Both Raina Telgemeier’s graphic novel Drama and James Dashner’s Infinity Ring Book 1: A Mutiny in Time are reviewed in this weekend’s New York Times – the latter by Rick Riordan, who knows a thing or two about multi-platform series! (He, of course, penned The 39 Clues!)

Let’s start with Drama:

“Telgemeier’s charming Smile, an autobiographical account of her junior high orthodontic treatment, was a best seller when it came out in 2010…Her latest, and more sophisticated, hobbies-before-hotties book, “Drama,” trades braces for another staple of geek youth — the theater tech crew…In her stories, relatable girls make the first move, add and shed friends according to a niceness-ocracy, and roll with setbacks. Drama has an inspirational message for girls, and…The better Telgemeier’s books sell, the less hand-wringing to do over the next generation. If this is what the youth of America are into, the kids are all right.”

Now, on to Infinity Ring! In his review, Rick Riordan says:

“Admit it. You’ve fantasized about time travel. You’ve wondered what it would be like to visit your own past and slap some sense into your younger self…Young readers, too, understand the allure…Infinity Ring: A Mutiny in Time, by James Dashner, manages to cut a fresh channel in the well-worn time stream…A Mutiny in Time features tight plotting, snappy dialogue and a judicious balance of humor and suspense…The story picks up quickly. The supporting characters aboard the Santa Maria are deftly and colorfully drawn. The ending is satisfying, but also leaves us with a cliffhanger that will have young readers impatient for the second volume.

If you haven’t seen either book trailer yet, well, here’s your chance. I think they’re all well worth the watch!

Drama:

Infinity Ring:

And, the sneak preview of the Infinity Ring online game:

Congratulations, Raina and James!