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The Cardboard Kingdom #2
The Cardboard Kingdom #2: Roar of the Beast
Perfect for fans of Raina Telgemeier and All's Faire in Middle School, this sequel to the Eisner Award-nominated The Cardboard Kingdom follows the kids as they solve the mystery of a new neighborhood monster.
A mystery is afoot in the Cardboard Kingdom.
Vijay, the Beast, renounces his title after being bullied by neighborhood teenagers. No one--not his big sister Shikha or his friends--can seem to draw him back out of his shell.
That very night is when it starts. At first, no one believes Nate, who breaks his leg trying to pursue what he saw from his bedroom window. But then there's another, and another. An unknown monster has been spotted roaming the Kingdom after dark. It's ghastly, it's quick, and it might even have giant tentacles. Or claws. Or wings. Okay, there might be some varied testimonies on what exactly this monster looks like.
Forget Halloween--the newly minted Monster Mashers will go to any lengths to protect the Kingdom and uncover this mystery. But how did the monster get here? What does it want? And mostly importantly, who is behind its creation?
A mystery is afoot in the Cardboard Kingdom.
Vijay, the Beast, renounces his title after being bullied by neighborhood teenagers. No one--not his big sister Shikha or his friends--can seem to draw him back out of his shell.
That very night is when it starts. At first, no one believes Nate, who breaks his leg trying to pursue what he saw from his bedroom window. But then there's another, and another. An unknown monster has been spotted roaming the Kingdom after dark. It's ghastly, it's quick, and it might even have giant tentacles. Or claws. Or wings. Okay, there might be some varied testimonies on what exactly this monster looks like.
Forget Halloween--the newly minted Monster Mashers will go to any lengths to protect the Kingdom and uncover this mystery. But how did the monster get here? What does it want? And mostly importantly, who is behind its creation?
288 pages, Paperback
First published June 1, 2021
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 122 reviews
May 1, 2021
I love the creativity of this series. I love the imagination that goes into the cardboard creations and costumes of these characters. I feel like if the kids in my neighborhood came up with these elaborate ideas and schemes, I would get them all the boxes they need to make their kingdom a reality.
What I love most about this book: not a single character bats an eye when Jack starts to transform into the sorceress in "real" life and in the game. I also love the budding crush/hinted at potential romance between Miguel and the Nate. I love how the characters all love and support each other in different ways: helping to create a new costume to stick it to bullies, offering advise around a campfire, staying up all night with a faithful canine companion to protect an animal queen, to offering to trick or treat with someone so they enjoy going still.
I loved Alice's House of Horrors. She is a mastermind.
I also enjoyed the fall/Halloween setting.
If you need a fun, creative, heart warming graphic novel, this one will leave you in a good mood.
What I love most about this book: not a single character bats an eye when Jack starts to transform into the sorceress in "real" life and in the game. I also love the budding crush/hinted at potential romance between Miguel and the Nate. I love how the characters all love and support each other in different ways: helping to create a new costume to stick it to bullies, offering advise around a campfire, staying up all night with a faithful canine companion to protect an animal queen, to offering to trick or treat with someone so they enjoy going still.
I loved Alice's House of Horrors. She is a mastermind.
I also enjoyed the fall/Halloween setting.
If you need a fun, creative, heart warming graphic novel, this one will leave you in a good mood.
July 5, 2021
The Cardboard Kingdom is one of my favourite kid’s graphic novels because it’s all about kids being their true selves. They build costumes and props out of cardboard and let their imaginations go wild. They can be a beast, a scientist or a sorceress. They are stories about acceptance but also having a whole lot of fun. I’ve been eagerly awaiting the second Cardboard Kingdom book and it has just been released. I loved returning to these characters that Chad Sell brought to life and seeing what they got up to next.
Halloween is approaching and the gang are planning their costumes. Vijay is excited to make The Beast bigger, better and scarier, but when the local teenagers crush his costume, they also crush his confidence. Nate is sure he’s seen a monster in his backyard, and when he tries to rescue his stepbrother, he falls down the stairs. No one believes him though, even his stepbrother. Nate is determined to prove that the monster is real. The monster shows up again and again, all over the kingdom, but no one knows why it is there or what it wants. They only know that it is super quick and super scary. Nate gathers the best scientists, heroes and villains from across the kingdom to track the monster and crack the case.
The Cardboard Kingdom: Roar of the Beast is the best kind of sequel. It reunites us with our favourite characters, builds on their stories, and has a mystery that brings them all together. Where the first book was more stand-alone stories that introduced each character, Roar of the Beast has a story arc that is woven through each of the characters’ chapters. Each chapter is written by a different author and focuses on a particular character or characters, with Chad Sell bringing the characters to life in his terrific illustrations.
I love everything that Chad Sell illustrates. I really like his style of illustration, as the kids are realistic and have great expressions. I particularly like how Chad draws the kids as their characters. You see how the kids see themselves in character. Elijah’s costume is pretty basic but he looks completely different as the character of the Blob, and Jack lets his true self shine as the Sorceress.
Although they aren’t named on the front cover, each of the authors have created wonderful characters that all kids will be able to relate to. The cast of characters is diverse in ethnicity and sexuality, which is one of the aspects I really love about the Cardboard Kingdom books. Thanks to Vid Alliger, Manuel Betancourt, Michael Cole, David DeMeo, Jay Fuller, Cloud Jacobs, Barbara Perez Marquez, Molly Muldoon and Katie Schenkel for giving us your characters.
