CITY OF SPIES
First Second Books Graphic Novel May 2010
One of the Best Books of the Year for Children--
Scripps Howard News Service
Chosen for the Maverick Graphic Novel Reading List by the Texas Library Association
"A terrific adventure story...Rip-roaring fun."
--Publishers Weekly (starred)
"Told with seat-of-the-pants, graphic-novel immediacy, [this] is an artful melding of jewel-box illustration with noir atmosphere--Tintin directed by Hitchcock. Still, the story's slant is all its own...The snappy, uncluttered tale has a rousing visual flow and plot depth on a variety of fronts. Plus, the Nazis wind up swimming with the fishes. Pow! Pow! Pow!"
--Kirkus Reviews
"A sophisticated spin on classic boys' adventure...A tale filled not only with a thrilling sense of excitement but also with a child's longing for a grown-up to believe in."
--Booklist (Starred)
"A strong book...The plot is engaging...the tale has an authentic feel."
--School Library Journal
"A story with a lot more depth and emotion than I expected or even imagined...It's truly a beautiful, moving book. For both Young Adults and old ones. And it's got tons of super-heroics and spy smashing, too."
--ComicBook Resources.com
"[A] very winning graphic novel...A most satisfying read that I hope receives many accolades as the year continues."
--Bookslut.com
"Kim and Klavan's story is thrilling, while the illustrations by Pascal Dizin (Hilary Sycamore added the color) pay wonderful homage to Herge's "Tintin" books."
--Seattle Times
"An exciting story in which two kids' spunk and ingenuity triumph over the adult bad guys...I look forward to seeing this team together again."
--Detroit News
"[An] excellent graphic novel—it has a great plot, interesting characters and fantastic artwork."
--Wired.com
"It is hard to know which to praise more in 'City of Spies,' the grand, old-fashioned story crafted by Susan Kim and Laurence Klavan, or the enchanting artwork by Pascal Dizin...The tale of Nazi spies in New York is full of a Golden-Age Hollywood ambiance, like some lost Hitchcock or Hawks film. Mixing romance, humor, suspense, and pathos, this graphic novel should be handed out to every young reader you know—after you’ve enjoyed it yourself."
--Asimov's Science Fiction
"[A] charming yarn...Dizin's bright, clean palette pops in this pitch-perfect portrait of wartime Gotham."
--AM New York
"Page-turning entertainment...A pleasant surprise."
--100 Scope Notes blog
"A winner...solid thrills...The book really worked on all levels for me."
--Comics Waiting Room 4.0 blog
"[A] wonderful story that brings back the olden days of comics...Recommended..."
--Chapters.Indigo.ca blog