Average students are turned into superheroes (or villains) with a simple pop of candied goodness. Available in !Tierra!, !Fuego!, !Aire!, and !Agua! varieties, these morsels harness the power of the Spanish-worded element (earth, fire, air, and water) and are used to solve schoolyard brawls in the Goth town of Midnight. While Halo Nightly normally steals the show in this young readers' version of a graphic novel, it's Flora Fawn in The Green Queen of Mean who features prominently - and not always in the best light. Flora is a seemingly good-natured, well-intentioned environmentalist who dines organically (no sugar, no fat, no chemicals), but she gets a bit riled up when it comes to litterbugs...and it shows. Her temperament spirals out of control following a fiasco with arch nemesis Doozie Hiss and her sabotage of a group project focused on pollution. It's a hard lesson to learn, but some methods are better than others when trying to spread the green word. As Halo observes, Sometimes people need to see what's good...instead of hearing what's wrong. Wise words for all of us activists to keep in mind, even the youngest ones. A healthy dose of both, I think, goes a long way. All in all, a good read, especially for those new to the graphic novel format. Some veg parents may not appreciate the green kid as being obnoxious, short-tempered or hippy-like. After all, we really don't suffer or lack good eats on a plant-based diet and most of us are pretty genial (or so I'd like to think). http://vegbooks.org/index.php/2011/01/16/princess-candy-the-green-queen-of-mean/ * Vegbooks *
Look out litterbugs! When friend-to-the-planet Flora is paired with classmate Halo, things look good for her science report on pollution. Unfortunately, when Halo eats a little of her superhero candy and flies out for a breath of air after finishing the project, Doozie Hiss steps in to sabotage their work. Little does she know that Flora has a secret identity and the power to avenge any nongreen attitudes. The Green Queen of Mean is a fun graphic novel with an earth-friendly message. Simple dialogue is matched with clear illustrative panels for younger audiences who might be new to the format. At times the plot gets a little muddled in what could be an antibullying message, but most readers will enjoy it. An additional title for libraries looking for a graphic novel with an ecological theme. * School Library Journal *