If you haven’t discovered this series you need to hunt both books down. The first book has been a firm favourite in my school library since it was released, and I know kids who will be super excited when they see Roar of the Beast on the shelf. If you want to add some diversity to your graphic novel collection you need to have the Cardboard Kingdom series.
Halloween is approaching and the gang are planning their costumes. Vijay is excited to make The Beast bigger, better and scarier, but when the local teenagers crush his costume, they also crush his confidence. Nate is sure he’s seen a monster in his backyard, and when he tries to rescue his stepbrother, he falls down the stairs. No one believes him though, even his stepbrother. Nate is determined to prove that the monster is real. The monster shows up again and again, all over the kingdom, but no one knows why it is there or what it wants. They only know that it is super quick and super scary. Nate gathers the best scientists, heroes and villains from across the kingdom to track the monster and crack the case.
The Cardboard Kingdom: Roar of the Beast is the best kind of sequel. It reunites us with our favourite characters, builds on their stories, and has a mystery that brings them all together. Where the first book was more stand-alone stories that introduced each character, Roar of the Beast has a story arc that is woven through each of the characters’ chapters. Each chapter is written by a different author and focuses on a particular character or characters, with Chad Sell bringing the characters to life in his terrific illustrations.
I love everything that Chad Sell illustrates. I really like his style of illustration, as the kids are realistic and have great expressions. I particularly like how Chad draws the kids as their characters. You see how the kids see themselves in character. Elijah’s costume is pretty basic but he looks completely different as the character of the Blob, and Jack lets his true self shine as the Sorceress.
Although they aren’t named on the front cover, each of the authors have created wonderful characters that all kids will be able to relate to. The cast of characters is diverse in ethnicity and sexuality, which is one of the aspects I really love about the Cardboard Kingdom books. Thanks to Vid Alliger, Manuel Betancourt, Michael Cole, David DeMeo, Jay Fuller, Cloud Jacobs, Barbara Perez Marquez, Molly Muldoon and Katie Schenkel for giving us your characters.
If you haven’t discovered this series you need to hunt both books down. The first book has been a firm favourite in my school library since it was released, and I know kids who will be super excited when they see Roar of the Beast on the shelf. If you want to add some diversity to your graphic novel collection you need to have the Cardboard Kingdom series.
April 15, 2022
The second book in the Cardboard Kingdom series! Thanks to my hubby for giving me this one as a birthday pressie!
I read the first book in 2018 and loved it! An imaginary tale with friendship and a fun neighbourhood. And then late 2021 I found out about the sequel. And of course… I had to have it! On the wishlist it went and again a big thanks to my husband for giving it to me as a gift!
I have to say that for a big chunk of the book I was a tad confused with the characters and I couldn’t always get the names right. Some characters stuck with me more than others, but with some I just had to re-read parts. The cast is quite big after all, each kid in the book gets a bit of the spotlight. From Alice to Elijah to Jack. I love it, but I am terrible with big casts in books, especially when they each have their tales to tell. XD Still, after a while I settled into the book and things just clicked! I enjoyed reading about each of the characters and I love how things just got together in the end. How everything was solved.
Jack is still one of my favourite characters! I love how he (I hope I got the right pronouns) expresses himself through the Sorceress and in this one even dies his hair in a fabulous colour! I love how supportive people around him around, especially his mom is just the sweetest!
I love that this one centred around Halloween! We see the characters try to think up costumes, Alice is plotting something big (like she always is doing, this girl is just full of ideas), there is a big monster that is wandering around (and I just loved that plot, especially see the kids go all bonkers about it and things just escalating in those imaginations, though I would have liked Elijah to be a bit more honest towards his brother, I could understand he was afraid, but seriously, now Nate is just all paranoid about it, it would have helped if everyone was honest). There are also other themes like family, friendship, brother/sisters, insecurity, and bullying. I wasn’t happy with the bullies, but I love how people stood up to the bullies and that plan at the end was just chef kiss perfect! It was so much fun to read and I also loved seeing the kids costumes get very real in their imagination! Thinking up fantastic names and fantastic scenes. The Cardboard Kingdom is alive!
It was very well written and I just love the art.
All in all, I do hope that the artist makes more Cardboard Kingdom because I sure haven’t had enough of it! I need more! These kids are so likeable and I adore that they created a whole world featuring cardboard.
Review first posted at https://twirlingbookprincess.com/
I read the first book in 2018 and loved it! An imaginary tale with friendship and a fun neighbourhood. And then late 2021 I found out about the sequel. And of course… I had to have it! On the wishlist it went and again a big thanks to my husband for giving it to me as a gift!
I have to say that for a big chunk of the book I was a tad confused with the characters and I couldn’t always get the names right. Some characters stuck with me more than others, but with some I just had to re-read parts. The cast is quite big after all, each kid in the book gets a bit of the spotlight. From Alice to Elijah to Jack. I love it, but I am terrible with big casts in books, especially when they each have their tales to tell. XD Still, after a while I settled into the book and things just clicked! I enjoyed reading about each of the characters and I love how things just got together in the end. How everything was solved.
