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A Tale of Redwall
Redwall: The Graphic Novel
It was meant to be: The classic fantasy adventure that began the Redwall phenomenon is finally available in a cool graphic format. Illustrated by renowned comics artist Bret Blevins, Redwall: The Graphic Novel brings to life all the battles, all the heroes, and all the villains in a fun new format perfect for reluctant readers, those just entering the Redwall world, or the countless existing fans of the series.
148 pages, Paperback
First published October 4, 2007
87 people are currently reading
2504 people want to read
About the author
Brian Jacques
260 books4,300 followers Brian Jacques (pronounced 'jakes') was born in Liverpool, England on June 15th, 1939. Along with forty percent of the population of Liverpool, his ancestral roots are in Ireland, County Cork to be exact.
Brian grew up in the area around the Liverpool docks, where he attended St. John's School, an inner city school featuring a playground on its roof. At the age of ten, his very first day at St. John's foreshadowed his future career as an author; given an assignment to write a story about animals, he wrote a short story about a bird who cleaned a crocodile's teeth. Brian's teacher could not, and would not believe that a ten year old could write so well. When young Brian refused to falsely say that he had copied the story, he was caned as "a liar". He had always loved to write, but it was only then that he realized he had a talent for it.
He wrote Redwall for the children at the Royal Wavertree School for the Blind in Liverpool, where as a truck driver, he delivered milk. Because of the nature of his first audience, he made his style of writing as descriptive as possible, painting pictures with words so that the schoolchildren could see them in their imaginations. He remained a patron of the school until his death.
Brian lived in Liverpool, where his two grown sons, Marc, a carpenter and bricklayer, and David, a professor of Art and a muralist, still reside. David Jacques' work can be seen in Children's hospitals, soccer stadiums, and trade union offices as far away as Germany, Mexico, and Chile (not to mention Brian's photo featured in most of his books).
Brian also ran a weekly radio show on BBC Radio Merseyside, until October 2006, where he shared his comedy and wit, and played his favourites from the world of opera - he was a veritable expert on The Three Tenors.
When he was wasn't writing, Brian enjoyed walking his dog 'Teddy', a white West Highland Terrier, and completing crossword puzzles. When he found time he read the works of Mario Puzo, Damon Runyon, Richard Condon, Larry McMurty, and P.G. Wodehouse. He was also known to cook an impressive version of his favourite dish, spaghetti and meatballs.
Sadly, Brian passed away on the 5th February 2011.
Brian grew up in the area around the Liverpool docks, where he attended St. John's School, an inner city school featuring a playground on its roof. At the age of ten, his very first day at St. John's foreshadowed his future career as an author; given an assignment to write a story about animals, he wrote a short story about a bird who cleaned a crocodile's teeth. Brian's teacher could not, and would not believe that a ten year old could write so well. When young Brian refused to falsely say that he had copied the story, he was caned as "a liar". He had always loved to write, but it was only then that he realized he had a talent for it.
He wrote Redwall for the children at the Royal Wavertree School for the Blind in Liverpool, where as a truck driver, he delivered milk. Because of the nature of his first audience, he made his style of writing as descriptive as possible, painting pictures with words so that the schoolchildren could see them in their imaginations. He remained a patron of the school until his death.
Brian lived in Liverpool, where his two grown sons, Marc, a carpenter and bricklayer, and David, a professor of Art and a muralist, still reside. David Jacques' work can be seen in Children's hospitals, soccer stadiums, and trade union offices as far away as Germany, Mexico, and Chile (not to mention Brian's photo featured in most of his books).
Brian also ran a weekly radio show on BBC Radio Merseyside, until October 2006, where he shared his comedy and wit, and played his favourites from the world of opera - he was a veritable expert on The Three Tenors.
When he was wasn't writing, Brian enjoyed walking his dog 'Teddy', a white West Highland Terrier, and completing crossword puzzles. When he found time he read the works of Mario Puzo, Damon Runyon, Richard Condon, Larry McMurty, and P.G. Wodehouse. He was also known to cook an impressive version of his favourite dish, spaghetti and meatballs.
Sadly, Brian passed away on the 5th February 2011.
Ratings & Reviews
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 235 reviews
June 20, 2023
2 stars. I was excited to read this, hoping it was like the Treehouse TV show. That may have slightly tainted my bias, I admit; still, even without that I think I still should have disliked it. First, it’s in black and white instead of in colour—and consequentially it is VERY dark because the drawing style is very heavy. It was hard to see what was even going on, and it gave the book a very gloomy feel. Secondly, I wasn’t a huge fan of the drawing style. There was too much going on; and everyone looked the same. I had the hardest time telling Matthias from the Abbott! As far as the text goes, they did a good job picking the salient parts; but the artwork was really not epic.
September 25, 2018
Wonderful
Redwall:The graphic novel is just as exciting as the regular novel if not more! I enjoyed the terrific art work and the story which takes follows the original novel but only with less words and more visual clues.
Redwall:The graphic novel is just as exciting as the regular novel if not more! I enjoyed the terrific art work and the story which takes follows the original novel but only with less words and more visual clues.
February 4, 2017
I did not realize this book existed in graphic form until I specifically perused the card catalog for my library. Redwall was a favorite book of my son and mine when he was much younger.
