What do you think?
Rate this book
Into the Bewilderness: A Graphic Novel
Perfect for fans of The Wild Robot, Gus Gordon’s graphic novel debut follows two furry friends on a clever and cozy adventure when they embark on a journey to the Big City for the first time.
In the Bewilderness, life is good.
Best friends Luis (the large furry one) and Pablo (the small furry one) spend their days wandering through nature, playing songs on the guitar, and eating Slow Joe McNally’s pinecone porridge with their neighbors.
When dreamer Luis receives an unexpected invitation to attend a performance of The Weary Mermaid in the big, bustling city, he finds it hard to ignore the allure of the bright lights.
Luckily, he doesn’t have to go it alone—and it’s a good thing, because it’s a long journey through the Bewilderness, and Luis has many questions. Will they meet laser-eyed gargoyles, zombie chickens, or tyrannical cow rulers? Will they get there on time? Why is quicksand so slow if it’s called quicksand? Thankfully, with his grumpy but loyal best friend by his side, they’ll soon find out.
In the Bewilderness, life is good.
Best friends Luis (the large furry one) and Pablo (the small furry one) spend their days wandering through nature, playing songs on the guitar, and eating Slow Joe McNally’s pinecone porridge with their neighbors.
When dreamer Luis receives an unexpected invitation to attend a performance of The Weary Mermaid in the big, bustling city, he finds it hard to ignore the allure of the bright lights.
Luckily, he doesn’t have to go it alone—and it’s a good thing, because it’s a long journey through the Bewilderness, and Luis has many questions. Will they meet laser-eyed gargoyles, zombie chickens, or tyrannical cow rulers? Will they get there on time? Why is quicksand so slow if it’s called quicksand? Thankfully, with his grumpy but loyal best friend by his side, they’ll soon find out.
192 pages, Paperback
First published July 8, 2025
14 people are currently reading
4365 people want to read
About the author
Gus Gordon
44 books73 followersGus Gordon is an internationally acclaimed illustrator and author. He has illustrated and written over 80 books for children.
Gus’s stories are typically character orientated and appeal to both children and adults alike. His illustrations are known for their loose and energetic line work, mixed media and humour, however, collage is the medium he is widely recognised for. Much of his work contains old ephemeral paper items such as catalogue engravings, postcards, advertisements, receipts, stamps, theatre programs and maps.
His writing is always anthropomorphic – where animals take the place of humans in the narrative. He attributes this to an early love of Kenneth Grahame's Wind in The Willows and Richard Scarry’s 'Busy' stories.
Gus’ books which include Wendy, Herman and Rosie (a 2013 CBCA 'Honour Award' for best picture book), Somewhere Else and The Last Peach, have sold in over 20 countries worldwide and have received wide international recognition. He has been shortlisted for the German Youth Literature Award, the Sakura Medal in Japan, the Kirico book awards in Spain, the Les Incorruptibles prize in France, the Premio Anderson Children's Book awards in Italy and has twice been nominated for the Astrid Lindgren Memorial Award, the world's largest award for children's and young adult literature.
Gus is represented by Charlie Olsen of InkWell Management in New York. He lives with his wife and three kids (and a dog called Biggles) in Sydney, Australia.
Gus’s stories are typically character orientated and appeal to both children and adults alike. His illustrations are known for their loose and energetic line work, mixed media and humour, however, collage is the medium he is widely recognised for. Much of his work contains old ephemeral paper items such as catalogue engravings, postcards, advertisements, receipts, stamps, theatre programs and maps.
His writing is always anthropomorphic – where animals take the place of humans in the narrative. He attributes this to an early love of Kenneth Grahame's Wind in The Willows and Richard Scarry’s 'Busy' stories.
Gus’ books which include Wendy, Herman and Rosie (a 2013 CBCA 'Honour Award' for best picture book), Somewhere Else and The Last Peach, have sold in over 20 countries worldwide and have received wide international recognition. He has been shortlisted for the German Youth Literature Award, the Sakura Medal in Japan, the Kirico book awards in Spain, the Les Incorruptibles prize in France, the Premio Anderson Children's Book awards in Italy and has twice been nominated for the Astrid Lindgren Memorial Award, the world's largest award for children's and young adult literature.