Jack is still one of my favourite characters! I love how he (I hope I got the right pronouns) expresses himself through the Sorceress and in this one even dies his hair in a fabulous colour! I love how supportive people around him around, especially his mom is just the sweetest!
I love that this one centred around Halloween! We see the characters try to think up costumes, Alice is plotting something big (like she always is doing, this girl is just full of ideas), there is a big monster that is wandering around (and I just loved that plot, especially see the kids go all bonkers about it and things just escalating in those imaginations, though I would have liked Elijah to be a bit more honest towards his brother, I could understand he was afraid, but seriously, now Nate is just all paranoid about it, it would have helped if everyone was honest). There are also other themes like family, friendship, brother/sisters, insecurity, and bullying. I wasn’t happy with the bullies, but I love how people stood up to the bullies and that plan at the end was just chef kiss perfect! It was so much fun to read and I also loved seeing the kids costumes get very real in their imagination! Thinking up fantastic names and fantastic scenes. The Cardboard Kingdom is alive!
It was very well written and I just love the art.
All in all, I do hope that the artist makes more Cardboard Kingdom because I sure haven’t had enough of it! I need more! These kids are so likeable and I adore that they created a whole world featuring cardboard.
Review first posted at https://twirlingbookprincess.com/
March 20, 2021
They're back! And still adorbs!
December 6, 2021
Roar of the Beast is Book Two in the graphic novel series, The Cardboard Kingdom. All of the kids are back and they're planning their Halloween costumes when a mysterious monster appears in the neighborhood. Nate believes that he saw the monster but everyone is convinced that he was just having a bad dream. When the monster is spotted again the Science Squad is on it, looking for clues and setting traps. But there is more than one mystery going on in the neighborhood and secrets abound. After his costume is damaged while being bullied by The Teens, Vijay has withdrawn into himself and not even his sister, one of the Bravest Warriors in the Land, can draw him out. Miguel has been put in an awkward situation by Elijah, and what is Alice up to with her suddenly secretive ways?
Everyone knows that sometimes it’s fun to be scared - a little; but, as tensions mount and fears rise Halloween is forced to take a back seat to more serious concerns. If the kids of the Kingdom are going to have any fun this Halloween they’ll have to find a way to work together in order to solve the greatest mystery of their time.
Once again Sell and his collaborators have created an exciting book featuring an abundance of diversity and inclusion. This original, imaginative and beautifully illustrated graphic novel is a must for children ages 8- 15. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ I read this both in hardcopy and as an ebook. Although the #ebook format does work, I recommend the hardcopy or paperback for a more enjoyable reading experience.
#EmptyNestReader #instagram #facebook #Goodreads #RoaroftheBeast #TheCardboardKingdom #ChadSell #GraphicNovel #fiction #bookstagram #bookstagrammer #bookstagramalabama #bookstagrammichigan #bookreviews #bookreviewer #bookrecommendations #DecemberReads #readalittlelearnalittlelivealittle #randomhousekids
Everyone knows that sometimes it’s fun to be scared - a little; but, as tensions mount and fears rise Halloween is forced to take a back seat to more serious concerns. If the kids of the Kingdom are going to have any fun this Halloween they’ll have to find a way to work together in order to solve the greatest mystery of their time.
Once again Sell and his collaborators have created an exciting book featuring an abundance of diversity and inclusion. This original, imaginative and beautifully illustrated graphic novel is a must for children ages 8- 15. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ I read this both in hardcopy and as an ebook. Although the #ebook format does work, I recommend the hardcopy or paperback for a more enjoyable reading experience.
#EmptyNestReader #instagram #facebook #Goodreads #RoaroftheBeast #TheCardboardKingdom #ChadSell #GraphicNovel #fiction #bookstagram #bookstagrammer #bookstagramalabama #bookstagrammichigan #bookreviews #bookreviewer #bookrecommendations #DecemberReads #readalittlelearnalittlelivealittle #randomhousekids
June 10, 2021
This is one of my favorite kids' graphic novel series. The second is just as fun as the first.
June 20, 2021
Cute fun gentle
July 19, 2021
While I love how inclusive this book is, I had to refer to the character chart over and over. It disrupted the flow for me - good thing it's a simple story! I do think kids will love it!
October 5, 2021
A charming gem of a book.
March 24, 2022
Great graphic novel about friendship, imagination, and celebrating each other's differences
June 22, 2021
Where the first book took place during the summer, Roar of the Beast is rooted in the fall with Halloween playing a key role. I absolutely adored The Cardboard Kingdom and couldn't wait to tear into the sequel. Unfortunately it was nowhere near as great as the first - namely due to the monster looming over the neighborhood. I...didn't care about that storyline. Everything else these kids are going through (depression, a deepening crush between two boys, bullying, divorce, etc) was just as lovingly handled as in the first book though.
November 25, 2021
I was a little nervous that something would be lost in a sequel to the Cardboard Kingdom: identities had been established and friendships forged so where would the team of writers and lone illustrator, Chad Sell go next without a narrative or focus feeling forced? Still keeping with the 'crafting costumes from cardboard' theme, the second book takes place in the week leading up to Halloween and two of our gang are either out of commission through fear, injury or a nasty episode with the local teens. It takes the whole group together to overcome the mysterious monster that is terrorising the neighbourhood but in coming together, they all defeat the monster within too.
