• Age: 11 to 15
• Grade: 6 to 9
• Reading age: 12 to 13

“It’s a little known fact, but ferrets secretly run the world.” I thought my biology report started out great. But did the teacher let me finish? No! No one ever lets me finish. They think I just make up crazy stories from my crazy dreams. But I was right about the two new kids in town, Damiano and Inés. They’re hiding a secret—a big one. But there’s more to figure out. Why do two weird creatures keep attacking them? What’s going on underneath the too-perfect town of Alta Donna?
Everywhere I look I find trouble, traps, and unanswered questions. Someone needs to investigate this. And that someone is me!

Mathieu Mariolle has been passionate about graphic novels ever since his father gave him a copy of the long-running Wild West comic book series Blueberry when he was five years old.

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MiniKim has always had a passion for animation and art. She discovered a love of comics when attending the huge festival at Angoulême in France. MiniKim lives in Montreal, Québec.

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"This trilogy exudes shelf appeal. Unfortunately, the storytelling doesn't quite live up to the level of visual success. Living in picturesque Alta Donna, pink-haired Nola York-Stein is distracted in school and ignored by her divorced mother at home. Mystery surrounds the arrival of new students Inés and Damiano, who are being pursued by creatures tasked with taking them back to the fantastical Land of Stories. When Nola digs deeper, she finds that Alta Donna is not what it seems—the town is actually a buffer zone between the Land of Stories and the Real World and Inés and Damiano's escape is putting all three worlds in peril. Nola must find a way to restore balance while keeping her new friends from being taken away. Some readers may find the mystical aspects of story line frustratingly ambiguous. These are not stand-alone titles, but rather one large tale broken into three parts, so key plot elements and character motivations can be slow to develop. The anime-inspired art will grab attention. Alta Donna and its fashion-forward citizens are crisply rendered in pastel hues. Inventive panels and layouts may prove challenging for novice graphic-novel readers but add interest for those more experienced with the format. These titles are visual standouts but the narrative may leave readers wanting more." --School Library Journal

Journal

"The lesson is simple: Nothing is as it seems—one should not rely upon appearances to make judgments. This trilogy is set in Alta Donna where the weather is great, sunsets spectacular, and the stars twinkle brightly, but something is amiss. Nola meets two new kids, Damiano and Ines, but there is more to them than meets the eye. The art is cool, and each story is aimed at the tween. The books are packed with searching for identity and longing for friends. Given the manga-esque artwork and the storyline, the series will satisfy upper elementary students." --Library Media Connection

Journal