Mr. Big: a Tale of Pond Life

September 24, 2012
Ten years ago, the husband-and-wife team of Carol and Matt Dembicki self-published a 20-page comic about a snapping turtle, Mr. Big, and his pond. This compilation unites that story and several that followed, newly colored by Jason Axtell. Themes of life, death, and balance within nature run throughout, and the major story line follows an attempt by some of Mr. Big’s fellow pond denizens to evict him (“How much destruction has he caused? How many more must perish?” asks the mother of two young fish that got too close to Mr. Big’s territory). But in trying to remove the devil they know, the animals create openings for unpredictable new predators, including an invasive snakehead fish (“This world is vastly different than his. But he adapts... quickly”). Filled with naturalistic detail, Matt Dembicki’s artwork switches perspectives fluidly, moving above and below the water to stay close to the action; during a climactic underwater battle, his panels churn and bend, as though warped by the force of the combatants’ movement. Although the story’s ecological message lands a bit heavily, it’s a lavish portrait of a vigorous ecosystem. Ages 7–10. (Oct.)■

September 15, 2012
Pond dwellers beware! Mr. Big's on the prowl. Spring begins the cycle of life that continues night and day in the pond. Small creatures are born, and some fall prey to Mr. Big, a large common snapping turtle. The fish and frogs tire of losing friends and family to the predations of Mr. Big, so they ask the crows to get rid of him. The crayfish warn that there's a natural order; if the crows succeed, something worse may come along to take Mr. Big's place. Even before the crows agree to help, rumors of a giant predator fish begin to circulate. Is the fearsome fish real? Will it fight Mr. Big? Will the crows try to take over? Only Nature knows. The Dembickis, a husband-and-wife team, craft a graphic novel grounded in the natural world that explains the food chain and pond ecosystems on a middle-grade level with a minimum of anthropomorphism. They successfully tackle the concepts of invasive species (the big fish is an Asian snakehead) and West Nile virus. With a mix of full-bleed, captioned pages and splashy graphic panels rendered in vibrant natural colors, the struggle against Mr. Big will hold attention while sneakily imparting a science lesson or two. Solid science-based adventure. (foreword, introduction, afterword) (Graphic fiction. 7-11)

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November 15, 2012
Grades 3-6 Devastated by the loss of their children and determined not to let any other creature die, the fish make a desperate bargain with the crows for the murder of Mr. Big, the pond's resident snapping turtle. But the crayfish know that Mr. Big serves a purpose, and with him gone, what new horror will take his place? The Dembickis' graphic novel started out as a series of minicomics, growing from an experience Carol had while volunteering at a summer camp. The first two stories were clearly written as stand-alones, though they fit well with the main story. There is enough anthropomorphizing to make the tale appealing to fantasy readers, enough suspense to catch the attention of those who like drama, and all the nature that budding environmentalists could ask for. The bold art uses unique perspectives, varying fonts, strong outlines, and a realistically green palette to bring to life the world of one small pond. An afterword explains about the balance of life. Recommend this to fans of Jay Hosler's Clan Apis (2000).(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2012, American Library Association.)