Dungeons & Dragons: Middle Grade Graphic Novel #1: Volume 1

From New York Times bestselling author Molly Knox Ostertag and critically acclaimed illustrator Xanthe Bouma comes an all-new Dungeons & Dragons graphic novel series! Middle school is a dungeon… At least, that's how Jess sees it. Luckily, she and her best friend Olivia know how to escape into the sprawling worlds of their own imaginations. The two friends have always loved making up stories, first with little kid games of make-believe, and more recently with the fantasy roleplaying game, Dungeons & Dragons. When they play, Olivia runs the game as Dungeon Master and Jess is the solo party member, playing a take-no-prisoners, lone-wolf fighter of her own design named Sir Corius. But when Olivia wants to add new players to their group, Jess finds herself struggling to share their game-and her best friend. Will their epic campaign withstand all this change, or has their adventure-and their friendship-finally come to an end? An absolutely wonderful story that exemplifies the joys, challenges, and lifelong memories forged between friends in the creative furnace of roleplaying games. The vibrant, energetic art further elevates the beautiful dichotomy between epic, fantasy adventures and finding one's place in those awkward teenage years. I couldn't help but see much of myself and my own youth in parts of each character as they find their companions in real life through their imaginary adventures, and the sense of unparalleled bonding one finds within a good game group resonates deeply throughout this story. I absolutely loved it. - Matthew Mercer, creator of Critical Role The power D&D has to help you explore and express yourself is on full display in this lovely story of friendship and growing up. - Kat Leyh, author of Snapdragon Perfectly captures the magic when the world you create with your friends becomes as real as the world around you. - Tim Probert, author of the Lightfall series A thrilling and gorgeous adventure that goes straight for your heart. - ND Stevenson, New York Times bestselling author of Nimona What Molly Ostertag and Xanthe Bouma pull off in Dungeon Club is nothing short of astounding. Contained within these magical pages are not one but two amazing stories: fantasy and reality woven masterfully together by Ostertag's spellbinding storytelling. An adventure filled with fun, magic and deep insight into the trials and tribulations of High School, Dungeon Club is what we in the D&D world would call a "Critical Hit"! To everyone who knows that there's always adventure and a little bit of magic just around the corner, this book will be a treasured artifact for years and years to come! - Brennan Lee Mulligan, creator of Dimension 20 Scoring high on charisma, this tale of personal growth is bound to win many a curious young fan over to D&D's allure. - Kirkus Reviews Middle-grade readers intrigued by the cult classic RPG and fans fond of popular campaigns like Adventure Zone and Critical Role will enjoy the message of this series opener: "Monsters are easier to fight when you've got people by your side." - Booklist (starred review) For readers who are fans of or are curious about role-playing games, or those seeking heartwarming stories about friendship and imagination. - School Library Journal