This is a story of anthropomorphic animals who live in an Abbey. Brian Jacques was the original author. He knew how to spin a yarn - or several since there are 21 books in the series.
I loved the revisit to Mossflower Woods. The graphics are in black and white which was an initial disappointment to me, but I was quickly drawn in and didn't really notice after that.
This is a story of anthropomorphic animals who live in an Abbey. Brian Jacques was the original author. He knew how to spin a yarn - or several since there are 21 books in the series.
I loved the revisit to Mossflower Woods. The graphics are in black and white which was an initial disappointment to me, but I was quickly drawn in and didn't really notice after that.
October 26, 2022
The artwork is amazing.
December 15, 2025
One of the joys of parenting is buying books for your kids then reading them yourself because they look like such a ripping good time. I was a bit disappointed that the art was black and white, but it’s brilliantly done, even so.
June 1, 2025
A good adaptation of the novel, its wild how much I could remember! I feel like we don't need this in comics since we have Mouse Guard... but this was quite nice. I think Mouse Guard does a better job of making you feel like you're reading about small animals whereas here the story could be retold as humans without losing much.
This should also have been in color. I usually enjoy B+W comics but this world needs the color like in the novel covers.
This should also have been in color. I usually enjoy B+W comics but this world needs the color like in the novel covers.
November 19, 2009
This graphic novel adaptation of Brian Jacques classic Redwall offers a quick overview of the story line. Set in Mossflower county in Redwall Abby, young Matthais dreams of being a great mouse warrior like Martin. When Cluny the Scourge attacks the Abby, Matthais must find Martin's sward and defend his home. With the help of his forest friends Matthais defeats Cluny and his amy becoming the warrior mouse of Redwall and champion of the order.
When compared to the classic Redwall, the graphic novel leaves something to be desired. The flashy graphic illustrations pale in comparison to Jacques masterful language which creates images from words. Most of the story is left out and only highlighted by the major battles. I would only recommend Redwall: The Graphic Novel to a struggling reader to interest them in reading the full length story, helping them bridge the gap between graphic novel and chapter book.
When compared to the classic Redwall, the graphic novel leaves something to be desired. The flashy graphic illustrations pale in comparison to Jacques masterful language which creates images from words. Most of the story is left out and only highlighted by the major battles. I would only recommend Redwall: The Graphic Novel to a struggling reader to interest them in reading the full length story, helping them bridge the gap between graphic novel and chapter book.
May 20, 2019
The original Redwall series is one of my all-time childhood favourites and this cute graphic novel is a very nice way to revisit the story. The 5 star rating is probably mainly for nostalgic reasons, but I am so biased that I cannot estimate how I would have rated this book had I not known and loved the story already. Quite a lot of the illustrations where very close to how I imagined the scenes back then, although it’s a pity that he left out all the feasts - in my memory always the best part of the books.
December 14, 2025
When an evil rat takes over a town, a young mouse searches for a legendary sword to vanquish the vermin.
Good art.
Good art.
December 3, 2007
Once there may have been a need for warrior mice to guard Redwall Abbey, but those days have long since passed. Now the most that young Matthias can hope for is to someday become an abbot himself. As they say, the days of the warrior are past. Or rather, they would be if Cluny the Scourge and his crew of blood-thirsty rats weren't travelling straight for the Abbey with murder on their minds. Now the good animals must band together to fight this terrible invader. For Matthias, that means going on a quest of his own to recover and use the word of the legendary Martin the Warrior. In his own small way, Matthias is the only hope for a land now torn asunder by war.
In the essence of space, much has been lost in terms of descriptions and smells. Jacques ranks right up there with Laura Ingalls Wilder and Grace Lin when it comes to writing about the true glories of delicious abundant food. Tasty morsels get short shrift in Moore's version though, and that's a true pity. I'm sure that with the right text, illustrator Bret Blevins could whip up delicious baked goods and succulent soups if the need arose. At 148 pages this work is faithful, but I can't help but imagine what would have happened if Philomel had gone all the way and produced a 200+ lush full-color edition with time spent on character and scope. Nothing against the black and white pages, mind you. In this age of flashy computer-drawn hues and tones it was kind of a relief to see the events of this story playing out in good old-fashioned gritty grays and blacks. Still, you get the sense that the 148-page limit should have been pushed a little farther. As I am given to understand it, this adaptation was originally published overseas, so there was little the American publisher Philomel could do once they brought it over. Perhaps if it is successful they'll consider future installments at a more extensive length.
Illustrator Bret Blevins is primarily known for his work with big comic book powerhouses like Marvel and DC Comics, but his style takes many of its cues from real life. For this particular book he would have had to create a rat worthy of Cluny's grotesque evil. Certainly Blevins' work with musculature and action serves him particularly well in the massive battle and action sequences. At the same time, the good guys in this book had to look at least a little tough. It's all well and good to read a story about adorable woodland creatures going to war, but if your characters are too adorable then there isn't any life in them. Blevins does a good job at balancing this all out.
