Review by Booklist Review
Clementine and her robotic brother Digory are desperate to break into the field of archaeology and follow in their deceased parents' footsteps. An old colleague of their parents gives them that chance by entering them into the Ironwood Race, a no-rules, Mad Max-style contest to uncover as many artifacts as quickly as possible. Clem and her brother must outrun and outwit the many other teams to not only prove themselves but also uncover the truth of their parents' death. Clem's backstory and her alien world don't ever really feel properly introduced or established, which might confuse some readers and tap the brakes on this otherwise fast-moving story. But once it does get rolling, the pacing becomes relentless, quickly moving from high-octane races back to treasure hunting. Holgate's adorable and fun illustrations recall the style and execution of Ben Hatke's art in the Zita the Spacegirl series, and they seamlessly shift from the many action and racing scenes to quieter moments. A great addition in the growing number of kids comics with spirited heroines.--Blenski, Peter Copyright 2018 Booklist
From Booklist, Copyright (c) American Library Association. Used with permission.
Review by School Library Journal Review
Gr 3-6-The pair behind Something's Amiss at the Zoo team up once again. Clementine Hetherington is a scrappy, prodigious young teen with a knack for archaeology and fast cars. She lives on a diverse, alternate Earth populated by humans, humanoids, and dinosaurs with her faithful robot companion Digory. Clem and Dig are down on their luck when a shady character from their past finds them with a proposition to win the Ironwood Race-a multiday rally race of competitive archaeology site digging. What follows is a race full of danger, drama, and betrayal. At just over 200 pages, this series opener is all action for more than half of the volume. The galloping pace is perfect until the end, when it screeches to an abrupt halt. However, this won't be enough to sully the experience for most readers. Clem's ultimate discovery of her missing parents' fates is expected, but she's surprised to find out who's responsible. Holgate's illustrations are vibrant and evocative, with clever compositions in each frame. These creators have built a wonderful universe in which to continue Clem and Dig's stories, should they choose, and readers will be glad to ride along. VERDICT A general purchase and an excellent recommendation for reluctant readers.-Taylor Worley, Springfield Public Library, OR © Copyright 2018. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
(c) Copyright Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Review by Horn Book Review
Aspiring archaeologist Clementine--raised on digs all over the world by a now-missing archaeologist mother--and her robot brother escape their orphanage and enter a dangerous car race through desert terrain to recover hidden artifacts. A futuristic Indiana Jonesesque story rolls out in graphic-novel format. Action-packed panels and a dark, ruddy palette capture the adventure's dirt and grit. (c) Copyright 2019. The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
(c) Copyright The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Review by Kirkus Book Review
Young archaeologists Clem and her android brother enter a dangerous race to find priceless artifacts.Fourteen-year-old Clementine Hetherington wants desperately to break into the archaeology field. Not only because she is struggling to find food for herself and "spark" for her android younger brother, Digory, but also to continue their family's legacy after the mysterious deaths of both their parents. When the academy proves unwilling to admit Clem and Dig because they are too young, the siblings are left with frighteningly few options until a nefarious ex-friend, Alistair Kilburn, tells them about the Ironwood Race. Combining desert motor racing and archaeological excavation, the Ironwood is a multi-leg race to find four priceless artifacts, which will go to the victorious team, but for Clem and Dig it also means unearthing treachery as well as treasures. Breach and Holgate have delivered an impossibly energetic graphic novel with action that leaves many a panel in a cloud of dust. A tight narrative arc allows the pacing to shift intensity in all the right places, although it also means many things are left unexplored, such as characters' racial backgrounds (Clem is brown-skinned), Digory's sentience, or the Earth-like but ET-populated and futuristic setting. Archaeology purists may balk a bit, but fun and peril outshine inaccuracies here. The older protagonist and teen-oriented emotional turmoil are balanced by the delightful, adrenaline-charged incongruity of high-stakes excavation and absolutely-no-rules racing for a fairly broad audience.Indiana Jones meets Mad Max in a whirlwind as exciting for teens as it is for middle-grade readers. (Graphic science fiction. 10-16) Copyright Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