Gus is represented by Charlie Olsen of InkWell Management in New York. He lives with his wife and three kids (and a dog called Biggles) in Sydney, Australia.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 60 reviews
July 6, 2025
Bruno meets Furari. A bit too niche a comparison? Sure. But I love both of those, and I loved this.
July 28, 2025
What I liked: Sometimes I chuckled. The illustrations are very beautiful and engaging. I like the idea of two friends going into the big city from the woods.
What I disliked: The humor and vocabulary is a better fit for older readers than the intended audience. One of the MCs constantly belittles his friend, calling him rude names for no real reason, and never apologizing for this behavior.
Overall, it is visually eye catching and somewhat entertaining for a middle grade graphic novel. But the humor and vocabulary are better suited for teens and adults. The belittling and name calling felt very mean spirited to me (and that’s not the type of speech I hope for my children to surround themselves with) so I won’t be keeping my copy or recommending it.
What I disliked: The humor and vocabulary is a better fit for older readers than the intended audience. One of the MCs constantly belittles his friend, calling him rude names for no real reason, and never apologizing for this behavior.
Overall, it is visually eye catching and somewhat entertaining for a middle grade graphic novel. But the humor and vocabulary are better suited for teens and adults. The belittling and name calling felt very mean spirited to me (and that’s not the type of speech I hope for my children to surround themselves with) so I won’t be keeping my copy or recommending it.
August 11, 2025
this was so freaking funny. I need them to have another adventure.
abandoned
July 23, 2025Abandoned because the line “Was it about the decline of romanticism in a postmodern world?” on page 14 makes me question who this book is actually written for. I think even the most advanced student at my K-4 school would struggle with the concepts and vocabulary there and several other places, so it’s not worth a purchase for my school library. Not sure why the publisher recommends this for fans of The Wild Robot or why some review sources note it as being appropriate for ages eight and up. However, I am sure there is an audience somewhere for it.
April 7, 2025
3 stars
I wasn't sure what the bewilderness was, but after reading this book, I believe that is the state I entered while engaging with this material. That's not necessarily a bad thing. It's just...different.
The illustrations are charming, and this - along with the expectation of some good friendship content and maybe some dashes of ecocritical motifs - drew me to this graphic novel. I did get what I was hoping for to some degree, but there are some other unexpected inclusions that have left me feeling a bit conflicted about the read overall. The most challenging element is that the audience for this is somewhat unknowable. This is a known children's author, but the content is pretty dark at times (and strange?), and this doesn't quite read like a typical children's graphic novel. It's also a little rudimentary for the average adult reader. I'm not sure who I'd recommend this to based on this audience confusion. Along with the audience issue, the plot just takes some bizarre turns. At times, the journey feels forced and a bit slower than I'd have preferred.
Readers looking to read about the bewilderness, and perhaps take a trip there themselves, will enjoy this peculiar experience.
*Special thanks to NetGalley and HarperAlley for this arc, which I received in exchange for an honest review. The opinions expressed here are my own.
I wasn't sure what the bewilderness was, but after reading this book, I believe that is the state I entered while engaging with this material. That's not necessarily a bad thing. It's just...different.
The illustrations are charming, and this - along with the expectation of some good friendship content and maybe some dashes of ecocritical motifs - drew me to this graphic novel. I did get what I was hoping for to some degree, but there are some other unexpected inclusions that have left me feeling a bit conflicted about the read overall. The most challenging element is that the audience for this is somewhat unknowable. This is a known children's author, but the content is pretty dark at times (and strange?), and this doesn't quite read like a typical children's graphic novel. It's also a little rudimentary for the average adult reader. I'm not sure who I'd recommend this to based on this audience confusion. Along with the audience issue, the plot just takes some bizarre turns. At times, the journey feels forced and a bit slower than I'd have preferred.
Readers looking to read about the bewilderness, and perhaps take a trip there themselves, will enjoy this peculiar experience.
*Special thanks to NetGalley and HarperAlley for this arc, which I received in exchange for an honest review. The opinions expressed here are my own.
May 9, 2025
This graphic novel is a philosophical journey for two animals and the community they inhabit, as they explore big questions like: Can we have culture in the woods? Their adventure leads them on a quest to find answers.
