Table Titans Club

by Scott Kurtz

Overview

Growing pains, adventure, and 20-sided dice abound in this new graphic novel series about a middle school Dungeon & Dragons club from Eisner and Harvey award-winning cartoonist Scott Kurtz.

Valeria Winters has an easier time finding trouble than making friends. A fantasy-obsessed nerd with the legendary confidence—and temper—of a Valkyrie, Val promises her mom that things will be different at her new school. “No more fighting!”

As if by fate, she meets the Table Titans right away—Alan, Andrew, and Darius, who run the school’s tabletop gaming club. Finally, Val has found her own adventuring party! And even better . . . a place where she belongs.

So when the future of the club is threatened, Val makes it her personal quest to save the Table Titans. She’ll have to face the fire-breathing wrestling coach and popular girl Kate, who seems out for revenge. Revenge for what? Val has no clue.

As the quest grows more and more complicated, Val wishes she was like her peaceful druid Lulani from the Table Titans' campaign, whose calm voice always prevails. If she loses her cool in real life, Val might lose more than the Table Titans club. She'll have to roll a natural 20 in charisma to keep her new friends together.

Set in the same universe as the Eisner Award-winning webcomic PvP, Scott Kurtz’s artwork blends zany, fantastical visuals with slice-of-life humor. For fans of fantasy and coming of age stories alike, Table Titans finds humor, heart, and adventure in a tale of friendship and finding your people.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780823456819
Publisher:	Holiday House
Publication date:	03/05/2024
Series:	Table Titans Club
Pages:	224
Sales rank:	71,045
Product dimensions:	5.90(w) x 8.90(h) x 0.60(d)
Age Range:	8 - 12 Years

About the Author

Scott Kurtz is an Eisner and Harvey award-winning cartoonist who helped pioneer webcomics with his daily feature, PvP. Since then, Scott has gone on to produce podcasts, animated series, live roleplaying events, and much more. Scott can be found hiding from the coronavirus in the Pacific Northwest but occasionally leaves his studio to enjoy the dog park or visit his family. Find him @pvponline and @tabletitans

Editorial Reviews

★  "A must-read for readers in fifth grade and up seeking a heartfelt and magical journey of self-discovery, friendship, and the celebration of embracing your authentic self."—Booklist, Starred Review
 
"Roll initiative and pick this one up."—Kirkus Reviews

"A high-spirited middle grade graphic adventure with appeal for fantasy fans and those ready to whet their appetites for imaginative pursuits."—School Library Journal

"Kurtz delivers a passionate ode to tabletop RPGs in this lively debut, adapted from a webcomic. . . The creator’s palpable enthusiasm makes this an excellent read for young gamers or anyone hoping to share their love for D&D with the kids in their lives."—Publishers Weekly

"A fun new series about friendship and the power of imagination." —Kazu Kibuishi, New York Times bestselling creator of Amulet

From the Publisher

01/08/2024

Kurtz delivers a passionate ode to tabletop RPGs in this lively debut, adapted from a webcomic. Attending a new school after her mother changes jobs, 11-year-old Valeria “Val” Winters, rendered with pale skin, escapes into her favorite fantasy world, hoping it will give her the strength to brave her strange new school’s halls and even stranger classmates. Her daydreaming nets her an invite to the Table Titans Club’s next Dungeons and Dragons campaign—and puts her at odds with popular Kate, who finds Val’s propensity to relate everything back to D&D annoying. In short order, Val’s real life becomes as jumbled as a dungeon master’s puzzle, with no dice in sight to help her navigate how complicated she seems to make things just by being herself. Leaning into Val’s penchant for daydreaming, Kurtz depicts her imaginings as high-fantasy sequences, overlapping her everyday occurrences with her internal fantasy world and presenting a delightful juxtaposition that enhances Val’s strengthening friendships, especially as others are brought in on her fun. The creator’s palpable enthusiasm makes this an excellent read for young gamers or anyone hoping to share their love for D&D with the kids in their lives. Ages 8–12. (Mar.)

Publishers Weekly

03/01/2024

Gr 4–7—Valeria's starting at a new middle school and is already struggling; her penchant for daydreaming and flair for the dramatic set her apart from her peers. Happily, some of them are intrigued, and the school's Dungeons & Dragons club—the Table Titans—want her to join their illustrious, albeit dorky ranks. There are a few obstacles to surmount: for one, they've never had a girl in their group before, and there's some discord over her inclusion; and for another, their coach is leaving and they need a replacement ASAP. The wrestling coach agrees, but only if Valeria will join the wrestling squad as well. And that's not all! Kate, an unassuming, relatively normal kid, has long desired to join the role-playing crew and is openly sour about Valeria's immediate acceptance. The heart of the group's story is truly rewarding, and readers see the adolescents struggling with social dynamics discover that tabletop gaming functions as a communal and accepting outlet for self-expression. The story delves into the world of the game itself at points (characters become pirates, bandits, and elves in their game), and Kurtz's enthusiasm for the subject helps both the real and created worlds blend smoothly and humorously into one another. The cartooning is efficient and animationlike, with easily distinguishable characters expressing broad, often comedic, emotions. VERDICT A high-spirited middle grade graphic adventure with appeal for fantasy fans and those ready to whet their appetites for imaginative pursuits.—Emilia Packard

School Library Journal

2023-12-16
Valeria Winters approaches starting yet another new school by picturing herself as a bold fantasy character with a quest. Maybe this time she won’t get into fights?

Predictably, Val’s first day is horrible. Fortunately, it’s brightened by an invitation to join the all-boys Table Titans Dungeons & Dragons gaming club. Though Val’s excited, the invitation invokes the sneering disdain of popular Kate, who secretly wishes to join, too. Val realizes she loves D&D, and if hardcore gamer Alan isn’t thrilled with her, the other Titans are welcoming. When the club needs a new faculty sponsor, Val bags the wrestling coach by joining his team. But Kate remains jealous and dismissive, leading to a fight that jeopardizes both the club and Val’s place on the wrestling team. (Her wrestling prowess despite having no formal training is a minor point of disbelief.) Val is a delightful character: spirited, smart, imaginative, self-confident without conceit, and firmly lawful good. Other characters are also distinctive and believable, including the sympathetic adults who mete out fair consequences. Gamers will appreciate the unapologetic love of D&D. School-story fans will welcome the mild social drama mixed with themes of friendship and teamwork. Most main characters appear white; gamer Darius reads Black. Though the colorful, cartoony drawings suit the story, the stylized face- and ear-shapes used for multiple characters, including Val and Darius, render them somewhat apelike, and an Asian American teacher has an unnaturally yellow skin tone.

Roll initiative and pick this one up. (Graphic fiction. 9-12)

Kirkus Reviews