Treasure in the Lake

by Jason Pamment, Jason Pamment (Illustrator)

Overview

Grand adventures stories often begin where you least expect them…

Iris knows this because she’s read them all. However, as a thirteen-year-old stuck in the tiny town of Bugden, real adventure seems like a distant dream. But when Iris and her best friend, Sam, stumble upon an unusually dry river on the outskirts of town, they’re led to a discovery beyond anything Iris has ever read about: a hidden city and a forgotten tale of friendship.

In Jason Pamment's middle grade graphic novel debut, perfect for fans of Hilda and This Was Our Pact, can Iris and Sam uncover the truth in time to keep their own friendship afloat, or will history repeat itself and pull them apart forever?

An ALSC Graphic Novel Reading List Title

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780063065178
Publisher:	HarperCollins
Publication date:	09/07/2021
Pages:	208
Sales rank:	163
Product dimensions:	6.00(w) x 8.40(h) x 0.60(d)
Age Range:	8 - 12 Years

About the Author

Jason Pamment is a debut author-illustrator based in Australia. The setting for Treasure in the Lake is inspired by Jason’s childhood adventures exploring creeks and forests in his hometown of Adelaide, South Australia. Outside of writing, Jason directs and designs award-winning animated films, children’s television shows, music videos, commercials, and video games. You can see more of his work on his website: www.jasonpamment.com.

Jason Pamment is a debut author-illustrator based in Australia. The setting for Treasure in the Lake is inspired by Jason’s childhood adventures exploring creeks and forests in his hometown of Adelaide, South Australia. Outside of writing, Jason directs and designs award-winning animated films, children’s television shows, music videos, commercials, and video games. You can see more of his work on his website: www.jasonpamment.com.

Editorial Reviews

This story is astonishing enough to leave people speechless. — Kirkus Reviews (starred review)

Hand this mesmerizing tale about hidden histories and friendship growth spurts to cautious and intrepid young explorers alike. — Horn Book Magazine

A strong story about friendship that incorporates fantasy and whimsy; fans of “Hilda” and Adventure Time will be charmed. A great addition to any middle school library collection. — School Library Journal

In this graphic novel debut, Australian animator Pamment showcases a sharp eye for architecture, natural settings, and dynamic compositions, allowing rectangular panels to expand, contract, and break form, crashing down or shattering into shards, in this fine-tuned puzzle.  — Publishers Weekly

Pamment’s art is intricate and generous, and he proves as sensitive to young readers’ urge for adventure and mystery as he does to the stakes of their friendships and emotional lives. — Booklist

From the Publisher

Hand this mesmerizing tale about hidden histories and friendship growth spurts to cautious and intrepid young explorers alike.

Horn Book Magazine

Pamment’s art is intricate and generous, and he proves as sensitive to young readers’ urge for adventure and mystery as he does to the stakes of their friendships and emotional lives.

Booklist

Pamment’s art is intricate and generous, and he proves as sensitive to young readers’ urge for adventure and mystery as he does to the stakes of their friendships and emotional lives.

Booklist

08/01/2021

Gr 3–6—Childhood friends Iris's and Sam's interests have diverged now that they have reached middle school: Iris dreams of leaving their quaint town for archaeological adventures, while Sam is content with his life as is. When the local river suddenly goes dry, the kids happen upon a formerly submerged town downstream that had been abandoned years ago when a nearby dam threatened the villagers and was revealed only because of low waters. Adventures await these two friends, but soon an argument and rising waters put them in danger. Relying upon a Chibi style for the characters, debut author and illustrator Pamment has created an appealing town that seems inspired by the French countryside. Sharp-eyed readers will pick up on clues in various panels about the fantasy element in the second half of the story. Not everything is spelled out, but readers will gain a greater understanding through the illustrations. The palette is soft, with blues and purples dominating. Both Iris and Sam are white. VERDICT A strong story about friendship that incorporates fantasy and whimsy; fans of "Hilda" and Adventure Time will be charmed. A great addition to any middle school library collection.—Nancy McKay, Byron P.L., IL

School Library Journal

08/30/2021

Adventurous Iris, 13, and content-at-home Sam,12, both light-skinned, have been best friends since childhood: a sepia-tinted prologue pictures them as grade-schoolers, Sam trailing behind Iris, as usual. In their quiet town of Bugden, Iris collects odd “artifacts” and imagines becoming an archaeologist; unbeknownst to Sam, Iris intends to leave for boarding school, but when her mother deems it too expensive, Iris runs away. Sam catches up with her, and then things take an uncanny turn: the local river has run dry overnight, uncovering an abandoned city. A mysterious red-haired girl named Lily promises to lead Iris to “treasure,” and a rising shadow—submerging white negative space in black backgrounds—suggests that time is coming undone. As Sam loses track of Iris, another boy races to rescue Lily in the past, and the duos’ fates are twinned—even if a character’s suggestion of “young love” between Iris and Sam feels premature. In this graphic novel debut, Australian animator Pamment showcases a sharp eye for architecture, natural settings, and dynamic compositions, allowing rectangular panels to expand, contract, and break form, crashing down or shattering into shards, in this fine-tuned puzzle. Back matter includes inspiration and process notes. Ages 8–12. Agent: Sara Crowe, Pippin Properties. (Sept.)

Publishers Weekly

★ 2021-07-14
The silences are the best parts of this graphic novel.

A beetle that’s painted a perfectly chosen, dusky shade of purple takes almost an entire page of wordless panels to land on the surface of a lake. Even in scenes with dialogue, the silences between words are beautiful, too. When Iris, who’s 13, asks her friend Sam what he wants to do when he’s older, he says, “You mean like…” and then stares blankly for a full panel before he asks, “What do you mean?” Sam is only 12 and can’t imagine leaving the town of Bugden. The town’s name is perfectly chosen, too. Iris says, later: “Bugden is so small, it feels like everyone’s watching what I do all the time!” But just outside of town is a hidden city—Iris thinks it looks Byzantine—with submerged railroad tracks and an enormous clock made of stained glass. That leads to a mystery: Is the young girl Iris meets there a time traveler or a ghost? It might be best to describe the book as a puzzle, a haunting one. Even on its final page, not everything has been explained. Literal-minded readers might prefer a story with a clear, simple timeline. But many readers will opt to fill the silences with their own thoughts. Characters tend to present White, including Sam, Iris, and the mysterious Lily.

This story is astonishing enough to leave people speechless. (background notes) (Graphic fantasy. 8-12)

Kirkus Reviews