The artwork is absolutely lovely, and I especially appreciated that the story takes place in its own unique world—complete with a map. The philosophical musings, presented through animal characters, are fun and thought-provoking. I think there’s a specific subset of middle grade readers who will be drawn to this blend of quirky humor and introspective themes.
That said, the intended audience feels a bit unclear. While it’s marketed for younger readers, much of the tone feels quite adult. The humor—particularly Pablo’s—can veer into snarky or even mean-spirited, and the pacing is notably slow.
The absolute highlight for me—and the character who completely stole my heart—is Ray. I’m lost too, Ray. He’s beautiful, and honestly, he (along with the artwork) is what saved the book for me. My rating is entirely based on him and the visuals.
A worthwhile purchase for middle school libraries, especially for readers who enjoy offbeat humor, deep questions, or stunning illustration.
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC.
The artwork is absolutely lovely, and I especially appreciated that the story takes place in its own unique world—complete with a map. The philosophical musings, presented through animal characters, are fun and thought-provoking. I think there’s a specific subset of middle grade readers who will be drawn to this blend of quirky humor and introspective themes.
That said, the intended audience feels a bit unclear. While it’s marketed for younger readers, much of the tone feels quite adult. The humor—particularly Pablo’s—can veer into snarky or even mean-spirited, and the pacing is notably slow.
The absolute highlight for me—and the character who completely stole my heart—is Ray. I’m lost too, Ray. He’s beautiful, and honestly, he (along with the artwork) is what saved the book for me. My rating is entirely based on him and the visuals.
A worthwhile purchase for middle school libraries, especially for readers who enjoy offbeat humor, deep questions, or stunning illustration.
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC.
March 22, 2025
Into The Bewilderness is a graphic novel for ages 8-12 that follows two best friends, Luis the bear and Pablo the mole. Luis has been searching for culture and knows he can find it in the big city, but will he be able to convince his best friend to come along? While reading this graphic novel I wasn’t really sure what age group this was for -the humor is off and typically pretty mean instead of funny (and the characters don’t apologize for their mean behavior/ leave a lesson from it). This really put a sour taste in my mouth. A positive to me was the art - it was really the only reason I was motivated to finish this book!
Thank you to NetGalley for the opportunity to read Into The Bewilderness
Thank you to NetGalley for the opportunity to read Into The Bewilderness
July 6, 2025
Something about this story didn’t work for me. I found the characters slightly annoying and I think that as a kid I wouldn’t have had the attention span required to read this. It’s simple in theory but there’s so much text that you actually need to focus. I liked the small details of life happening around them, both in the woods and in the city, but it wasn’t enough to captivate me.
August 19, 2025
Adorable friendship stories with comforting artwork. I may just need a copy of my own 😉
July 9, 2025
Vocabulary is great for young readers to stretch and learn. The story is wonderful and likens back to Rosencrantz and Guildenstern conversations. Love this!
August 5, 2025
such a quick & cute little read! however, as other reviews mention, some of the humour and themes in this graphic novel are likely better for slightly older audiences than the 8-12 recommended age.
August 25, 2025
Why I chose this book: I chose this book because of the bear.
Brief summary: The bear and the mole live in the wilderness together, but when bear gets tickets to a show in the Big City, they embark on an adventure there to experience culture and learn what life is like beyond the wilderness.
What I didn't like about this book: When I started this book I thought yay! Another Frog and Toad type friendship for kids, but I was quickly disappointed. Frog and Toad have a friendship characterized by kindness and contentment, but the mole in this book is unnecessarily mean to the bear, calling him names and mocking his intelligence. The mole has a grumpy personality which seems to give him a "pass" for his rude behavior, but I found the insults incredibly off-putting, especially in a book for young readers. That said, I didn't find this book to be very appealing for young readers as the jokes are beyond what most juvenile graphic novel readers are going to understand. The content of this book felt more adult but because the characters are cute little animals it had a juvenile label slapped on it. Some kids might enjoy it, but I'm not sure what kind of young reader I would recommend this to. I'm not even sure what a suitable read-alike might be. Perhaps readers who enjoy Dav Pilkey or Aaron Blabey might like the humor of this book.
