The Mighty Onion

Gr 5-7–From acclaimed graphic novelist Crilley comes a tale of an aspiring comic book writer with a desperate need to publish his creative works with the perfect artist partner. Middle schooler Eliot Quigly begins a journal to record his many ideas for the next great superhero comic, but finds his lack of artistic talent a real problem in his quest to be a mega-rich comic book writer. That is, until he notices classmate Pam’s notebook with the perfect drawing style for his latest idea. With persistence, determination, and a helpful push from an invested teacher, Eliot and Pam partner to create The Mighty Onion for all of their classmates, and potentially the world, to read. With struggles on cooperation, creative liberties, compromise, and humility, Eliot learns that there are a lot of ways his words can both hurt and heal. Written in a diary-style format, Crilley mixes several forms of artistic styles to create the feeling that readers are actually holding Eliot’s journal, stuffed with greasy napkins and fortune cookie wrappers.