Meanwhile

Title: Meanwhile
Author: Jason Shiga
Illustrator: Jason Shiga
Publisher: Amulet Books (Abrams)
Copyright: 2010
Price: $15.95
ISBN: 978-0-8109-8423-3
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Summary and Quick Thoughts: For Jimmy, the story starts with a simple question: should he order chocolate or vanilla ice cream. After this simple choice the reader is launched into a topsy-turvy story as Jimmy discovers a professor and his gadgets. After that, there are even MORE options and story paths to travel. Each variant could take the reader just a minute to read or close to a half an hour to read as you explore options, try something again, or go in circles. Simply put, this is a graphic novel style, Choose Your Own Adventure but on an epic and crazy scale. Fantastic.
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Recommended Audience: Middle school and up.
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Things to be aware of: Cartoon death and destruction.
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Further Thoughts: Oh how do I describe this book? I still think it is something like “Choose Your Own Adventures on steroids.” This is one awesome book and honestly, I think perfect for reluctant readers (if they figure out how it works). The Philosopher Musician and I spent about two hours reading this title after I heard a librarian say she only got 4 pages into it and was proud of herself. I spent two hours reading this book out loud to him and more as I picked it up, followed the story line and decided “I want to do this differently” or “what about this?” The entire time I had this checked out I flipped through it and looked at panels and endings and decided to see if I could land there or just wanted to follow a favorite plot line. Either way, this is a must have and with 3,856 story possibilities, how could you go wrong?
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Bonus: ALA Great Graphic Novel 2011. Pages are not typical paper. These can handle multiple readings (I bet with 3,856 story lines!).

Source: Library copy.