What I like about this book: The illustrations in this book are cozy, and I enjoyed seeing the contrast between the wilderness and the Big City. When the mole isn't being mean, he does make some funny quips, albeit a little above what I think most kids would appreciate, I like how the mole has some intellectual ponderings that come across as quite funny to an adult reader.
Brief summary: The bear and the mole live in the wilderness together, but when bear gets tickets to a show in the Big City, they embark on an adventure there to experience culture and learn what life is like beyond the wilderness.
What I didn't like about this book: When I started this book I thought yay! Another Frog and Toad type friendship for kids, but I was quickly disappointed. Frog and Toad have a friendship characterized by kindness and contentment, but the mole in this book is unnecessarily mean to the bear, calling him names and mocking his intelligence. The mole has a grumpy personality which seems to give him a "pass" for his rude behavior, but I found the insults incredibly off-putting, especially in a book for young readers. That said, I didn't find this book to be very appealing for young readers as the jokes are beyond what most juvenile graphic novel readers are going to understand. The content of this book felt more adult but because the characters are cute little animals it had a juvenile label slapped on it. Some kids might enjoy it, but I'm not sure what kind of young reader I would recommend this to. I'm not even sure what a suitable read-alike might be. Perhaps readers who enjoy Dav Pilkey or Aaron Blabey might like the humor of this book.
What I like about this book: The illustrations in this book are cozy, and I enjoyed seeing the contrast between the wilderness and the Big City. When the mole isn't being mean, he does make some funny quips, albeit a little above what I think most kids would appreciate, I like how the mole has some intellectual ponderings that come across as quite funny to an adult reader.
May 9, 2025
But... why?
I spent most of my reading time making a really weird face, wondering what the point of this was. It has the general shape of a story, I guess, but it mostly felt like random things were being said that were supposed to sound wise but weren't. I wasn't sure who the audience was, because it seems like it's supposed to be kids based on the humor, but also there are a lot of things that seemed more aimed at adults, and neither end of that spectrum worked for me. I don't need a book to have a moral, but I would like there to be SOMETHING. This was all pretty jumbled and random in a way that I didn't enjoy.
There are also no stakes. The only real choice either of the MCs makes is to be a real jerk, and then there are no consequences. At all. It made me actively dislike the characters by the end.
I think the best way to sum this up is that, IMO, a story can be 'random' and nonsensical so long as it has an internal logic, but this didn't. Bewilderness indeed.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC. I see other people had a good time with it, so maybe I'm just no fun.
I spent most of my reading time making a really weird face, wondering what the point of this was. It has the general shape of a story, I guess, but it mostly felt like random things were being said that were supposed to sound wise but weren't. I wasn't sure who the audience was, because it seems like it's supposed to be kids based on the humor, but also there are a lot of things that seemed more aimed at adults, and neither end of that spectrum worked for me. I don't need a book to have a moral, but I would like there to be SOMETHING. This was all pretty jumbled and random in a way that I didn't enjoy.
There are also no stakes. The only real choice either of the MCs makes is to be a real jerk, and then there are no consequences. At all. It made me actively dislike the characters by the end.
I think the best way to sum this up is that, IMO, a story can be 'random' and nonsensical so long as it has an internal logic, but this didn't. Bewilderness indeed.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC. I see other people had a good time with it, so maybe I'm just no fun.
July 26, 2025
A quick DNF
“Squirrels need to stop twitching and chill out. We should gather ALL the squirrels together for a big meeting and explain to them that everything’s going to be just fine. Only some of you are going to be eaten.”
In a world of sentient animals that wear clothes, live in houses and talk… this is an opening conversation between a bear and a(mole, i think?????). How they just have to tell another group of sentient, clothes wearing animals that some have to be eaten… something just felt really off. It feels… very gross.
And THEN i turn a few pages and the two characters are at a squirrels house… calling it to come outside so they could eat it. Something about this just feels borderline cozy with the KKK… it gives terrorizing minorities. It feels gross portraying characters wanting to murder fellow sentient animals as cutesy??? As funny??? A bear is literally playing a guitar singing to a closed door about how good the squirrels inside taste the FUUUUUCK
“Squirrels need to stop twitching and chill out. We should gather ALL the squirrels together for a big meeting and explain to them that everything’s going to be just fine. Only some of you are going to be eaten.”
