The Unsinkable Walker Bean


ISBN 978-1596434530  $13.99(US) 

Buy it HERE

“Be prepared. You’re going to love it.” - Brian Selznick

“Aaron’s work makes me feel ten years old again. ” - Lane Smith

“Outrageous and wonderful!” - Jeff Smith

"Anyone who has said that pirates are an overused motif in youth literature has not yet met Walker Bean." 

Starred Review - Kirkus Reviews


At first glance, this graphic novel looks like a mishmash of time-honored seafaring fantasy-adventure tropes: ancient curses with vague hints of Atlantis and a lost treasure; pirates more loveable than rascally pitted against greedy starched-shirt colonial naval types; and of course the outwardly meek but plucky-under-fire boy hero. But while Renier certainly hits all of those notes, he isn’t content to simply let the story coast once under way"which takes only a panel or two to get cracking. Instead, he keeps throwing newer and neater elements into the fray.

Starred Review - Booklist



"Renier’s tale is a youngster’s dream: adventure with a capital A. "
Starred Review - School Library Journal

This rip-roaring tale of swashbuckling adventure from the Eisner Award winning Renier offers up a story line and art of equally intriguing depth. It is colonial times, and Walker Bean must help his grandfather, who’s been cursed by a pair of witchy undersea lobster-women named Tartessa and Remora, by returning a magical skull to the mysterious Mango Islands. Stowing away on a ship, Walker teams up with a dog named Perrogi (obviously drawn with the affection of a dog lover), a boy named Shiv, and a tough-talking girl named Genoa. Renier’s dynamic drawings are rich in detail; readers will get lost in the winding streets of colonial towns, island hideaways, natural history collections, exuberant panoramas of action. Renier lets his imagination lead the way, throwing maps and illustrated clues throughout this seafaring world, and setting up all manner of surprises and danger for Walker. 
Starred Review - Publisher's Weekly


Among the pleasures of this graphic adventure novel are the scene-stealing “evil merwitch sisters,” who appear in the first pages with snaggleteeth and glowing eyes, snipping their prey in half with lobster claws. Please, tell us more. Walker Bean, an intrepid lad on a mission from his grandfather, must outwit the merwitches, not to mention a cackling skull in a sack. The action is occasionally confusing and the cast a touch overcrowded, but this is an authentically exciting seagoing yarn in graphic form and there should be more like it.
- The New York Times
 

Spiral-Bound

ISBN 1-891830-50-3  $14.95(US) 

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"Brilliant! Aaron Renier has created a playfully mysterious universe, complete with its own dreamlike logic. It's a delightfully inventive treasure." -- Dav Pilkey, Author of Captain Underpants

"Aaron Renier's Spiral-Bound is exactly the sort of novel I have been looking for when the weather outside is glum and I want to spend the afternoon on my couch with Nico on the stereo and a pot of toasted rice tea simmering on the end table. If you want anything more from a graphic novel than a noble elephant, a shadowy mystery, an intrepid bird, an underwater monster, an impeccable rabbit, an underground tram, a devoted dog, an aquatic sculptor, a corrupt mayor, a maze of secrets, a secret maze and not one but two performances by my new favorite musical ensemble Kodiak & Calico, you should be ashamed of yourself." --Lemony Snicket, Author of a Series of Unfortunate Events

"Top Shelf has a real winner with Aaron Renier's delightful, action-packed graphic novel for all ages. Innocence and naiveté dominate the character traits of the cast of cute, anthropomorphic characters while the meaning of friendship and loyalty is explored. The fast-paced tale unfolds through detailed illustrations on pages meant to resemble lined, spiral notebook paper, hence the title. The main characters are Turnip, an insecure little elephant; Stucky, a confident, friendly hound; Ana, an aspiring, investigative bunny reporter; and Emily, the clever little bird photographer experiencing self-discovery. They tap into their own creativity and resourcefulness, but they also learn of the destructive power of too much ambition. Spiral-Bound is entertaining without being didactic and is highly recommended for all youth graphic novel collections within public and school libraries. Even adult readers will identify with the angst experienced by the loveable characters and celebrate the happy resolution of the mystery." -- Jeannine Wiese, Ingram Library Services

"Spiral-Bound is a lush magical landscape. It rekindles the quintessential childhood experience -- of exploring a mysterious new neighborhood street, or cozying up in a favorite tree-fort or secret hangout -- and revels in the details. It reminds us of the joy of discovery, and of finding oneself." -- Craig Thompson, Author of Blankets

"Has another graphic novelist sprung fully armed from the head of Zeus? It sure seems that way. Aaron Renier's first graphic novel reminds me of Homer Price, The Mad Scientist Club books, Harriet The Spy, and the books of Daniel Pinkwater. Like them, Spiral-Bound stars young heroes in a vividly imagined setting. Estabrook is a city where hopes pan out, goodness is rewarded, and where there are many opportunities for art, adventure, comedy, and uncovering dark secrets...that aren't too dark, and, in fact, end up being a blast. All this is executed with a visual sense of wonder and fun that's reminiscent of Lewis Trondheim and Joann Sfar. A great debut!" -- Chris Duffy, Nickelodeon Magazine Senior Editor

"Aaron's great drawings and strong story is just what this world needs. Especially now, because I have kids and I'd rather move to an igloo at the North Pole than raise them in a world without good comic books." -- Tony Millionaire, Author of Sock Monkey 

"Renier has created an intense, suspenseful yet child-friendly mystery that is full of twists and turns ... if readers aren't too careful, they might find themselves pondering some of life's deepest questions along with the pleasure of the story." -- Cooperative Children's Book Center

Somewhere between a Richard Scarry picture-book and Craig Thompson's Good-bye, Chunky Rice is Aaron Renier's Spiral-Bound (Top Shelf), a lighthearted but story-dense book about a group of young anthropomorphic animals dealing with everything from the local monster to their own creativity. Renier's gentle tone and rounded-off, cartoony art makes this seem like a book for kids, but his storytelling is sophisticated, his characters are winning and sympathetic, and his bizarre conceits--like the whale who teaches art classes from a giant truck-mounted fishbowl--are a constant source of surprises. -- The Onion

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