I noticed that an Amazon reviewer figured that for people unfamiliar with the original book, this graphic novel would be impossible to figure out on one's own. They thought the images here to be difficult to follow. I admit to not having that problem, but I have read the book before so maybe that helped me. Looking at it, the black and white images on the slick shiny paper could be confusing to kids that haven't read graphic novels before. I definitely wouldn't consider this to be a starter GN. Still, for those kids who know their comics and are well-acquainted with following detailed panels and a myriad of different forms and angles, this shouldn't prove to be a difficult read. Blevins does a fine job of distinguishing between one mouse and another, even with this massive cast of characters. In the end, this new "Redwall" is a fun graphic novel and well worth a look to anyone unfamiliar with the very first story. Read the comic, then read the book. There is much to be gained from both.
In the essence of space, much has been lost in terms of descriptions and smells. Jacques ranks right up there with Laura Ingalls Wilder and Grace Lin when it comes to writing about the true glories of delicious abundant food. Tasty morsels get short shrift in Moore's version though, and that's a true pity. I'm sure that with the right text, illustrator Bret Blevins could whip up delicious baked goods and succulent soups if the need arose. At 148 pages this work is faithful, but I can't help but imagine what would have happened if Philomel had gone all the way and produced a 200+ lush full-color edition with time spent on character and scope. Nothing against the black and white pages, mind you. In this age of flashy computer-drawn hues and tones it was kind of a relief to see the events of this story playing out in good old-fashioned gritty grays and blacks. Still, you get the sense that the 148-page limit should have been pushed a little farther. As I am given to understand it, this adaptation was originally published overseas, so there was little the American publisher Philomel could do once they brought it over. Perhaps if it is successful they'll consider future installments at a more extensive length.
Illustrator Bret Blevins is primarily known for his work with big comic book powerhouses like Marvel and DC Comics, but his style takes many of its cues from real life. For this particular book he would have had to create a rat worthy of Cluny's grotesque evil. Certainly Blevins' work with musculature and action serves him particularly well in the massive battle and action sequences. At the same time, the good guys in this book had to look at least a little tough. It's all well and good to read a story about adorable woodland creatures going to war, but if your characters are too adorable then there isn't any life in them. Blevins does a good job at balancing this all out.
I noticed that an Amazon reviewer figured that for people unfamiliar with the original book, this graphic novel would be impossible to figure out on one's own. They thought the images here to be difficult to follow. I admit to not having that problem, but I have read the book before so maybe that helped me. Looking at it, the black and white images on the slick shiny paper could be confusing to kids that haven't read graphic novels before. I definitely wouldn't consider this to be a starter GN. Still, for those kids who know their comics and are well-acquainted with following detailed panels and a myriad of different forms and angles, this shouldn't prove to be a difficult read. Blevins does a fine job of distinguishing between one mouse and another, even with this massive cast of characters. In the end, this new "Redwall" is a fun graphic novel and well worth a look to anyone unfamiliar with the very first story. Read the comic, then read the book. There is much to be gained from both.
May 4, 2016
Matthias Mouse, whose home is being attacked by the evil rat Cluny the Scourge, is on a quest to recover the legendary sword of Martin of Redwall, so that he can meet Cluny in battle. There are riddles and secret passageways, old enemies and unexpected friends, and of course, several mighty battle scenes!
I adore the full novel, Redwall, so seeing it in graphic form was exciting! There is so much more depth to the story that couldn't be included in this format, but it still managed to fit most everything in there, although it feels a bit rushed.
I wasn't really a fan of the artwork. Too many teeth. Literally every evil creature was just all teeth and gaping eyeballs. bleh. And I had pictured the good creatures as more cute, not quite so ferocious and homely. After all, they are supposed to be peaceful abbey dwellers, so I imagined them as dignified for the old ones or cute for the younger ones. Oh well.
I would recommend reading this if you've already read the novel Redwall, and it's a lovely revisit to the story!
I adore the full novel, Redwall, so seeing it in graphic form was exciting! There is so much more depth to the story that couldn't be included in this format, but it still managed to fit most everything in there, although it feels a bit rushed.
I wasn't really a fan of the artwork. Too many teeth. Literally every evil creature was just all teeth and gaping eyeballs. bleh. And I had pictured the good creatures as more cute, not quite so ferocious and homely. After all, they are supposed to be peaceful abbey dwellers, so I imagined them as dignified for the old ones or cute for the younger ones. Oh well.
I would recommend reading this if you've already read the novel Redwall, and it's a lovely revisit to the story!
December 13, 2015
If you look at some of my previous reviews it is painfully obvious that I LOVE the Redwall series. This review is based stictly on how the artist adapted that story and not the actual plot of the story itself. If you want my thoughts on that one go read my other review. This book was a bit disappointing for me. The artwork itself is fairly impressive but maany scenes that could have easily been included were cut, especially the feasts! There are also main characters who get little more than a mention including Cornflower and many of the villains of Cluny's horde. As a fan of the original series, this graphic novel bummed me out but the story is still good and the artwork isn't bad either.
January 30, 2024
Redwall'ı zaten çok severim küçükken d
Vcd'de animasyonunu izlemiş,kitaplarıni okumuş biri olarak çizgi romanı olduğunu duyunca baya bir aradım.Sonunda edinip okuyabildim ve mükemmeldi.