In a world of sentient animals that wear clothes, live in houses and talk… this is an opening conversation between a bear and a(mole, i think?????). How they just have to tell another group of sentient, clothes wearing animals that some have to be eaten… something just felt really off. It feels… very gross.
And THEN i turn a few pages and the two characters are at a squirrels house… calling it to come outside so they could eat it. Something about this just feels borderline cozy with the KKK… it gives terrorizing minorities. It feels gross portraying characters wanting to murder fellow sentient animals as cutesy??? As funny??? A bear is literally playing a guitar singing to a closed door about how good the squirrels inside taste the FUUUUUCK
August 14, 2025
First sentence: One spring afternoon, deep in the woods, far from anywhere, friends Luis (the large furry one) and Pablo (the small furry one) are on their way home after a successful outing picking gooseberries.
Premise/plot: Luis (a bear) and Pablo (a mole) are best, best, best, best friends. They live in the woods and have a great life. But Luis is a philosophizing bear who wonders about the world outside the woods. He's a bear that is considering leaving the woods to go on the occasional adventure. When Luis wins theater tickets for the Big City production of a play, the two leave for the City....but will the City live up to everything Luis has imagined it to be? Can their friendship withstand such a big adventure?
My thoughts: I enjoyed this one. It was a delightful read. I loved the dialogue. I loved the friendship. I loved how they have so many nicknames for one another.
Premise/plot: Luis (a bear) and Pablo (a mole) are best, best, best, best friends. They live in the woods and have a great life. But Luis is a philosophizing bear who wonders about the world outside the woods. He's a bear that is considering leaving the woods to go on the occasional adventure. When Luis wins theater tickets for the Big City production of a play, the two leave for the City....but will the City live up to everything Luis has imagined it to be? Can their friendship withstand such a big adventure?
My thoughts: I enjoyed this one. It was a delightful read. I loved the dialogue. I loved the friendship. I loved how they have so many nicknames for one another.
August 27, 2025
The art in this book is ADORABLE. I love the style and the color and how all the different animals look, even the scenery is gorgeous. Some of the subject matter seems a bit advanced for younger readers, more geared towards junior high age (at one point Luis contemplates the intricacies of reality, entertaining but likely over the head of younger readers), but mostly it’s a light romp following two friends exploring a new world and the experiences/complications that come with it. I have to say the journey in town did not go as I expected, and it was rather a long book with a decent amount of text considering the target audience. But for me as an adult reader, it was beautiful and entertaining, with clear themes but not to prominent it beats you over the head. Honestly I’d read it again just to enjoy the art some more.
August 3, 2025
Honestly, I wasn't totally sure what I was getting into here. Luis (bear) is a whimsical creature who is innocent (except for maybe the squirrel and bird eating!) and is curious and wants culture in the forest. Meanwhile, Pablo (mole) is more of a realist, even negative little creature. Weirdly, when they were heading to the city, I though the city would be full of people but it's filled with city animals. I feel like Luis just wants to see the beauty in the world and for most of the book it made me feel sad because he was constantly coming up against Pablo. But Luis maintains his sense of wonder throughout it all. The book is beautifully illustrated and overall is really quite a sweet story.
September 3, 2025
Luis has received tickets to a very high-culture show in the Big City, but none of his friends really want to leave the wilderness to go with him. But his one true friend, Pablo, begrudgingly agrees, so they set out through the Bewilderness to try to get some culture.
There were a lot of jokes about killing animals. Which is probably authentic to how a bear would think, but I didn't laugh. It makes a good point about culture and has a lot of humorous moments between the satirical depictions of country folks and city folks as well as the audacious grumpiness of Pablo. I don't know that it's a kids book; while I think children could enjoy it just as much as I did, I wonder if some of the humor would go over their heads. I had a good time, though.
There were a lot of jokes about killing animals. Which is probably authentic to how a bear would think, but I didn't laugh. It makes a good point about culture and has a lot of humorous moments between the satirical depictions of country folks and city folks as well as the audacious grumpiness of Pablo. I don't know that it's a kids book; while I think children could enjoy it just as much as I did, I wonder if some of the humor would go over their heads. I had a good time, though.
