Bone, Vol. 1: Out From Boneville [Paperback]

Jeff Smith (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: February 1, 2005 | Age Range: 11 and up

The cornerstone of GRAPHIX, our new graphic novel imprint, BONE is the incredible comic book saga of the unwitting hero who must save an idyllic valley from the forces of evil.

The BONE adventures tell the story of a young bone boy, Fone Bone, and his two cousins, Phoney Bone and Smiley Bone, who are banned from their homeland of Boneville. When the cousins find themselves mysteriously trapped in a wonderful but often terrifying land filled with secrets and danger - and special new friendships - they are soon caught up in adventures beyond their wildest dreams.

In OUT FROM BONEVILLE, the three Bone cousins are separated and lost in a vast uncharted desert. One by one, they find their way into a deep, forested valley where they come face to face with...

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

The nine-volume Bone graphic novel series was the toast of the comics world when it was published by Smith's own Cartoon Books beginning in the early 1990s; in this first volume of Scholastic's new edition, the original b&w art has been beautifully converted into color. Smith's epic concerns three blobby creatures who have stumbled into a valley full of monsters, magic, farmers, an exiled princess and a huge, cynical dragon. The story is something like a Chuck Jones version of The Lord of the Rings: hilarious and action-packed, but rarely losing track of its darker subtext about power and evil. This volume is the most lighthearted of the bunch, though, featuring some of the wittiest writing of any children's literature in recent memory--a few of Smith's gags are so delicious that he repeated them for the rest of the series. It also introduces the Bone cast's unforgettable supporting characters: the leathery, tough-as-nails, racing-cow-breeding Gran'ma Ben; the carnivorous but quiche-loving "rat creatures"; a spunky trio of baby opossums; and Ted the Bug, whose minimalist appearance (a tiny semicircle) exemplifies Smith's gift for less-is-more cartooning. The way his clear-lined, exaggerated characters contrast with their subtle, detailed backgrounds is a product of his background in animation, and so is his mastery of camera angles and choreography. This is first-class kid lit: exciting, funny, scary and resonant enough that it will stick with readers for a long time. (Feb.)
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.

From School Library Journal

Grade 5 Up–A whimsical journey, cunningly told. It combines fable with American legend in a tale of greed, friendship, and struggle. The story follows three cousins who have been thrown out of their town for cheating the citizens. Shortly thereafter, they are separated. Each Bone stumbles into a mysterious valley full of odd creatures that reveal strange happenings. The story is well paced with smooth transitions. It is dark, witty, mysterious, and exciting. The full-color art reflects that of classic comic books; one glance at the comic cels and one is reminded of old Disney and "Peanuts" cartoons. However, the animation and fresh story line put Smith in a league of his own.–Scott La Counte, Anaheim Public Library, CA
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Age Range: 11 and up
  
• Paperback: 144 pages
• Publisher: Scholastic; First Edition edition (February 1, 2005)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0439706408
• ISBN-13: 978-0439706407
• Product Dimensions: 9 x 6.2 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 12 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (53 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #6,509 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #68 in Books > Children's Books > Science Fiction & Fantasy > Comics & Graphic Novels

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

38 of 40 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent work by Jeff Smith February 23, 2005

By Roger A. Mccoy

Format:Hardcover

If you haven't read the work of Jeff Smith, you are missing out on not only one of the greatest series of comics in recent memory, but what may be the greatest fantasy epic since the work of J.R.R. Tolkien. I highly recommend picking up Bone in any of its editions, although I lean toward "The Complete Bone" myself. However, there is one significant advantage of the edition listed here that none of the reviewers have mentioned yet (that I've spotted, anyway): This is the first release of Bone in full colour, as opposed to the black-and-white art contained in the previous tomes of the Bone series (with the exception of Rose). This series is so excellent that I'm tempted to get this edition despite already owning the complete black-and-white edition, and I cannot think of higher praise than that.

10 of 11 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Bones Bones Bones! March 9, 2005

A Kid's Review

Format:Hardcover

Bone, by Jeff Smith, is an adventurous book about a lost trio that got split up in a dessert. Fone Bone has to find his friends before two furry monsters eat him! If you like funny comics and strange adventures this is your book! 138 pages of eye-pulling comics are a hysterical way to start your day. If you like this book you will LOVE Jeff Smith's others. Matt Groening (The creator of the Simpsons) says Bone is a great read! Heads up Garfield, you've got a rival!

11 of 13 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Thank you for giving us this wonderful treat March 27, 2005

A Kid's Review

Format:Paperback

This is one of the best comic books of all time. Read it and you will be undoubtably amazed by this funny and unforgetable tale of the three bone cousins. So what are you waiting for? Go ahead and buy it.