The Loud House # 1: There Will Be Chaos. Chris Savino. 2017. 64 pages. Papercutz Books. [Source: ARC provided courtesy of NetGalley.]
The Loud House is no stranger to my household, so it was a must that we check out its first graphic novel. I was pleasantly surprised to find that this graphic novel is more like an anthology, with the stories focusing on a different child of the Loud household. Admittedly, the idea of a house filled with 11 kids is overwhelming to me, the show is entertaining and carries that same humor to the book.
For those unfamiliar with the Loud House television show, this book gives a short and sweet intro to the Loud family in the beginning. There is a brief bio about each of the 11 Loud children that provides some context for their personality type in addition to their ages. At the end of the book, the reader is introduced to the creator, Chris Savino, whose own childhood many of the stories are based upon. The book also took a creative approach to the contents of the book, with a fridge serving as the hub of information. The table of contents is actually presented as a “shopping list” and “report card” — fitting for a family of so many kids.
The first thing to jump out at me was how familiar its format is. For anyone who remembers the “Choose Your Own Adventure” books of the of the 1970s and ’80s, this will harken you back to your youth. There is one major storyline featuring Lincoln searching for a remote that allows the reader to bounce throughout the book, with their next step in the story directing them to a different page. Be careful, though, there are dead ends! The rest of the book is made of shorts that feature other siblings in the Loud family. While the show focuses a great deal on Lincoln as he tries to survive live with ten sisters, each sister gets her time in the spotlight, in a way that is true to her own personality and interests.
The illustrations are near identical to the series, as the same team put together the book. The images are crisp with strong color contrast throughout. Although the book is subtitled “There will be chaos,” this doesn’t translate to the images. There is a flow that makes each story distinct and visually appealing.
Overall, I absolutely recommend this for the kid in your life. Whether they’re already a fan of The Loud House or not, they’ll probably find something to relate to in this set of stories.
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