From School Library Journal
Gr 5-8-Alto, a prince living in a land where ballads played by bards wield magic, is more interested in perfecting his music skills than in his princely responsibilities. His mother, Lady Toril Brightblade, along with bard Eluvian and weaponsmith Calder, slew a dragon and brought peace to their kingdom. Toril is now in the midst of negotiating a peaceful alliance with the neighboring trolls' kingdom, working to overcome distrust from their earlier conflicts. During sensitive negotiations, Alto's fledgling musical magic goes awry and almost derails things, so Toril ends his lessons, demanding he focus on being a prince. Instead, Alto runs away and meets Ebbe, a troll bard who, like Alto, had to leave her community to pursue music. While traveling together they encounter the Discords, bards who use their music to create conflict among listeners. Alto is frightened to discover the Discords' eventual target for their chaos. Alto and Ebbe, joined by young bard Clarabel, must overcome their youth and inexperience to figure out how to stop them. Relying on a soft yet vibrant palette, the gorgeous hand-painted watercolor illustrations lend the story a dreamy quality while still showing the intensity of action scenes and the power of the musical magic. The characters include diverse humans and members of various fantasy races; Alto, his family, and Clarabel are brown-skinned. Themes of friendship, following dreams, and relationships with blood and chosen family are deftly woven into the narrative. VERDICT Beautiful artwork and an exciting, heartfelt story make this a winner.-Carla Riemerα(c) Copyright 2011. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Review
“The Legend of Brightblade is a heartwarming, spellbinding tale of finding your feet, finding your friends, and finding your voice. Pure magic.” — Marieke Nijkamp, New York Times bestselling author of The Oracle Code
“Immersed in a delightful watercolour fantasy world, The Legend of Brightblade is a spirited adventure of friendship, magic and following the music of your heart." — Kay O’Neill, author of the two-time Eisner Award-winning The Tea Dragon Society
“Ethan's bright, beautifully expressive watercolors make this joyful, heartfelt, and immensely charming adventure SING!” — Carey Pietsch, co-author of the #1 New York Times bestselling The Adventure Zone series
"Heroic Alto’s heartwarming and thrilling story about family and the family you choose is pure magic at its finest!" — Victoria Ying, author of City of Secrets
“Beautiful artwork and an exciting, heartfelt story make this a winner.” — School Library Journal
“In crisp, bright washes of watercolor and ink, Aldridge paints a world that is equally indebted to The Hobbit and Jem and the Holograms. A nimble pace, light approach to worldbuilding, and sprightly hero lend a welcome air of effortlessness to this blithe adventure.” — Publishers Weekly
“Aldridge paints a beautiful medieval fantasy. Bright watercolors bring energy to the elegant designs—detailed enough for rich world building, simple enough for young readers—and the magic system based on making music, no small feat for a graphic novel, really shines. An excellent option for budding fans of fantasy.” — Booklist
“The graphic novel format is brilliantly deployed here. This full and rich story is a treat.” — Bulletin of the Center for Children’s Books
“Aldridge’s detailed watercolor and ink illustrations bring his tale’s magical jam sessions to life in scenes that burst with color. Fans of fantasy graphic novels, including Aldridge’s Estranged duology, will revel in The Legend of Brightblade’s gentle humor and spirit of adventure.” — BookPage
About the Author
Ethan M. Aldridge is a New York Times bestselling illustrator and author. Growing up, his favorite things to draw were ghosts, monsters, and whatever dinosaur he liked most that week. He now does more or less the same thing for a living. Ethan lives in New York City with his husband, Matthew, and their dog, Kitsune. You can visit him online at ethanaldridge.weebly.com.