Hikaye zaten ilk kitabın aynısı Redwall adlı barış canlısı hayvanların yaşadığı şehre sıçanlar saldırmaya kalkışıyor.Şehir ve henüz kahraman olamamış kahraman Mattias savunmaya çalışıyor.Tabi eski efsanelerinin kayıp kılıcını bulmak gibi bir görevleri daha var.
Bret Levins'in muhtesem çizimleriyle harika bir çizgi romana dönüşmüş zaten güzel olan hikaye.Yalnız bu nasıl çocuk kitabı diye satılmış o da soru işareti.Gayet kanlı,şiddet içerikli bir çizgi roman olmuş.
Redwall ile ilgili bir içeriğe maruz kalmadıysanız bence bunu okuyarak keşfetmeniz en güzel yol olacaktır.
Vcd'de animasyonunu izlemiş,kitaplarıni okumuş biri olarak çizgi romanı olduğunu duyunca baya bir aradım.Sonunda edinip okuyabildim ve mükemmeldi.
Hikaye zaten ilk kitabın aynısı Redwall adlı barış canlısı hayvanların yaşadığı şehre sıçanlar saldırmaya kalkışıyor.Şehir ve henüz kahraman olamamış kahraman Mattias savunmaya çalışıyor.Tabi eski efsanelerinin kayıp kılıcını bulmak gibi bir görevleri daha var.
Bret Levins'in muhtesem çizimleriyle harika bir çizgi romana dönüşmüş zaten güzel olan hikaye.Yalnız bu nasıl çocuk kitabı diye satılmış o da soru işareti.Gayet kanlı,şiddet içerikli bir çizgi roman olmuş.
Redwall ile ilgili bir içeriğe maruz kalmadıysanız bence bunu okuyarak keşfetmeniz en güzel yol olacaktır.
Read
July 28, 2024Definitely very condensed compared to the novel, but what a great, dark art style for Redwall! I didn't know or forgot that there was a graphic novel for the book, kinda wish they'd done more of these!
January 1, 2024
Second read about 15 hours after my first, but with my kids this time: my 8yo son enjoyed it and wanted me to read it all the way through at once, which we did and it took 1.5 hours. He gives it 5 stars, but you'll have to see that on his account. My 5yo got scared in a few places and told me she thought it was a big kid story, but refused to leave and stuck it out. I toned down my bad guy voices for the second half too. Overall they both enjoyed it, so that's a win!
Read through just after midnight 12/31/23: This version skips all the scene-setting and gently-paced worldbuilding of abbey culture in favor of just the action parts of the story and plot points necessary to link it all together. It works for a comic-style graphic novel like this is, but you've got to read the full book too or you miss the endearing charm of the full story and the writing in Brian Jacques' voice. But for a one-hour adult read, it's a great refresher on the story!
A few points: Cluny's dream sequence has nothing that indicates that's what it was; I could only tell because I know the story. The illustrator could have at least done a different border on the panels or something, because kids especially won't know. Basil Stag Hare's funny eccentricity and the sparrows' fierceness still come through, but you only get a glimpse of the mole dialect, the rules- and bylaws-loving culture of the shrews, and Squire Julian Gingevere's propriety.
I borrowed this to see if the abbreviated story would help my 8yo grasp the plot and be better able to follow the full book. The Cluny drawings are rather intense but he said they weren't too scary. I'll probably read it with him to help him keep track of things in this different visual format with some unfamiliar vocabulary (and so I can share the fun of him experiencing this story for the first time!).
Read through just after midnight 12/31/23: This version skips all the scene-setting and gently-paced worldbuilding of abbey culture in favor of just the action parts of the story and plot points necessary to link it all together. It works for a comic-style graphic novel like this is, but you've got to read the full book too or you miss the endearing charm of the full story and the writing in Brian Jacques' voice. But for a one-hour adult read, it's a great refresher on the story!
A few points: Cluny's dream sequence has nothing that indicates that's what it was; I could only tell because I know the story. The illustrator could have at least done a different border on the panels or something, because kids especially won't know. Basil Stag Hare's funny eccentricity and the sparrows' fierceness still come through, but you only get a glimpse of the mole dialect, the rules- and bylaws-loving culture of the shrews, and Squire Julian Gingevere's propriety.
I borrowed this to see if the abbreviated story would help my 8yo grasp the plot and be better able to follow the full book. The Cluny drawings are rather intense but he said they weren't too scary. I'll probably read it with him to help him keep track of things in this different visual format with some unfamiliar vocabulary (and so I can share the fun of him experiencing this story for the first time!).
June 25, 2017
I feel like I may have enjoyed the book book of this better. This graphic novel edition was OK, but it had a few issues.
#1: the drawings weren't good enough to be able to distinguish between the characters. This becomes a problem for #2
#2: the lack of female mice. There was one as a love interest, of sorts, but it wasn't made obvious. She is a character at the beginning, she may be somewhere in the middle (but I couldn't tell if she was present), and then at the end, she's creepily gifted to Matthias as a wife. Hmm.
#3: I'm curious as to the age of Matthias: he seems like he's meant to be a child at the beginning, but maybe he's supposed to be a teenager? But then at the end he's gifted a wife. It'll always come back to that. That's just mega creepy. I've been told it's a tad bit less creepy in the book book, but still.