Whilst it didn't quite have the fluidity of the original with regards to the plot, and it was a little darker (quite literally with colouring), thematically, I still think this was a fine addition. Sell and company are keen to never have a simple case of good or bad when it comes to character and there is always a sense of redemption and learning throughout that I really enjoy. The diversity of the gang with regards to race, body shape, gender identity and ethnicity is never the focus but is extremely welcome: I adore the Sorceress.
Whilst it didn't quite have the fluidity of the original with regards to the plot, and it was a little darker (quite literally with colouring), thematically, I still think this was a fine addition. Sell and company are keen to never have a simple case of good or bad when it comes to character and there is always a sense of redemption and learning throughout that I really enjoy. The diversity of the gang with regards to race, body shape, gender identity and ethnicity is never the focus but is extremely welcome: I adore the Sorceress.
July 11, 2022
A great follow-up to the first volume! All your favorite characters return for a Halloween adventure.
July 16, 2021
So it had been a while since I read Cardboard Kingdom and even with the little picture at the beginning of the book, it took me a while to remember the characters. In fact, I was really disliking the book because of that until about 1/3 of the way in. Then I got used to them again and I started to really enjoy the story. I like the message about talking about your feelings, friendship, using your imagination, and being yourself. I will say that it is somewhat obvious that there are 9 writers to this book as there are often moments that seem really jumbled up. There were a few times I had to go back to see if I skipped a page (I only had once haha) because things just didn't totally flow. Sometimes there would be a panel with one character, the next panel with a different character/setting, a third panel with another different character/setting and then a fourth panel back with the first character/setting. It was a little bit chaotic to me.
June 13, 2021
The first book of the Cardboard Kingdom series (aptly titled The Cardboard Kingdom) was a delightful read -- an ode to the power of imagination, friendship, and being yourself. It was more of a collection of interlocking vignettes than a cohesive story, but it was still a great deal of fun and great for both the young and the young at heart. "Roar of the Beast," the sequel, has an actual story arc, but still interconnects the stories of the kids in this neighborhood and their alter-egos... and how the bonds of friendship see them through a difficult time.
When Vijay, a.k.a. The Beast, suffers blows to both body and ego during an altercation with the neighborhood bullies, he gives up his alter-ego and sinks into a funk. But his friends' efforts to try to cheer him up are interrupted by the appearance of a terrible monster! And when Nate, a.k.a. The Prince, breaks his leg trying to identify it, the neighborhood kids are determined to discover just what it is. What is this creature? Who created it? Why is Alice, proprietor of the Dragon's Head tavern (run out of her garage) acting so secretive? And will the monster ruin Halloween... and the friendships of the neighborhood kids?
Just like the first book, the artwork in this book is nicely stylized and colorful, with great designs of both the kids' cardboard costumes and their alter-egos. The color scheme is slightly altered from the first book, which helps show the passing of time and changing of the seasons -- the first book took place mainly in summer, while the second book takes place during autumn, meaning warmer colors and more earth tones. The panel layout is easy to follow, and the book makes nice use of splash pages and dialogue-free panels to help convey the story through pictures as well as words.
It's also nice to see the kids from the first book grow and develop further in this book. And amazingly, almost every character from the first book gets their moment to shine in this book, and sees moments of growth. Some only get a few pages, such as the Robot and the Banshee, but they still have their moments to shine and to show their personalities. Hopefully they'll get a little more focus in the third book... and I do hope there's a third book.
The Cardboard Kingdom books are great for kids of all ages, even ones who think they've outgrown the world of imagination and playing with cardboard boxes. And it's great to revisit these characters and see how they've grown. Crossing my fingers for a third volume!
When Vijay, a.k.a. The Beast, suffers blows to both body and ego during an altercation with the neighborhood bullies, he gives up his alter-ego and sinks into a funk. But his friends' efforts to try to cheer him up are interrupted by the appearance of a terrible monster! And when Nate, a.k.a. The Prince, breaks his leg trying to identify it, the neighborhood kids are determined to discover just what it is. What is this creature? Who created it? Why is Alice, proprietor of the Dragon's Head tavern (run out of her garage) acting so secretive? And will the monster ruin Halloween... and the friendships of the neighborhood kids?
Just like the first book, the artwork in this book is nicely stylized and colorful, with great designs of both the kids' cardboard costumes and their alter-egos. The color scheme is slightly altered from the first book, which helps show the passing of time and changing of the seasons -- the first book took place mainly in summer, while the second book takes place during autumn, meaning warmer colors and more earth tones. The panel layout is easy to follow, and the book makes nice use of splash pages and dialogue-free panels to help convey the story through pictures as well as words.
It's also nice to see the kids from the first book grow and develop further in this book. And amazingly, almost every character from the first book gets their moment to shine in this book, and sees moments of growth. Some only get a few pages, such as the Robot and the Banshee, but they still have their moments to shine and to show their personalities. Hopefully they'll get a little more focus in the third book... and I do hope there's a third book.
The Cardboard Kingdom books are great for kids of all ages, even ones who think they've outgrown the world of imagination and playing with cardboard boxes. And it's great to revisit these characters and see how they've grown. Crossing my fingers for a third volume!
October 30, 2021
FROM THE BLOG:
𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘊𝘢𝘳𝘥𝘣𝘰𝘢𝘳𝘥 𝘒𝘪𝘯𝘨𝘥𝘰𝘮 tells the stories of a group of particularly creative kids in a suburban neighborhood and the worlds, communities, and identities they create using nothing but copious amounts of cardboard and their intense imaginations.
