I was pleasantly surprised by this adorable graphic novel. Written and illustrated by Matthew Loux, the Salt Water Taffy series was one of those books that I kept seeing on the shelves, feeling slightly interested about, but then thinking “Nah, it doesn’t really look like my thing…” Turns out, IT IS MY THING! So I just want to extend a huge thank you to Miss Betsey for grabbing this for me to read!
The series is similar to Zita the Spacegirl in its illustration style, although one big difference is that unlike Zita, Salt Water Taffy is not in color. While the illustrations are very well done, it was the story that really enchanted me. It is about a family of four who are spending their summer vacation in a little port town in Maine called Chowder Bay. The mom and dad are HILARIOUS even though they don’t have that much “screen-time.” Their two sons Jack (11) and Benny (8) are the main characters and they definitely steal the show.
What I love about Jack and Benny is that even though this is clearly an adventure story, the author still manages to portray a realistic sibling relationship. Sure, Jack makes fun of Benny and tries to think of ways to torture him, but at the same time Benny is Jack’s faithful companion on all of his adventures. Does Benny drive Jack nuts? Yes. But does Jack also try his best to protect his little brother from danger? Of course. And oh what danger there is: it turns out that Chowder Bay is full of a lot more interesting things then the boys initially thought. Things such as talking lobsters, a giant eagle, and an evil wolf named Dan. I don’t want to give away too many spoilers, but I highly recommend this book for readers who enjoyed the sibling dynamic of Amulet but are looking for something a little less fantasy-based.
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