Illustrated by Morgan Been
ISBN 9781401293239
Published by DC Comics, 2020
Format: Graphic Novel (paperback and ebook_
Awards
The Hal Clement Notable Young Adult Books List 2021
Reading Level: 14+
Plot Summary: It's the summer before their senior year and identical twins Alec and Walker, are shipped off to stay with their aunt and cousins until school begins. They're told that their parents are divorcing and that it will be better for the boys if they're not around while the divorce is happening. Alec, always unsure of himself and newly diagnosed with type 1 diabetes, is in the middle of conducting groundbreaking research about the emotional states and memories of plants. He brings his experiments with him, but something causes the experiment to veer off course, and so Alec toils to re-create his experiment with the help of some new friends that he's found in the local school's science lab. Meanwhile, Walker, who is very outgoing and popular, is concerned only with his social life and having fun with their cousins and friends. When an important town landmark is destroyed, will Walker put aside his social life to do the right thing? Will Alec be able to summon the courage to help? Both succeed beyond our wildest dreams.
Author Background: New York Times Bestselling author Maggie Stiefvater is a popular Young Adult novelist. She is known for her book series The Raven Cycles, The Shiver Trilogy and the acclaimed Scorpio Races, and many other books. It's interesting to note that she began writing as a teen and completed 30 novels by the time she turned eighteen (Escalante, 2021). She also has a great love for cars and often writes articles for automotive magazines and websites. You can read her blog and move on Stiefvater's website, which also features her artwork, music, and writing workshops (Stiefvater).
Critical Evaluation: I had higher hopes for this graphic novel because I was very intrigued at how the lives of plants would be a central theme to this story. However this was a plot-driven graphic novel with very little character development. Even the minor characters were enigmatic because they were there simply to move the plot along. However, the novel was interspersed with sections about the lives and development of plants which was interesting and usually correlated with action occurring in the novel.
It should be noted that the original Swamp Thing was introduced in 1971 and has been reimagined several times since then. This graphic novel is a completely new reimagining, even adding the character Walker, Alec's twin brother (Wikipedia).
Creative Use for a Library Program: Let's get our hands dirty and plant some seeds. This gardening workshop will teach teens how to grow plants from seeds. We'll go outside to fill cardboard egg cartons with dirt, add the seedlings and then sprinkle with water. The teens will bring these home along with care instructions and how to proceed once the seedlings are ready to be transplanted.
Speed-Round Book Talk: It's the summer before their senior year and identical twins Alec, scientist, and Walker, the socialite, are shipped off to stay with their aunt and cousins until school begins. Alec's experiment runs amuck but in saving it, he also saves his brother.
Potential Challenge Issues and Defense Preparation: There could be challenges due to depictions of bullying, reckless driving, underage drinking and colorful language. But this is a book about boys on the brink of adulthood who are already steeped in those behaviors and, in some ways, it is a realistic portrayal of those issues. There are many other books in the library that have similar issues but are still widely read in the community.
Reason for Inclusion: This graphic novel is a re-imagining of the DC superhero Swamp Thing. Many teenagers who are submersed in superhero culture will be happy to find this in the library.
References
DC. (2019). Swamp Thing Reveal | DC Universe | The Ultimate Membership. Youtube.com.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V8TKZu5PbdA
Escalante, S. (2021, May 20,). Maggie Stiefvater’s Superpower . Interview Magazine,
https://www.interviewmagazine.com/culture/maggie-stiefvater-superpower
Stiefvater, M. Maggie Stiefvater. MaggieStiefvater.com. https://maggiestiefvater.com
Swamp Thing. Wikipedia.com. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Swamp_Thing
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