The Adventures of Blanche by Richard Geary, Dark Horse Comics, 2009. 978-1595822581

Summary: Blanche, a young piano prodigy, writes letters home describing her adventures traveling all over the world.

Analysis: This is fun, but was originally published as short "extras" in between Geary's historical graphic novels, and I think it loses something in being all in one place. The episodes feel too short as chapters of a longer work. But individually they're very nice. Geary works in famous people and places (labor issues in the early days of film, art and literature in 19th century Paris, the construction of the NYC subway system) that are familiar and educational without being didactic or making Blanche come off as too much of a Mary Sue. The oh-so-proper 19th century language and attitudes are delightful.

Illustrations: Pen-and-ink drawings. Geary has an odd way of shading faces that makes it look like the people have cat whiskers, which is a bit distracting until you get used to it.

Rating: 4Q/4P

Curricular connections: Would be a fun tie-in to a middle-school history or literature class studying any of the places and times Blanche visits.

-- SLH