by Scott Chantler

Kids Can Press, $17.95, 112 pages

Hugo’s Lively Distractions & Traveling Amusements has just pulled into the town of Kingsbridge, the next stop on the traveling circus kingdom tour.  The band of performers consists of; Fisk, a strongman who towers over the crowds, Dessa, a tightrope walker and acrobat extraordinaire, and Topper, a blue-skinned juggler and pickpocket with plans of stealing the Queen’s gold from the royal treasury. These are the main characters in Scott Chantler’s Tower of Treasure, the first graphic novel in the Three Thieves series.  The action is fast-paced and the plot moves quickly from panel to panel.  The illustrations come to life and make the reader feel like they are in an era filled with castles, queens, and knights.  Each character carries his or her own weight and adds snappy wit to the dialogue. Dessa is on a quest of her own.  As a child, she witnessed her brother’s kidnapping and has been searching for him ever since.  During her tightrope performance, Dessa catches a glimpse of a man she recognizes from the kidnapping so many years ago.  Can she find her brother and help Fisk and Topper break into the royal treasury? This promises to be a popular series.

Reviewed by Kathryn Franklin