June 25, 2025
DNF at 39 pages.
Bear and Mole live in the woods. They live together but have a type of odd couple relationship. Mole is constantly calling Bear names like noodle head and dundermuffin. It does not come off as endearing. Then you have what I’m assuming is a Sasquatch come into the picture and he’s a behemoth. I do like this book for vocabulary challenges and showing lots of words that mean the same thing. But other than this, the bear is looking for culture, which I understand, and the mole is like “redneck” in the woods. I just don’t vibe with this dynamic and find it’s a little mean spirited. So I chose to DNF this book.
Bear and Mole live in the woods. They live together but have a type of odd couple relationship. Mole is constantly calling Bear names like noodle head and dundermuffin. It does not come off as endearing. Then you have what I’m assuming is a Sasquatch come into the picture and he’s a behemoth. I do like this book for vocabulary challenges and showing lots of words that mean the same thing. But other than this, the bear is looking for culture, which I understand, and the mole is like “redneck” in the woods. I just don’t vibe with this dynamic and find it’s a little mean spirited. So I chose to DNF this book.
June 25, 2025
Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for letting me review this book. Luis and Pablo are best friends living together in the woods. Luis wishes there were more things to do in the woods and asks Pablo thought provoking questions to which Pablo answers and thinks Luis isn’t very smart; calling him a pea brain. Luis gets tickets to see a movie in the big city and tries to get several of his friends to go, without luck. Luis sets off while Pablo stays at home. He thinks he’ll enjoy the solitude but realizes he misses Luis; so decides to join him. They learn about the big city and about friendships. Even though you won’t agree on everything, you can still be friends.
April 9, 2025
Thank you Netgalley for providing an ARC 🌻
Wow, I enjoyed it so much!
It was humorous, thought-provoking, and deep, all while being silly and fun. I laughed out loud and even had to share parts and quotes with friends because, wow, it was that good.
In some parts, I had to pause for a moment and reflect...
The characters were fun to get to know (and sometimes uncannily relatable—I mean, really, how do we distinguish a light meal from a large snack?)
The art was clear, with vivid colors and a nice flow.
Overall, an incredibly enjoyable read.
Wow, I enjoyed it so much!
It was humorous, thought-provoking, and deep, all while being silly and fun. I laughed out loud and even had to share parts and quotes with friends because, wow, it was that good.
In some parts, I had to pause for a moment and reflect...
The characters were fun to get to know (and sometimes uncannily relatable—I mean, really, how do we distinguish a light meal from a large snack?)
The art was clear, with vivid colors and a nice flow.
Overall, an incredibly enjoyable read.
April 29, 2025
“Into the Bewilderness” is a fun and heartwarming graphic novel with a colorful art style and lots of charm.
The story follows Luis, a good-natured bear who dreams of seeing the Big City. When he wins tickets to a play there, he sets off on an adventure, accompanied by his grumpy best friend, Pablo.
Luis’s and Pablo’s journey is entertaining and made for a great middle grade book that I can definitely recommend reading.
Thank you to the publisher for providing me a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
The story follows Luis, a good-natured bear who dreams of seeing the Big City. When he wins tickets to a play there, he sets off on an adventure, accompanied by his grumpy best friend, Pablo.
Luis’s and Pablo’s journey is entertaining and made for a great middle grade book that I can definitely recommend reading.
Thank you to the publisher for providing me a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
June 7, 2025
This book is such a fun whimsical novel about two friends who go on an adventure to the big city. Everyday is the same two unlikely friends, a bear and a mole. They navigate the familiarity of the everyday life, while one friend is content with the mundane routine of everyday life, one is not. Bear wants to explore the big city. After he wins tickets to a show in the city, he and his friend mole, journey through the forest on an adventure to the big city, making new memories along the way! Such a fun book for any age! I recommend it for all ages!
June 25, 2025
Into the Bewilderness is a visually rich and emotionally thoughtful graphic novel. Gus Gordon weaves a tender story full of whimsy, quiet humor, and heart, all set against beautifully illustrated pages that invite you to slow down and take it all in. The characters are quirky and endearing, and the message—about friendship, curiosity, and embracing the unknown—lingers long after the final page. I would’ve loved just a bit more depth in some story beats, but overall, it’s a wonderful, meaningful read that’s perfect for fans of offbeat, soulful adventures.
