School Library Journal
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Gr 9 Up-Each volume includes the abridged story plus a generous amount of additional information, including an illustrated list of characters, an author biography, time lines, and an article about film adaptations. Students who are writing reports and readers who move on to the original novels will be well served by these extras. SAT vocabulary words are defined in footnotes, which also clarify plot details or offer historical context. Fortunately the font is small enough to be ignored easily, so these notes do not interrupt the flow of the story. The drawings are fluid and expressive, with skillful shading and dark tones that emphasize the stories' drama. The square, horizontal paneling is not especially inventive, but it makes the texts easy to follow. While these titles might not be as popular as superhero and manga comics, they are accessible introductions to the classics, and should make life easier for reluctant readers.-Lisa Goldstein, Brooklyn Public Library, NY (c) Copyright 2010. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.

School Library Journal
(c) Copyright Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.

Gr 7 Up?A naive young Englishman travels to Transylvania to do business with a client, Count Dracula. After showing his true and terrifying colors, Dracula boards a ship for England in search of new, fresh blood. Unexplained disasters begin to occur in the streets of London before the mystery and the evil doer are finally put to rest. Told in a series of news reports from eyewitness observers to writers of personal diaries, this has a ring of believability that counterbalances nicely with Dracula's too-macabre-to-be-true exploits. An array of voices from talented actors makes for interesting variety. The generous use of sound effects, from train whistles to creaking doors, adds further atmosphere. Lovers of mysteries and horror will find rousing entertainment in this version of a classic tale.?Carol Katz, Harrison Public Library, NY (c) Copyright 2010. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.

School Library Journal
(c) Copyright Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.

Gr 7 Up–Both of these volumes are strong adaptations of the originals, with black-and-white illustrations, appendixes featuring sketches, adapter and illustrator notes, and biographical information about the original authors. These extra elements are outstanding as they enlighten readers about the books creative process and offer background material thats sure to pique interest in the original texts. Kleids adaptation is strong and compelling but is at odds with Ninos line drawings. The thin outlines and use of white space seem to contrast with the strength of the plot. In Dracula, the text and illustrations commingle flawlessly into a wonderful gothic tale with manga-inspired illustrations and a frightful Nosferatu-esque Dracula. While Reeds version is slightly stronger, both books would be worthy additions to any collection.–Jennifer Feigelman, Plattekill Public Library, Modena, NY (c) Copyright 2010. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted. All rights reserved.

Kirkus
Copyright © Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.

Black-and-white illustrations share the storytelling load in this manga adaptation of Bram Stoker's classic tale.A business trip becomes a source of gothic terror when a strange client named Count Dracula insists that solicitor Jonathan Harker remain in his castle in Transylvania indefinitely. Meanwhile, Harker's fiancee, Mina, stays with her friend Lucy, whose sleepwalking problem puts her in the path of a creature who needs fresh blood. Lucy's three suitors, with help from a trusted doctor, try to save Lucy, but when she dies and becomes one of the undead, they set her soul free in a gruesome ritual before joining forces with Harker to pursue Dracula. Mina is kept apart from the action because women are deemed unsuitable for such work, but this does not prevent her from becoming a target. The gender-based violence is more disturbing when depicted in images rather than the original text, and although the Count is described as pale, he is illustrated in dark hues and shadow, reinforcing tropes of lightness and darkness as good and evil, respectively. Journals, newspapers, letters, and telegrams are set in text boxes in varying fonts. The different characters' perspectives feel somewhat disjointed, but the pace of the action will keep readers engaged to the end.Flawed but thrilling. (cast of characters, how to read manga, editor's note, guide to fonts, character design sketchbook) (Graphic novel. 12-18) Copyright Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.

Publishers Weekly
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This full-cast production is a masterly depiction of the Victorian gothic ethos in Stoker's classic tale. Told through a series of letters and diary entries, the novel begins when Count Dracula lures a young English lawyer named Jonathan Harker to his castle in Transylvania under the pretense of a real estate transaction, but Harker soon discovers the count is a vampire and the diabolical intent in the real estate deal. It falls to the resourceful Professor Van Helsing, along with a handful of intrepid heroes, including Harker and his fiancée, Mina, to stop the count's evil plans. The readers each have a distinctive voice for their characters and do a perfect job of conveying the emotional content of the assorted letters and diaries. Jamie Parker's portrayal of Harker is particularly stirring, especially as the character slowly pieces together the horrific truth about Dracula. Alison Pettitt succeeds at providing a gamut of emotions for the voice of Mina throughout the story. Each reader hits the mark with precision. For anyone who has never read (or for anyone looking to revisit) this classic tale of gothic horror, this is a fine way to do so. (Mar.) © Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved.

School Library Journal
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Gr 5-9-For readers wanting a small shiver down their spines, these books will suffice. Stoker's Dracula is succinct and well edited. The art is stale and tame and might titillate, but it won't produce any nightmares. The adaptation in Dorian Gray can be clunky at times but it covers the main points of the story. The beautiful and youthful Dorian Gray is never very attractive in the illustrations, but the decaying painting will appropriately disgust young readers. The story in The Invisible Man is heavily edited, and the action is crammed into a few pages, but the scenes in which the Invisible Man is on the loose are intense. The illustrations are fairly detailed and include some graphic scenes of blood and a nearly naked Invisible Man. All three books include information about the authors and a glossary. There are better adaptations of these novels available, but these titles provide slim and chilling reads that give a taste of the actual stories for reluctant readers.-Carrie Rogers-Whitehead, Kearns Library, UT (c) Copyright 2010. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.