Jim Henson’s The Storyteller: Shapeshifters by Andre Frattino
Publisher: Archaia
Special thanks to BOOM!Studios for sending a copy for review.
Summary:
With themes ranging from the importance of heritage and familial love, to cautionary tales best heeded, these stories are sure to delight all fans of Jim Henson’s beloved and timeless Storyteller (Goodreads).
Thoughts:
The Storyteller: Shapeshifters is reminiscent of the enchanting stories you would read as a child before bed. Each tale is set in a different culture and explores their respective mythologies with the motif of shapeshifting that connects all four stories.
“The Children of Lir” is the first story which is arguably the weakest in terms of story and artwork. It presents an ancient Irish folklore with mysterious origins but a predictable plot. Like a typical fable, it features animals that behave and speak like humans with a moral or lesson revealed at the end. The art is decent but nothing stands out about it. The colouring and art style is fine, but definitely not my taste. As much as I wanted to read a unique fable, this one fell short and didn’t quite captivate my attention.
The second story is “The Dancers,” which is by far the best story out of all four. It’s a Lipan Apache story that’s short yet bittersweet. On the surface, this tale is about a girl’s life from young to old; however, a deeper message is implied near the end. This story is also a metaphor for colonisation and the effects of it on Indigenous people. It’s also about the hurt and struggle they face, as well as the healing and reconnection with their culture and people after everything they’ve been through. The art is vivid and dreamy with an eye pleasingly consistent colour palette that matches the melodramatic but warm atmosphere of the story. Bittersweet yet hopeful, this tale of change, loss, and resilience was touching to read.
“Come and Sleep” is one of my favourites. It’s a classic piece of Japanese folklore that is delightful to read but nothing unique. It does everything right but doesn’t have anything to set itself apart from a typical Japanese folktale. This is a bittersweet tale of star-crossed lovers with whimsical and dreamy soft pastel colour palette that perfectly matches the ambiance of the story.
“Ole Heg” is a simple but interesting folktale. It’s a chilling Caribbean tale of sinister spirits and suspense. Made to scare children into coming inside before dark, this story is a refreshing take on scary stories for kids. The art has a natural and realistic style that fits the tale quite well. The colour choices for the panels are thoughtfully painted with calm scenes drawn mostly in greens and eerie ones in reds. The ending is clever and quite funny, and definitely not what I expected!
I really enjoyed reading the stories as it introduced me to the folklore of different cultures around the world. It’s short and simple, yet also unique at times. This is a great read for children, young adults, and adults alike!
Reviewed by Mika K.