𝑹𝒐𝒂𝒓 𝒐𝒇 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝑩𝒆𝒂𝒔𝒕, the second volume of the budding graphic novel series, finds the youths gearing up for Hallowe’en, adding extra flair to their already elaborate costumes and constructions. Multiple sightings of a monstrous creature creeping around the community puts the kids on edge, however, as does the fact that one of their own is being targeted by teenage bullies. The combination of events threatens to not only ruin their holiday, but also tear the kingdom they’ve worked so hard to build asunder.
📦
○ The first volume of 𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘊𝘢𝘳𝘥𝘣𝘰𝘢𝘳𝘥 𝘒𝘪𝘯𝘨𝘥𝘰𝘮 was one of the best books I read last year, so its follow-up was naturally highly anticipated. I pre-ordered it knowing nothing about it, but you can imagine, I’m sure, the joy I felt finding out it was not only Fall themed but centered around Hallowe’en, as well. Chad Sell and Company: delivering delights.
○ Sell’s spectacular artwork was a highlight in the first volume, and continues to be still.
○ There is wholesome queer rep here! Always lovely to see, especially in middle grade offerings.
○ A lot more focus on Alice the Alchemist, a morbid little creep of a character. She’s a favorite. So much fun.
○ The kids end up squaring off against The Teens, naturally. The set piece feels straight out of an ‘80s movie and I am here for it.
○ This book is a lot of fun. A lot more streamlined than the first book, which was more a collection of interconnected short stories (illustrated by Sell and written by various authors) rather than a straight, linear plot. I prefer the anthological approach, but this was a great effort.
○ As per last time, I appreciate the work Sell and his collaborators put into making these stories as inclusive and diverse as they could possibly be. This is a Hallowe’en romp, but it is also a quiet, careful exploration of mental health, gender identity, and sexual orientation. Heady, heavy themes that are handled in such a way that they don’t weigh down the story’s pulpy foundation.
○ Ultimately, I hope these creators continue to bring out hopeful narratives like this, because the kids of the world need and deserve them.
𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘊𝘢𝘳𝘥𝘣𝘰𝘢𝘳𝘥 𝘒𝘪𝘯𝘨𝘥𝘰𝘮 tells the stories of a group of particularly creative kids in a suburban neighborhood and the worlds, communities, and identities they create using nothing but copious amounts of cardboard and their intense imaginations.
𝑹𝒐𝒂𝒓 𝒐𝒇 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝑩𝒆𝒂𝒔𝒕, the second volume of the budding graphic novel series, finds the youths gearing up for Hallowe’en, adding extra flair to their already elaborate costumes and constructions. Multiple sightings of a monstrous creature creeping around the community puts the kids on edge, however, as does the fact that one of their own is being targeted by teenage bullies. The combination of events threatens to not only ruin their holiday, but also tear the kingdom they’ve worked so hard to build asunder.
📦
○ The first volume of 𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘊𝘢𝘳𝘥𝘣𝘰𝘢𝘳𝘥 𝘒𝘪𝘯𝘨𝘥𝘰𝘮 was one of the best books I read last year, so its follow-up was naturally highly anticipated. I pre-ordered it knowing nothing about it, but you can imagine, I’m sure, the joy I felt finding out it was not only Fall themed but centered around Hallowe’en, as well. Chad Sell and Company: delivering delights.
○ Sell’s spectacular artwork was a highlight in the first volume, and continues to be still.
○ There is wholesome queer rep here! Always lovely to see, especially in middle grade offerings.
○ A lot more focus on Alice the Alchemist, a morbid little creep of a character. She’s a favorite. So much fun.
○ The kids end up squaring off against The Teens, naturally. The set piece feels straight out of an ‘80s movie and I am here for it.
○ This book is a lot of fun. A lot more streamlined than the first book, which was more a collection of interconnected short stories (illustrated by Sell and written by various authors) rather than a straight, linear plot. I prefer the anthological approach, but this was a great effort.
○ As per last time, I appreciate the work Sell and his collaborators put into making these stories as inclusive and diverse as they could possibly be. This is a Hallowe’en romp, but it is also a quiet, careful exploration of mental health, gender identity, and sexual orientation. Heady, heavy themes that are handled in such a way that they don’t weigh down the story’s pulpy foundation.
○ Ultimately, I hope these creators continue to bring out hopeful narratives like this, because the kids of the world need and deserve them.
June 22, 2022
The Cardboard Kingdom is a neighborhood in which the kids have all created their own characters, complete with costumes (often including cardboard), and they all have adventures together. That is, until one kid, Vijay--"The Beast"--stands up to some teens who are harassing them, and they crush his costume. He retreats from the kingdom, hiding from the world, and no one can seem to help him. That's when kids start seeing signs of a real monster in their kingdom. Nate breaks his leg, trying to run to see what's happening. Everyone's plans for Halloween get subsumed in figuring out how to find and subdue this monster, and a lot of feelings get hurt along the way--and a lot of lies get told. What exactly is going on, and how can it be fixed?