July 8, 2025
✨Book Review✨
🌳Into the Bewilderness🌳
My thoughts:
🤔 I really liked the illustrations and the how-to-draw pages in the back of the book.
🤔 I think this one is intended for young readers, but the content is pretty strange and dark sometimes. Some of the vocabulary and concepts are quite challenging for young readers as well.
🤔The humor is pretty mean instead of funny, and I didn’t like that Turnip slaps Luis.
🥰Thank you to HarperCollins Children’s Books/HarperAlley @harperalley and @NetGalley for this gifted eARC in exchange for an honest review.
🌳Into the Bewilderness🌳
My thoughts:
🤔 I really liked the illustrations and the how-to-draw pages in the back of the book.
🤔 I think this one is intended for young readers, but the content is pretty strange and dark sometimes. Some of the vocabulary and concepts are quite challenging for young readers as well.
🤔The humor is pretty mean instead of funny, and I didn’t like that Turnip slaps Luis.
🥰Thank you to HarperCollins Children’s Books/HarperAlley @harperalley and @NetGalley for this gifted eARC in exchange for an honest review.
August 29, 2025
I'm not sure this quite knew what audience it was going for? It's supposedly aimed at kids but a lot of the humor felt like it missed the mark for that age group. In fact, a lot of the humor felt like it missed the mark in general. The friendship between Luis and Pedro is just very uncomfortable for most of the book. I love a good snark with friends, but Pedro is just a straight up jerk. Yes he sort of learns his lesson in the end, but only after being a huge jerk with pretty much no consequences.
July 11, 2025
*I received a free ARC from the publisher through NetGalley in exchange for my honest review*
This is the type of book that doesn't have a clear target audience. The talking animals make it seem like a children's story but the plot and type of humor are more directed at an adolescent/young adult age group. This was filled with my type of humor and I found myself laughing out loud on a few occasions. Their misunderstanding of the Little Mermaid was especially funny. Two big thumbs up!
This is the type of book that doesn't have a clear target audience. The talking animals make it seem like a children's story but the plot and type of humor are more directed at an adolescent/young adult age group. This was filled with my type of humor and I found myself laughing out loud on a few occasions. Their misunderstanding of the Little Mermaid was especially funny. Two big thumbs up!
August 5, 2025
I really liked the fun humor, bits of philosophy (mainly in existentialism), and the cozy vibe.
While Luis could be a bit delulu, Pablo could be very rude. He constantly called his friend out of his name (different friends have different dynamics, but it felt meanspirited since Luis never referred to Pablo negatively). I was glad the book made him apologize eventually for another action.
Ultimately, I had fun reading this. Wonderfully dumb in a good way!
While Luis could be a bit delulu, Pablo could be very rude. He constantly called his friend out of his name (different friends have different dynamics, but it felt meanspirited since Luis never referred to Pablo negatively). I was glad the book made him apologize eventually for another action.
Ultimately, I had fun reading this. Wonderfully dumb in a good way!
April 28, 2025
This was a super cute graphic novel about getting out of your comfort zone and going on an adventure to the big city. The illustrations are adorable and Luis and Pablo’s friendship is just so sweet.
Thanks to HarperAlley and Netgalley for the complimentary copy of this book. All opinions in this review are my own.
Thanks to HarperAlley and Netgalley for the complimentary copy of this book. All opinions in this review are my own.
August 1, 2025
A lovely little gem of a book. Sort of Frog & Toad meets Calvin & Hobbes.
Recommended for kids in 4th+. It looks like it should skew younger, but the characters occasionally say things like "We are just biological matter, spinning senselessly on a tiny rock in a corner of an indifferent universe. It's an elegant chaos, but chaos all the same." (pg 85)
Recommended for kids in 4th+. It looks like it should skew younger, but the characters occasionally say things like "We are just biological matter, spinning senselessly on a tiny rock in a corner of an indifferent universe. It's an elegant chaos, but chaos all the same." (pg 85)
Displaying 1 - 30 of 60 reviews