Graphic Novel Review - The Great Cow Race (Bone, book 2) by Jeff Smith (4.5/5 stars)

Reading level: Middle Grade
Genre: Graphic Novel/Fantasy
Size:  144 pages
Publisher: GRAPHIX
Release Date: August 1, 2005
ISBN-13: 978-0439706391
Stand Alone or Series: 2nd book in Bone series (9 books total)
Source: Borrowed from Library
Rating: 4.5/5 stars

This is the second Bone graphic novel out of nine.  This was a great addition to the story and I enjoyed it thoroughly.

Fone Bone and his buddies are getting ready for the Great Cow Race.  Grandma is hoping to win, but Phoney Bone is creating some money mischief in the betting pool that is bound to get the Bones in trouble again.  In addition to this the broader more mysterious storyline is also added to: Thorne is having strange dreams that she confesses to Fone Bone and Fone Bone is again attacked by the Rat-like creatures whose purpose is yet unknown.  Even our friendly cigar smoking red dragon makes a brief appearance.

This was a fun installment in the Bone comics series.  Not quite as adventurous and mysterious as the first one, this one was funnier and dealt mainly with the cow races.  Interwoven with that are some more serious story elements such as what the deal is with Thorne's strange dreams and why their house was attacked and destroyed by the rat creatures.

The drawing is well done, just like in the first book.  There is a lot of humor here mixed up with the more serious stuff.  This is a graphic novel appropriate for all ages.

Overall a great addition to this series.  I have really been enjoying it a lot.  Eventually I think I am going to have to buy keeper copies of these (I've been getting them from the library).  I look forward to reading the third book, Eyes of the Storm, soon.