My main issue with this book is that I couldn't keep track of the characters or tell some of them apart because there were soooo many of them, created by nine different writers. In one volume, with one storyline, you can't really feature the stories of 10+ kids, and trying to cuts in on the main story, which was thin enough to begin with. I did like the diversity among the kids, both ethnic and LGBTQ, and the struggle one kid had of how to stay friends with two brothers when one is begging him not to reveal his secret to the other--who happens to be not only his BFF, but his crush. This is likened to Raina Telgemeier's books, but I think it's more like kids would read these, then as they got older, move to Telgemeier.
My main issue with this book is that I couldn't keep track of the characters or tell some of them apart because there were soooo many of them, created by nine different writers. In one volume, with one storyline, you can't really feature the stories of 10+ kids, and trying to cuts in on the main story, which was thin enough to begin with. I did like the diversity among the kids, both ethnic and LGBTQ, and the struggle one kid had of how to stay friends with two brothers when one is begging him not to reveal his secret to the other--who happens to be not only his BFF, but his crush. This is likened to Raina Telgemeier's books, but I think it's more like kids would read these, then as they got older, move to Telgemeier.
July 29, 2021
My daughter read this book and below is her review:
The Cardboard Kingdom is back with another mystery, and there seems to be some sort of monster out there in the kingdom. Nate, the kingdom’s prince, is positive he saw it himself. No one believes him, though. Things get even worse when Vijay the Beast is trying to find himself again, and Nate’s stepbrother, Elijah, seems to be nervous about something, but what? It’s almost Halloween, and the kids still haven’t solved the mystery, due to other complicated things. What can the kingdom do about it? Calling all heroes, mages, beasts, and more, because when the beast comes back, they’ll be more than ready.
I like the artwork and how the panels are all different shapes and sizes. The ending was not how I expected it to be, though it turned out great. Years ago, my favorite character was the Sorceress. My favorite characters are now The Blacksmith and The Knight. I love how all the kids in the kingdom are all different and amazingly creative. This book is full of feelings: emotion, drama, kindness, and humor. Highly recommended for imaginative readers and crafters of all kinds. You can be anything you want to be in the cardboard kingdom.
The Cardboard Kingdom is back with another mystery, and there seems to be some sort of monster out there in the kingdom. Nate, the kingdom’s prince, is positive he saw it himself. No one believes him, though. Things get even worse when Vijay the Beast is trying to find himself again, and Nate’s stepbrother, Elijah, seems to be nervous about something, but what? It’s almost Halloween, and the kids still haven’t solved the mystery, due to other complicated things. What can the kingdom do about it? Calling all heroes, mages, beasts, and more, because when the beast comes back, they’ll be more than ready.
I like the artwork and how the panels are all different shapes and sizes. The ending was not how I expected it to be, though it turned out great. Years ago, my favorite character was the Sorceress. My favorite characters are now The Blacksmith and The Knight. I love how all the kids in the kingdom are all different and amazingly creative. This book is full of feelings: emotion, drama, kindness, and humor. Highly recommended for imaginative readers and crafters of all kinds. You can be anything you want to be in the cardboard kingdom.
October 18, 2021
What started off as an online story about a boy named Jack exploring his villainous side (or should I say, villainess?) has become three fabulous graphic books. Kids use their imagination to have fun, make money, enact plays and just have a great time.
But all is not well in the Cardboard Kingdom. Nate is certain he’s seen a monster threatening his little brother Eli and gets injured trying to chase it. His certainty about the monster rallies all the neighborhood kids to try to find it.
The story is full of enigmas, plots and plotting and nasty teenagers determined to make things difficult for the imaginative children. It’s a great story as they rally together to find the elusive beast and get even with the bullies who are bothering them. The colors are vibrant, the action is plentiful and the various characters and their costumed alter egos are wonderful.
You want to see this story continue. Jack grows into his fabulousness and Miguel and Nate’s burgeoning feelings for each other show signs of blossoming into something more. This story explores gender fluidity, the disregard of typical gender roles (don’t mess with the Huntress!) and shows what can happen when a community bands together in a common cause. This is a great series and I only want to see more of it.
But all is not well in the Cardboard Kingdom. Nate is certain he’s seen a monster threatening his little brother Eli and gets injured trying to chase it. His certainty about the monster rallies all the neighborhood kids to try to find it.
The story is full of enigmas, plots and plotting and nasty teenagers determined to make things difficult for the imaginative children. It’s a great story as they rally together to find the elusive beast and get even with the bullies who are bothering them. The colors are vibrant, the action is plentiful and the various characters and their costumed alter egos are wonderful.
You want to see this story continue. Jack grows into his fabulousness and Miguel and Nate’s burgeoning feelings for each other show signs of blossoming into something more. This story explores gender fluidity, the disregard of typical gender roles (don’t mess with the Huntress!) and shows what can happen when a community bands together in a common cause. This is a great series and I only want to see more of it.
November 14, 2021
I liked the first book in this series and found it very memorable, but this one is chaotic and drags on too long. The first book focused on a series of vignettes, which worked much better with the number of contributors involved, while this one tries to carry a full plot and multiple different character subplots. My experience clearly reflects a minority viewpoint, since most readers liked this book, but I found it confusing, frenetic, and overwhelming.
If I had read the first book more recently and remembered the characters' backstories better, that would have helped. However, the book is chaotic regardless, trying to cover way too many characters and storylines all at once, and the main plotline regarding a monster drags on and is confusing. Much of the story revolves around the children's fantasy imagination and the characters that they pretend to be, but some of the children experience genuine fear of the supposed monster, even though they are too old to assume that it is real. It is hard to tell which parts of the story are the kids' imagination, and which things they actually believe. This becomes especially confusing as the monster plot intersects with emotional issues, and this didn't work for me at all.