#4: the writing was a bit stilted.
#1: the drawings weren't good enough to be able to distinguish between the characters. This becomes a problem for #2
#2: the lack of female mice. There was one as a love interest, of sorts, but it wasn't made obvious. She is a character at the beginning, she may be somewhere in the middle (but I couldn't tell if she was present), and then at the end, she's creepily gifted to Matthias as a wife. Hmm.
#3: I'm curious as to the age of Matthias: he seems like he's meant to be a child at the beginning, but maybe he's supposed to be a teenager? But then at the end he's gifted a wife. It'll always come back to that. That's just mega creepy. I've been told it's a tad bit less creepy in the book book, but still.
#4: the writing was a bit stilted.
March 30, 2024
Ok. A bit bloody for my 6 year old. The graphic novel doesn't do a ton in terms of character development. The art is servicable, but doesn't hold up to a lot of contemporary graphic novels.
September 22, 2024
Great illustrations but the adaptions keeps all the action while retaining none of the warmth
December 12, 2024
A decent adaptation, but overly shortened to the point the story lost a lot of its strengths.
April 20, 2017
This brought back memories of reading the actual novel for the first time many years ago. The series was such a big part of my childhood and developing who I am now.
Since it is such a short graphic novel, the story is much condensed, but it's a fun read if you're already in love with the Redwall world and just want to see it in picture form. The art is pretty good. The good guys are cute, the bad guys are delightfully evil looking, and the backgrounds and the abbey itself are beautiful.
I'd recommend this for a lazy day read when you hear Redwall calling you back.
Since it is such a short graphic novel, the story is much condensed, but it's a fun read if you're already in love with the Redwall world and just want to see it in picture form. The art is pretty good. The good guys are cute, the bad guys are delightfully evil looking, and the backgrounds and the abbey itself are beautiful.
I'd recommend this for a lazy day read when you hear Redwall calling you back.
October 19, 2021
Okay, but not as good as the original Redwall novel. Unfortunately Cluny was stupider than I remember him to be. This is a quick read -- sort of an abridged version put into comic format.
Content: Thematic elements such as fighting/battles/combat. Some of the graphics may be frightening for younger children.
Content: Thematic elements such as fighting/battles/combat. Some of the graphics may be frightening for younger children.
April 24, 2021
A very basic chosen-one, good vs. evil story in which benevolent animals work as a team to triumph over the villainous invaders, with a little help from magic and prophecy. My overall feeling was that "it was okay," but I could see how it would appeal to a younger audience (Grades 4-6, maybe?) I know that my own son loved it when he was in 4th grade. 2.5
November 10, 2020
I wish it was in color but otherwise great illustrations. Brought me lots of nostalgia of spending hours in Mossflower as a child. A great story :)
July 22, 2010
Genre: Graphic Novel
Award: There were no awards listed either for the graphic novel or the traditional novel on which it is based.
Star Rating:Four Stars
Grade level(s):6-10th grade The language is easily accessible for most students. Within this age range, teaching students about a period of history to which they often cannot relate is difficult without good visuals. The graphic novel allows students to visualize the experiences of the abbot mice, while simultaneously delving into the history of the medieval period and all of the ramifications that were involved in survival during that period.
Summary: All is peaceful and calm for the inhabitants of Redwall Abbey, before the assault of the evil Cluny the Scourge, an diabolical one-eyed rat. Nothing will stop this creature in his mission, nothing except a recurring dream of his, a dream of Martin the Warrior. We learn Martin has been dead for many years. What will the mice of Redwall Abbey do? An awkward young novice, Matthias, has hope and an ancient prophesy tells of the return of Martin in the “I am that is.”
With distinct characterization Brian Jacques creates vivid and life-like characters such as the powerful badger Constance, a mute squirrel named Silent Sam, a bold rabbit named Basil Stag Hare. It is an archetypal quest story of animalistic proportions. Jacques’ hero is not overly glorified in his victory, because it is one of unity, not of individual prowess. The ultimate triumph of good over evil is all the more refreshing seen through the eyes of a humble “church mouse.”
Evaluation: Redwall is a good example of the use of the graphic novel genre for young adult literature. This graphic novel has visual impact that showcases the artistic ability of the creator and highlights the difficult life of anyone living in the middle ages. The novel very effectively blends text and art; although the novel does not use color it would be superfluous to the story. This story does contain some of the best qualities of its literary genre, historical fiction. The plot is interesting and enjoyable. The historical events of political alliances, knights, etc are authentic. The events, attitudes, and behaviors reflect the values and spirit of the time. Although it was frustrating and slightly disturbing the way in which the sparrow people were marginalized and their language was little more than a pigeon. The themes however, do provide insights into contemporary problems. The story itself and the illustrations are appropriate for adolescents.
Description of the ending: The ending of this story is semi-open. Although, the Abbey is saved from rat invasion and destruction by the brave mouse Matthias, thus resolving the primary problems of the novel, it is not an ultimate conclusion. Because Matthias is the “reincarnation” of Martin the Warrior, his very name is an anagram for “I am that is” the reader is left hopeful that there will be future reasons for Matthias to defend his sacred home.
b. Choice Young adult Books
1. Suggestions This novel would be useful in teaching these elements:
a. Students to understand organizational structures of literary and informational material. (Not all material in the news or in real world experiences is written, thus using a graphic novel and examining visual depictions can prepare students to understand visual text.)
b. Students to identify how allusions from a variety of sources (e.g., literary, mythological, religious, historical) contribute to literature. (There are variety of historical references to medieval constructs, the importance of the church to daily life, the walled city siege, etc.)
