Great Expectations: The Graphic Novel, Quick Text

by Charles Dickens, John Stokes (Illustrator), Jason Cardy (Illustrator), Clive Bryant (Editor)

Overview

This quick graphic adaptation of Great Expectations encourages readers to enjoy classical literature while remaining faithful to Charles Dickens' original work. Readers follow the wonderful tale of Pip, Miss Havisham, and the spiteful Estella at their own pace. Alternative text versions are offered for different reading levels and teacher resources are available with lesson plans and activities for students from grade 6 and up. The striking color artwork captures the ambiance of Victorian life and makes the story more accessible than ever.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781906332600
Publisher:	Classical Comics
Publication date:	08/04/2009
Series:	Classical Comics: Quick Text
Pages:	160
Sales rank:	405,165
Product dimensions:	6.60(w) x 9.60(h) x 0.60(d)
Age Range:	9 - 17 Years

About the Author

Charles Dickens (1812-1870) is probably the greatest novelist England has ever produced, the author of such famous books as A Christmas Carol, Hard Times, Great Expectations, David Copperfield, and Oliver Twist. His innate comic genius and shrewd depictions of Victorian life — along with his indelible characters — have made his books beloved by readers the world over. Dickens was born in Landport, Portsea, England and died in Kent after suffering a stroke. The second of eight children of a family continually plagued by debt, the young Dickens came to know hunger, privation, and the horrors of the infamous debtors' prison and the evils of child labor. These unfortunate early life experiences helped shape many of his greatest works.

Date of Birth:

February 7, 1812

Date of Death:

June 18, 1870

Place of Birth:

Portsmouth, England

Place of Death:

Gad's Hill, Kent, England

Education:

Home-schooling; attended Dame School at Chatham briefly and Wellington

Editorial Reviews

Gr 7 Up–This classic tale is condensed into a fast-paced format that, in the Original Text, still contains much of Dickens’s original phrasing. The language remains the real charm of the story–Pip is not a terribly likable character, as he is far too concerned with station and class and is too easily ashamed of his past–and the adaptation works wonderfully as an abridgment accompanied by expressive artwork that accurately depicts the era. Notes at the end offer more information about Dickens’s time and the political climate that form the context for the novel. Quick Text is a plain-language translation that reads well and is likely to attract a more reluctant audience. While the adaptation of the story is still good, it is a shame to lose the author’s original words; the art makes the action and situations clear enough without further watering down the text. Unfortunately, the Quick Text cover is much more intriguing than the Original Text. The latter is recommended for libraries looking to expand their graphic-novel selections into the classics, with the former recommended only where reluctant readers are the majority of the comics audience.–Alana Abbott, James Blackstone Memorial Library, Branford, CT

School Library Journal