If I had read the first book more recently and remembered the characters' backstories better, that would have helped. However, the book is chaotic regardless, trying to cover way too many characters and storylines all at once, and the main plotline regarding a monster drags on and is confusing. Much of the story revolves around the children's fantasy imagination and the characters that they pretend to be, but some of the children experience genuine fear of the supposed monster, even though they are too old to assume that it is real. It is hard to tell which parts of the story are the kids' imagination, and which things they actually believe. This becomes especially confusing as the monster plot intersects with emotional issues, and this didn't work for me at all.
Read
July 14, 2022I spend more time than I should thinking about which, if any, of the books I read to my kids should "count" toward my reading goals for the year. (Sad to think that in a few years my daughters will be too old for this to be an issue, but that's not to be worried about here.) But this one was an easy "in". My 8yo and I have spent hours with this book and the one that came before it, reading them both multiple times over countless nights. And over that time I somehow managed to come up with fairly distinct voices for almost all of the characters in a cast that numbers in the double digits. (And that humblest of brags might be the whole point of this review.)
These books are such a fun read, with vibrant art and great stories that have a lot going on. I really feel like these are 12 (or so) different kids with 12 distinct personalities. They have interpersonal relationships with each other and their families, and the stories unfold from that. It's just really well done. And it captures that feeling of playing with a group of kids and how that can be a fun game but also become high stakes drama at the same time.
These books are such a fun read, with vibrant art and great stories that have a lot going on. I really feel like these are 12 (or so) different kids with 12 distinct personalities. They have interpersonal relationships with each other and their families, and the stories unfold from that. It's just really well done. And it captures that feeling of playing with a group of kids and how that can be a fun game but also become high stakes drama at the same time.
June 3, 2021
I had an absolute blast reading and reviewing the Chad Sell’s first Cardboard Kingdom graphic novel… And when I saw that the author/ illustrator created Roar of the Beast, I knew I had to check it out.
I was not disappointed: All the characters are back from the first book… and conflicts arise as they ramp up for Halloween. Each has a particular vision of how they want this special holiday to go… Yet, things get in the way… bullies and… a monster?
The artwork, the diversity of the characters, and the individually-crafted storylines create a perfect sequel!
Chad Sell’s Website: Click through to find coloring pages inspired by the series… and instructions to make the Cardboard Kingdom’s masks! I already downloaded a couple designs to work on with my own kids. Also of note: while writing this review I took a minute to write a friend an email about this book. I love this series!
For my full review: https://paulspicks.blog/2021/06/02/th...
For all my reviews: https://paulspicks.blog/
I was not disappointed: All the characters are back from the first book… and conflicts arise as they ramp up for Halloween. Each has a particular vision of how they want this special holiday to go… Yet, things get in the way… bullies and… a monster?
The artwork, the diversity of the characters, and the individually-crafted storylines create a perfect sequel!
Chad Sell’s Website: Click through to find coloring pages inspired by the series… and instructions to make the Cardboard Kingdom’s masks! I already downloaded a couple designs to work on with my own kids. Also of note: while writing this review I took a minute to write a friend an email about this book. I love this series!
For my full review: https://paulspicks.blog/2021/06/02/th...
For all my reviews: https://paulspicks.blog/
July 8, 2021
When Vijay gives up his title, the Beast, it’s due to the teenager bullies of the neighborhood he withdraws into himself. His sister and friends can’t get him to respond to them. That same night Nate breaks his leg to chase after a monster he saw. No one believes him. Then others see the monster. The unknown monster is roaming in the cardboard kingdom when it gets dark. The monster is horrible looking with claws or wings or tentacles? The individual sees different things when looking at the monster. What is this monster? Even though Halloween is soon, the kids become monster mashers. They will go to any length to save the kingdom and get the monster. Why is there a monster? How did it get there? And did someone create the monster? If so, who?
The author or authors writes about the difficulties of little kid becoming big kid. The transition also causes them to question internally. It’s never easy transiting from little to big to teenager to adult. Hopefully this will help those kids who read this know that they aren’t the only ones to wonder about growing up.
The author or authors writes about the difficulties of little kid becoming big kid. The transition also causes them to question internally. It’s never easy transiting from little to big to teenager to adult. Hopefully this will help those kids who read this know that they aren’t the only ones to wonder about growing up.
August 28, 2021
I've had this checked out for way too long, but now I'm glad I waited to read it because I'm feeling the Fall vibes and this fit right in. Bring on Halloween!
I love this whole story and concept so much. There's something really special about a whole neighborhood of kids of different ages and genders and races all willing to participate in the same make believe game as a continuous story running parallel alongside their daily lives. The way it helps them to understand each other and communicate deeper fears through the metaphor of story is really amazing. It's clear they all care a lot for each other and respect each other more than most adults do. This story is a great example of what community should look like for everyone.