2. Read Aloud pg. 53 Methuselah the ancient scribe reads to Matthias from the legend of Martin the Warrior “Who says that I am dead knows nought at all. I-am that is, two mice within Redwall. The warrior sleeps ‘twixt hall and cavern hole.
I-am that is, take on my mighty role. Look for the sword in moonlight streaming forth, at night, when day’s first hour reflects the north. From o’er the threshold seek and you will see; I-am that is, my sword will wield for me.”
Pg. 105 Matthias runs into a vegetarian barn cat. “‘Phut’ Matthias lay wet and sticky quivering all over, dust and straw clinging to his fur He had no chance to make a run for it and he could not stop his body from quaking badly. He lay staring into the feline eyes . . . great twin pools of turquoise flecked with gold . . .”
Pg. 142 Father Abbot’s last words. “Lift my head a little and I will tell you what my failing eyes can see . . . before I leave you. Ah, yes . . . I see the most beautiful summer say of my life. The sun shines warmly upon us. The friends I know and the love are all about me. Life is good, my friends I leave it to you. Do not be sad, for mine is a most peaceful rest. And Redwall . . . our home . . . is safe.”
Award: There were no awards listed either for the graphic novel or the traditional novel on which it is based.
Star Rating:Four Stars
Grade level(s):6-10th grade The language is easily accessible for most students. Within this age range, teaching students about a period of history to which they often cannot relate is difficult without good visuals. The graphic novel allows students to visualize the experiences of the abbot mice, while simultaneously delving into the history of the medieval period and all of the ramifications that were involved in survival during that period.
Summary: All is peaceful and calm for the inhabitants of Redwall Abbey, before the assault of the evil Cluny the Scourge, an diabolical one-eyed rat. Nothing will stop this creature in his mission, nothing except a recurring dream of his, a dream of Martin the Warrior. We learn Martin has been dead for many years. What will the mice of Redwall Abbey do? An awkward young novice, Matthias, has hope and an ancient prophesy tells of the return of Martin in the “I am that is.”
With distinct characterization Brian Jacques creates vivid and life-like characters such as the powerful badger Constance, a mute squirrel named Silent Sam, a bold rabbit named Basil Stag Hare. It is an archetypal quest story of animalistic proportions. Jacques’ hero is not overly glorified in his victory, because it is one of unity, not of individual prowess. The ultimate triumph of good over evil is all the more refreshing seen through the eyes of a humble “church mouse.”
Evaluation: Redwall is a good example of the use of the graphic novel genre for young adult literature. This graphic novel has visual impact that showcases the artistic ability of the creator and highlights the difficult life of anyone living in the middle ages. The novel very effectively blends text and art; although the novel does not use color it would be superfluous to the story. This story does contain some of the best qualities of its literary genre, historical fiction. The plot is interesting and enjoyable. The historical events of political alliances, knights, etc are authentic. The events, attitudes, and behaviors reflect the values and spirit of the time. Although it was frustrating and slightly disturbing the way in which the sparrow people were marginalized and their language was little more than a pigeon. The themes however, do provide insights into contemporary problems. The story itself and the illustrations are appropriate for adolescents.
Description of the ending: The ending of this story is semi-open. Although, the Abbey is saved from rat invasion and destruction by the brave mouse Matthias, thus resolving the primary problems of the novel, it is not an ultimate conclusion. Because Matthias is the “reincarnation” of Martin the Warrior, his very name is an anagram for “I am that is” the reader is left hopeful that there will be future reasons for Matthias to defend his sacred home.
b. Choice Young adult Books
1. Suggestions This novel would be useful in teaching these elements:
a. Students to understand organizational structures of literary and informational material. (Not all material in the news or in real world experiences is written, thus using a graphic novel and examining visual depictions can prepare students to understand visual text.)
b. Students to identify how allusions from a variety of sources (e.g., literary, mythological, religious, historical) contribute to literature. (There are variety of historical references to medieval constructs, the importance of the church to daily life, the walled city siege, etc.)
2. Read Aloud pg. 53 Methuselah the ancient scribe reads to Matthias from the legend of Martin the Warrior “Who says that I am dead knows nought at all. I-am that is, two mice within Redwall. The warrior sleeps ‘twixt hall and cavern hole.
I-am that is, take on my mighty role. Look for the sword in moonlight streaming forth, at night, when day’s first hour reflects the north. From o’er the threshold seek and you will see; I-am that is, my sword will wield for me.”
Pg. 105 Matthias runs into a vegetarian barn cat. “‘Phut’ Matthias lay wet and sticky quivering all over, dust and straw clinging to his fur He had no chance to make a run for it and he could not stop his body from quaking badly. He lay staring into the feline eyes . . . great twin pools of turquoise flecked with gold . . .”
