Amazing Grapes

Gr 5-8–For those who enjoy fantasy graphic novels rich in metaphor and allegory, this one fits the bill. The adventure begins when Mommy announces her remarriage and an immediate move for her three children: Shirley, Pearlie, and Curly. Facing this unwelcome change, argumentative Pearlie and contrary Curly are whisked away by a two-headed swan to the Lost Dimension of Ephemera. They are quickly followed by Mommy and Shirley, who aim to help them complete a strange, confusing mission. Initially, Mommy is disconnected from reality, always dreaming of elsewhere. Upon arriving in the new dimension and recalling the magic song “Amazing Grapes,” she realizes she has found her true home. Along the way, the family encounters the changeable blue monster Muckety Muck, the perpetually lost guide cat/dog Kelly, and the simultaneously evil and kind Feary Queen, who all help and hinder them at various times. This wacky yet deep story explores themes of identity, home, and betrayal. In one heartbreaking scene, Curly’s mom no longer recognizes him without his signature curls. The art, in Feiffer’s classic style, uses bright colors and scribbly lines to capture feelings and movement more than details.