Donut the Destroyer: A Graphic Novel

by Sarah Graley, Stef Purenins

Overview

A hilarious and unique graphic novel of friendship, family, and what happens when you defy and exceed expectations.

Donut (middle name: The; last name: Destroyer) has a heart of gold and incredible strength. She lives in a world where everyone is born with a special ability and can choose whether to develop it for good or evil. Donut has just received the best news of her life — she's been accepted to Lionheart School for Heroes! But her parents are the most infamous villains around, and her best friend, Ivy, can't understand why Donut would choose a life of boring heroism and ruin their plans to cause chaos. Donut is determined to prove that, despite her last name, she's meant to go her own way and be a hero. Meanwhile, Ivy cooks up a plan to get Donut kicked out of Lionheart — and back on track to villainy!

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781338541922
Publisher:	Scholastic, Inc.
Publication date:	06/02/2020
Pages:	192
Sales rank:	343,519
Product dimensions:	5.90(w) x 8.70(h) x 0.60(d)
Lexile:	GN350L (what's this?)
Age Range:	8 - 12 Years

About the Author

Stef Purenins is a comics writer, letterer, designer, and color assistant who lives in Birmingham, UK, with four cats and his partner, Sarah! He co-writes Our Super Adventure, and he also letters and color assists some of her other comics, too!
Sarah Graley is a cartoonist who lives in Birmingham, UK, with four cats and her partner, Stef! She’s the creator of books like Glitch, Kim Reaper, and her long-running diary comic Our Super Adventure. She was the artist on the first official Minecraft graphic novel, and the writer and artist on the Diamond Gem Award-nominated Rick and Morty comics miniseries Lil’ Poopy Superstar. Visit Sarah online at sarahgraley.com.

Editorial Reviews

05/04/2020

In a world in which everyone has a special power and must choose to walk the path of a villain or a hero, Donut’s choice seems set in stone: her parents are infamous, and her family boasts a full-blown legacy as evil-doers. But super-strong Donut (“Middle name: the,/ Last name: Destroyer”) has one goal in mind: to become a hero. Excited for her first day at the Lionheart School for Heroes, Donut is determined to immerse herself in training and become a super prefect. Her well-meaning parents prove skeptical but supportive (“We agreed we’d let Donut get this out of her system”), but longtime best friend Ivy, feeling abandoned and wanting Donut for her own chaotic plans, schemes to get her kicked out of hero school. Along with a chunky drawing style and pink-tinged palette, Purenins (Our Super Adventure) and Graley (Glitch) place their mutual penchant for antics (demonic rituals in the home) and absurd banter (“The living room has far superior energy than the basement... for wrangling up the undead”) on full display. And their underlying message—the importance of forging one’s own path, for better or for worse—is a heartwarming one. Final art not seen by PW. Ages 8–12. Agent (for author and illustrator): Steven Salpeter, Curtis Brown. (June)

Publishers Weekly

Praise for Donut the Destroyer:"A strong role model who has the self-confidence to change tracks despite her friends and family's expectations, Donut will readily endear herself to readers." — School Library Journal"This graphic novel is full of school drama, friendship, and epic battles of good and evil... A sweet fish-out-of-water, new-school romp." — The Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books"Graley's artwork is immediately disarming, setting the tone with all the comfort and character of a Matt Groening cartoon — and the humor, too." — BooklistPraise for Glitch:"Sarah Graley is a formidable talent. She has an enormously deft hand at comedic timing, expression, and color." — Kate Beaton, #1 New York Times bestselling author of Hark! A Vagrant"The bright, rich color palette matches the upbeat and zany personality of the characters, game world, and conflict." — Kirkus Reviews"A fun and vibrant adventure comic for fans of video games, adventure, or friendship tales." — School Library Journal"The story's greatest strength is Graley's strong sense of humor, as Izzy's hilarious commentary on everything from her parents to video-game culture is spot-on and delightful. An epic win." — Booklist

From the Publisher

03/01/2020

Gr 3–6—Donut shocks her friends and family when she chooses to use her super strength for good, not evil. Her family has proudly stuck to the path of villainy (except for Uncle Eric, who opted to become an accountant). But in this world, everyone has the right to decide between a life of good and evil, so rebellious Donut enrolls in Lionheart School for Heroes. Her reputation makes her an outcast at first, but she soon realizes that fighting for good is what she wants. Though she's torn between her own desires and her family's expectations, Donut proves that she can stand tall as the hero she wants to become. The sharpest emotional hooks of the story involve Donut's toxic friendship with villain Ivy and her new Lionheart friends, who struggle with feelings of inferiority. While sympathetic, characters are fairly one-dimensional, though everyone grows a little by the story's end. Bright colors, eye-catching highlights, and broad facial expressions make for clear emotional cues, and scenes of fantasy slapstick add appropriate dashes of action. VERDICT A strong role model who has the self-confidence to change tracks despite her friends and family's expectations, Donut will readily endear herself to readers.—Thomas Maluck, Richland Library, SC

School Library Journal