Pg. 142 Father Abbot’s last words. “Lift my head a little and I will tell you what my failing eyes can see . . . before I leave you. Ah, yes . . . I see the most beautiful summer say of my life. The sun shines warmly upon us. The friends I know and the love are all about me. Life is good, my friends I leave it to you. Do not be sad, for mine is a most peaceful rest. And Redwall . . . our home . . . is safe.”
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 22, 2008
Graphic novel
For 4th grade and up
When Redwall Abbey is attacked by rats led by Cluny the Scourge, the young mouse Matthias must enlist the help of other animals and learn to be a warrior.
Brian Jacques thick novel has been wittled down to 143 pages and retold in pictures through this graphic novel version. The format may make it more appealing for readers unfamiliar with the series, or intimidated by the length of the books, but the vocabulary is still fairly complex and many pages are text-heavy. The black and white illustrations are also detailed and complex, with vivid characters and plenty of intense battle scenes. Fans of the original books will enjoy seeing the characters and setting illustrated, but may miss subplots, details and emotional complexity. There's a lot here to appeal to readers, especially boys, who enjoy animal stories, battle scenes, and epic struggles between good and evil.
Rather than replacing the book, the graphic novel could act as an introduction or compliment to the series. Although it's been many years since I read the original book, the plot of the graphic novel felt rushed and slightly flat. It was easy to imagine where more complex, descriptive scenes had been eliminated, as well as moments when remaining faithful to the original may have undermined the effect and pacing of the illustrations. At times, the small font was difficult to read and the illustrations often required careful attention to decode. The book often feels torn between slimming down the story and remaining faithful to the intense detail of the original, and perhaps either more extreme abridgment or greater faithfulness would have led to a superior graphic novel.
School Library Journal says that it "captures the spirit and the language of the original," but suggests that the format "makes the action accessible to younger readers," which would probably depend on a younger reader's tolerance for violence but doesn't take into account the challenging vocabulary. Booklist says the transformation to graphic novel has "mixed results," but praises the artwork, saying it "conveys the emotional edge of the animal characters."
For 4th grade and up
When Redwall Abbey is attacked by rats led by Cluny the Scourge, the young mouse Matthias must enlist the help of other animals and learn to be a warrior.
Brian Jacques thick novel has been wittled down to 143 pages and retold in pictures through this graphic novel version. The format may make it more appealing for readers unfamiliar with the series, or intimidated by the length of the books, but the vocabulary is still fairly complex and many pages are text-heavy. The black and white illustrations are also detailed and complex, with vivid characters and plenty of intense battle scenes. Fans of the original books will enjoy seeing the characters and setting illustrated, but may miss subplots, details and emotional complexity. There's a lot here to appeal to readers, especially boys, who enjoy animal stories, battle scenes, and epic struggles between good and evil.
Rather than replacing the book, the graphic novel could act as an introduction or compliment to the series. Although it's been many years since I read the original book, the plot of the graphic novel felt rushed and slightly flat. It was easy to imagine where more complex, descriptive scenes had been eliminated, as well as moments when remaining faithful to the original may have undermined the effect and pacing of the illustrations. At times, the small font was difficult to read and the illustrations often required careful attention to decode. The book often feels torn between slimming down the story and remaining faithful to the intense detail of the original, and perhaps either more extreme abridgment or greater faithfulness would have led to a superior graphic novel.
School Library Journal says that it "captures the spirit and the language of the original," but suggests that the format "makes the action accessible to younger readers," which would probably depend on a younger reader's tolerance for violence but doesn't take into account the challenging vocabulary. Booklist says the transformation to graphic novel has "mixed results," but praises the artwork, saying it "conveys the emotional edge of the animal characters."
September 5, 2008
Ceritanya keren. Tentang sebuah castle (Redwall Abbey) yang dihuni oleh mouse, dipimpin oleh Father Abbot. Trus kedamaian di castle tersebut terganggu dengan kedatangan rats yang dipimpin oleh Cluny The Scourge. Mereka ingin merebut castle tersebut.
Tersebutlah Martin the Warrior yang dulu pernah mengalahkan wildcat, namun dia terluka. Peninggalannya berupa pedang tersembunyi di suatu tempat, dan hanya pedang itu yang mampu mengalahkan Cluny, serta melindungi Redwall.
Maka Matthias, a young mouse, pergi berkelana mencari dimana pedang tersebut berada. Mulai dari terkurung dikerajaan burung gagak (Matthias menemukan sarung pedang tersebut disana), kemudian mencari burung hantu yang mengetahui letak pedang itu hingga bertempur dengan ular, petualangan Matthias cukup seru untuk diikuti.
Yang membuat saya akhirnya tertarik membaca adalah bentuknya yang graphic novel. Secara mo baca novelnya males banget bukan? Tiga buku dalam serial Redwall terangkum dalam 1 graphic novel ini.
By the way, di buku ini musuh mouse adalah rat. Padahal kalau kita pikir mereka sama, sama-sama tikus ya? Tapi ternyata rat itu derajatnya lebih rendah dibanding mouse, penampilannya juga lebih gak enak diliat. Mungkin kalo bahasa Indonesianya, rat itu sebutan untuk tikus got kali yah? (atau curut?) Sementara mouse untuk tikus-tikus yang suka 'dipiara' di rumah-rumah mungkin yah :D
Tersebutlah Martin the Warrior yang dulu pernah mengalahkan wildcat, namun dia terluka. Peninggalannya berupa pedang tersembunyi di suatu tempat, dan hanya pedang itu yang mampu mengalahkan Cluny, serta melindungi Redwall.