It's great how each of the kids' characters gives them a safe space to explore who they are without fear of judgment. I also like to imagine that the adults of the neighborhood are so supportive of the kids doing this that they all collect boxes for them to use whenever they can. Either that or they do a lot of online shopping :P
I love this whole story and concept so much. There's something really special about a whole neighborhood of kids of different ages and genders and races all willing to participate in the same make believe game as a continuous story running parallel alongside their daily lives. The way it helps them to understand each other and communicate deeper fears through the metaphor of story is really amazing. It's clear they all care a lot for each other and respect each other more than most adults do. This story is a great example of what community should look like for everyone.
It's great how each of the kids' characters gives them a safe space to explore who they are without fear of judgment. I also like to imagine that the adults of the neighborhood are so supportive of the kids doing this that they all collect boxes for them to use whenever they can. Either that or they do a lot of online shopping :P
May 19, 2021
Graphic Novel
I received an electronic ARC from Random House Children's Publishing through NetGalley.
This sequel offers readers a chance to return to the Cardboard Kingdom and meet up with the inhabitants. We learn more about these characters and how they interact when scared or discouraged. The teams work together to figure out what the monster is and how to defeat it and to stand up to the teenage bullies who attack the Beast and his friends to begin the story.
The illustrations are highly detailed and clearly show the personalities for each character. Readers will connect to the characters and may identify with at least one. The chapters move seamlessly through the overall story arc and build the suspense. In the end, the resolution works and offers just enough scary with the fun.
Hope we get a chance to return to this kingdom soon.
I received an electronic ARC from Random House Children's Publishing through NetGalley.
This sequel offers readers a chance to return to the Cardboard Kingdom and meet up with the inhabitants. We learn more about these characters and how they interact when scared or discouraged. The teams work together to figure out what the monster is and how to defeat it and to stand up to the teenage bullies who attack the Beast and his friends to begin the story.
The illustrations are highly detailed and clearly show the personalities for each character. Readers will connect to the characters and may identify with at least one. The chapters move seamlessly through the overall story arc and build the suspense. In the end, the resolution works and offers just enough scary with the fun.
Hope we get a chance to return to this kingdom soon.
June 11, 2021
'The Cardboard Kingdom #2: Roar of the Beast' by Chad Sell and company is a graphic novel for young readers about a group of friends with big imaginations.
It's almost Halloween, and the kids are excited, but there is a monster on the loose in the neighborhood, er, kingdom. Vijay sees it and falls down the stairs, so it's up to his friends to track down the monster while Vijay heals. Some want vengeance, and some see the monster as a cool feature for a haunted house.
I did not read the first volume, but the first thing I noticed is that are a lot of characters in this series. The art has a blocky style that is kind of fun.
I received a review copy of this graphic novel from Random House Children's and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you for allowing me to review this graphic novel.
It's almost Halloween, and the kids are excited, but there is a monster on the loose in the neighborhood, er, kingdom. Vijay sees it and falls down the stairs, so it's up to his friends to track down the monster while Vijay heals. Some want vengeance, and some see the monster as a cool feature for a haunted house.
I did not read the first volume, but the first thing I noticed is that are a lot of characters in this series. The art has a blocky style that is kind of fun.
I received a review copy of this graphic novel from Random House Children's and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you for allowing me to review this graphic novel.
January 6, 2022
This second volume was great! I think it was even better than the first. There was lots of excitement and fun characters, and more of an over-arching plot. Part of the reason why this book worked better than the first was because all of the characters had already been set up and established in the first volume, so now we could see more of them all working together. There also were fewer segments without dialogue, which I wasn't a big fan of in the original. This is a solid addition to the Cardboard Kingdom series.
One downside of having such a large cast of characters and focusing on a main plot instead of smaller introductory stories is that some of the kids didn't get much attention, but I loved what we did get to see.
One downside of having such a large cast of characters and focusing on a main plot instead of smaller introductory stories is that some of the kids didn't get much attention, but I loved what we did get to see.
April 16, 2021
I think one of my favorite parts of this book, and the first cardboard Kingdom book as well, is how deep it actually is. At first I thought it would be a fun, cute graphic novel about kids being creative. Don't get me wrong, it is that, but it's also so much more. The children deal with bullying, figuring out who they are, being sad, sticking up for themselves, family issues, friend issues, and so much more. The writing is fun, engaging, imaginative, and easy to read. The art is really great. I would children read the first book before this one to get a better understanding of how the Cardboard Kingdom began. (Read a digital ARC via Netgalley.)
June 5, 2021
I really enjoyed how well the multiple artists were able to blend their characters into a cohesive story. There are a lot of characters, and it is sometimes had to keep track of who is who, especially when comparing the kid's costume character to their imagined alter ego. I also appreciated the way the "good" and "evil" sides of the Cardboard Kingdom banded together to handle their common enemy, "the teens." The illustrations and colors are vibrant and each character has a distinct personality that comes through both in their regular state and as their alter ego. I hope readers are inspired to create their own cardboard kingdom after reading this graphic novel.
June 18, 2021
The Cardboard Kingdom #2: Roar of the Beast brings back all of those characters on a deeper level as one of the children has started to get bullied by the neighborhood teens. They are all getting ready to celebrate Halloween when Vijay, aka the Beast, gets bullied by neighborhood "monsters." He gives up his alter-ego and sinks into a funk. We all do that from time to time and need our friends to help pull us up out of it. So it is for the CK crew. This is a great sequel that really shows how deep the Cardboard Kingdom books are.
*Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for a digital review copy.
*Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for a digital review copy.
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