Mouse (Graphic Novels))
By: Alex de Campi Publisher: TokyoPop Average Rating: Binding: Paperback Label: TokyoPop Number of Items: 1 Number of Pages: 96 Publication Date: July 11, 2006 Reading Level: Ages 9-12 Release Date: July 03, 2006
Product Description: When Kat's dad gets a job as a science teacher at a posh private school, things seem perfectâ€"that is, until Kat's rich, popular classmates shove her to the bottom of the social heap just for being smart. And bad turns to worse when an anonymous student blackmails Kat's dad to give the class better grades! Can Kat and her new friend, the rebellious computer nerd Mouse, find the real culprits before Kat's dad loses his job?
Good for what it is. I enjoyed it. Definitely for young girls though [which is who it's for.] I've read all the released volumes now, and the story is quite good, Federica's art is enjoyable. It truly is a manga Nancy Drew. But I enjoyed this more, as Nancy is sort of removed from my generation.
The Chase is On In one of the many team-ups made in the race for OEL manga crown, writer Alex De Campi and artist Federica Manfredi bring you the newest crime-solving pair in this cleverly named comic. Kat Foster is an Iowa girl who enrolls in the Dover Academy, one of the most prestigious schools in New England, when her father lands a teaching job there. But while the school has its code of conduct, the student body has its own--as Kat learns the hard way. Luckily, sassy Mee-Seen "Mouse" Huang comes to Kat's rescue and the two become fast friends. But when a thief blackmails Kat's father, she and Mouse become the perfect deducting duo.
An entry in TOKYOPOP's "Manga Reader" collection, this gives out the feeling of what the manga versions of "Hardy Boys" and "Nancy Drew" would be like, assuming you've read those. On its own, "Kat & Mouse" not only delivers a good helping of the mystery element but also some heartfelt moments of teenage angst, friendship, family tensions, and even a hint of young love. Manfredi's art, while of standard mangaish fare, is also of the simple and steady kind. The one drawback is that it all makes for quite a thin paperback which, hopefully, will get thicker in future volumes. A two-page segment featured in the comic shows you how to dust for prints the way the girls do, while another segment has profiles on the real-life women who inspire Kat & Mouse.