Maka Matthias, a young mouse, pergi berkelana mencari dimana pedang tersebut berada. Mulai dari terkurung dikerajaan burung gagak (Matthias menemukan sarung pedang tersebut disana), kemudian mencari burung hantu yang mengetahui letak pedang itu hingga bertempur dengan ular, petualangan Matthias cukup seru untuk diikuti.
Yang membuat saya akhirnya tertarik membaca adalah bentuknya yang graphic novel. Secara mo baca novelnya males banget bukan? Tiga buku dalam serial Redwall terangkum dalam 1 graphic novel ini.
By the way, di buku ini musuh mouse adalah rat. Padahal kalau kita pikir mereka sama, sama-sama tikus ya? Tapi ternyata rat itu derajatnya lebih rendah dibanding mouse, penampilannya juga lebih gak enak diliat. Mungkin kalo bahasa Indonesianya, rat itu sebutan untuk tikus got kali yah? (atau curut?) Sementara mouse untuk tikus-tikus yang suka 'dipiara' di rumah-rumah mungkin yah :D
July 17, 2015
Our girls attend a local library book club and Redwall was discussed at the July meeting. One of the club members brought this book - she couldn't get the novel and didn't have time to read it before the meeting. I was excited to see this version; we have become big fans of graphic novels and I was eager to read it.
The narrative is very dramatic and engaging and from what I've read of the novel so far (only about a fourth of it), it is faithful to the tale and doesn't lose too much in the adaptation. The black and white illustrations are terrific and even a bit scary in parts, but occasionally I found it difficult to figure out who was in the scene and what was going on. It would certainly help to have read the book first.
I would recommend this book for middle grade readers due to the violence and dramatic content. I enjoyed reading it and plan to read the rest of the novel soon. I doubt, however, that we'll get into the series much, since our girls did not like the story and gave up rather quickly. Perhaps they'll at least read this version.
The narrative is very dramatic and engaging and from what I've read of the novel so far (only about a fourth of it), it is faithful to the tale and doesn't lose too much in the adaptation. The black and white illustrations are terrific and even a bit scary in parts, but occasionally I found it difficult to figure out who was in the scene and what was going on. It would certainly help to have read the book first.
I would recommend this book for middle grade readers due to the violence and dramatic content. I enjoyed reading it and plan to read the rest of the novel soon. I doubt, however, that we'll get into the series much, since our girls did not like the story and gave up rather quickly. Perhaps they'll at least read this version.
December 26, 2012
3.5
I am not an avid Redwall reader. There is something about anthropomorphic animals that has always been off-putting to me. This graphic novel seemed to be a way of bridging that gap.
Between the black and white (that felt like it needed color) and the overall story, I started and put this book down a month or two ago. After about 4 pages, I picked something else up, and about 3 novels, 5 graphic novels, and 50 children's books later I decided to give it another go. I'm glad I did.
The story of the siege of Redwall would rival anything you will find in The Lord of the Rings. I found this comic to have maybe edited out some important aspects of the book, such as Constance, but overall it was successful. This would be an excellent book for lovers of books on animals that talk, a la Ga'hoole and Chrestomanci.
Way better than I thought, but I rounded down because of the painfully slow beginning.
I am not an avid Redwall reader. There is something about anthropomorphic animals that has always been off-putting to me. This graphic novel seemed to be a way of bridging that gap.
Between the black and white (that felt like it needed color) and the overall story, I started and put this book down a month or two ago. After about 4 pages, I picked something else up, and about 3 novels, 5 graphic novels, and 50 children's books later I decided to give it another go. I'm glad I did.
The story of the siege of Redwall would rival anything you will find in The Lord of the Rings. I found this comic to have maybe edited out some important aspects of the book, such as Constance, but overall it was successful. This would be an excellent book for lovers of books on animals that talk, a la Ga'hoole and Chrestomanci.
Way better than I thought, but I rounded down because of the painfully slow beginning.
August 23, 2015
How many times have I read the novel version of Redwall? 3 or 4 times. So, I think that I can say with a lot of certainty that the graphic novel edition is very true to the book dialogue/plot wise. I did have to give the book 4/5 stars instead of 5 because I wasn't super thrilled by the art. I loved the style but I didn't really like that it was in black and white. The books always had the most vivid descriptions so I think the graphic novel would've been so much better if it was in color.
Overall, this was a quick read and it was worth the 30 minutes it took to read.
Overall, this was a quick read and it was worth the 30 minutes it took to read.
April 26, 2016
As you can see, it was a graphic novel and has pictures. It was a very good book. I recommend reading it to your son and daughter. I think you would really like it.
The part I really liked was when the sparrows and shrews attacked and you could see the big battle. And I also liked it a lot. It also has a good amount of fantasy so if you like fantasy I think you would like this.
The part I really liked was when the sparrows and shrews attacked and you could see the big battle. And I also liked it a lot. It also has a good amount of fantasy so if you like fantasy I think you would like this.
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