Emiline: Knight in Training

by Kimberli Johnson

Overview

Emiline is a charming, dyslexia-friendly children's story about learning to read, told in a traditional, watercolored style reminiscent of Beatrix Potter and Garth Williams.

Emiline is learning how to be a knight. There are many skills that knights need: sword fighting, unicorn riding, and PB&J eating! While Emiline is very good at these, she has a hard time reading. But when fixing a dangerous situation means Emiline must read some magic words, she discovers that with practice, curiosity, and help from her friends, she can improve at reading and save the day!

Emiline has been developed to be easier to read for children with dyslexia, including a dyslexia-friendly font and low-contrast art.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781620106440
Publisher:	Oni Press
Publication date:	07/09/2019
Pages:	40
Sales rank:	1,250,615
Product dimensions:	6.20(w) x 9.20(h) x 0.40(d)
Age Range:	6 - 10 Years

About the Author

Kimberli Johnson has always loved to create stories and draw. When she was young, she always had new stories to tell, but writing them was difficult because she has dyslexia. Through hard work and the support of teachers and family, she is here creating comics for young readers. Kimberli grew up and currently lives in what used to be the Wild West, with her cat, dog, and horse. She loves telling stories through art, drawing cute critters and magical folk.

Editorial Reviews

"A perfect book for all who have cardboard or plastic swords under our beds."

Jeremy Bastian (Cursed Pirate Girl)

"The story, which is about problem solving and perseverance, will engage even the most reluctant reader and quite possibly inspire them as well."

J. Torres (Teen Titans Go!

Emiline is a beautiful fairytale that will encourage children to discover their gifts, and find the strength it takes to overcome their personal challenges.

Katie O'Neill

Emiline shows us how important it is to keep trying, no matter what, and that the more we try the more we can help those around us.

Hannah Lavender (Over the Garden Wall)

"A sweet story for budding comics and fantasy fans."

Sara Varon (Robot Dreams)

Find a quiet place to read and enter a watercolor world of spells, dragon eggs, and a challenge that must be faced alone."

Jess Smart Smiley (Let’s Make Comics! An Activity Book to Create

06/28/2019

K-Gr 2-Emiline is a young knight in training, with brown skin and textured hair worn in two puffs. Though she has mastered many skills, she struggles with reading. She is dyslexic and sees words as a floating jumble. Emiline's learning disability distresses her, but her supportive teacher and classmates offer encouragement and focus on her many strengths. Dreamy watercolors depict the knights in training embarking on a quest to move mountain dragon eggs. Their journey is filled with lush backdrops with mystical flora and fauna. As Emiline practices her reading, she makes slow but steady progress. When her class encounters a plant that induces sleep, Emiline must act quickly to deliver the eggs safely. Emiline is brave, compassionate, and determined—traits that will empower readers with learning disabilities themselves. A dyslexic-friendly font makes the story inviting to readers of all abilities. VERDICT This graphic novel is a solid purchase for most collections and will resonate with readers who have learning disabilities and those who enjoy fantasy and adventure.-Samantha Lumetta, Public Library of Cincinnati and Hamilton County, OH

School Library Journal

2019-05-22
A brave young knight-in-training persists through her struggles to learn to read in this elementary-level graphic novel.

"Once upon a time…" there was a knight-in-training named Emiline, tan-skinned, with puffy brown hair, riding a purple unicorn. When she encounters a gate with written instructions, the words jumble together as she tries to read them. A classmate reads it for her, but Emiline feels discouraged. Her teacher, a woman with pink-toned skin and wavy purple hair, assures Emiline that she is smart even if it is taking her a while to learn to read. She is also learning the most important parts of being a knight, like sharing. Emiline spends more time practicing her reading, telling herself, "I can do hard things." During the students' next adventure, the group encounters danger when everyone but Emiline begins to fall asleep. She realizes it is because of the moon flowers, which she read about. The only one awake, Emiline must get the group to safety, mastering one more reading task along the way. The soft watercolors and pastel color scheme make this a gentle read suitable for younger children. Emiline's struggles and triumph will find resonance with some readers, but many will not have the patience to follow her quest due to the absences of a strong personality and clear story direction.

Sweet and thick with lessons but unlikely to find a large readership. (Graphic fantasy. 6-9)

Kirkus Reviews

Read More