Cat Burglar Black

K. Westree: Teen Cat Burglar When K. Westree arrivse at Bellsong Academy, she thinks she's left her cat-burgling past behind her. But K. soon discovers the school has a mystery of its own, a hidden treasure left behind by its founder, and she's the only one who has a hope of finding it. As she resumes her cat-burgling in an attempt to discover the school's secrets, K. begins to question if a normal life is really what she wants.

From Publishers Weekly

Sala's charming new graphic novel recalls a revamp of the Nancy Drew mysteries—produced under the hypnotic gaze of Edward Gorey. Silver-haired orphan K. is a prodigious young thief who struggles with the legacy and implications of her larcenous talent. Her enrollment in a peculiar young women's academy promises respite from her troubled upbringing, but soon reveals a direct link to her own mysterious past as her skills are pressed into service for an unknown goal. Sala meets the publisher's smaller, digest-sized format with an economical visual style, fleshed out with gemlike watercolors, brilliantly reproduced. His disciplined images work to support efficient storytelling that is as crystal clear to the reader's eye as his sinister characters' motives are unclear to his headstrong, inquisitive heroine. Suitable for a YA audience, Cat Burglar Black is less gloriously eccentric than the author's previous adult works, but features the same sort of effortlessly eerie style. If the resolution is somewhat pat, its pattern of successive revelations implies further developments to come in a sequel. (Sept.) Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Ian ChipmanReview in 7/15 Kirkus ReviewsSala usually aims his pulpy gothics at older teens and adults, but here he tries for a younger audience. The art is far more finished than the sketchy plot. Trained since childhood by Fagin-esque Mother Claude to be a thief, teenage K. is dispatched to a supposed girls’ school in a creepy mansion surrounded by dark woods and, along with a trio of fellow

“The Obtainers,” dedicated to the finer points of cat burglary. Along with four other students, K. embarks on a high-wire series of art heists, but when the other girls start disappearing and a bit of light gets shed on the organization’s darker secrets, she begins to reconsider her role. Sure, readers might hope for more substantial characterization or smoother plot development, but the spooky, tiptoeing atmosphere of Sala’s art and the sneakily sinister undertones of the story are the real draws. This high-quality caper comic should appeal to readers dismayed by the shuttering of DC’s teen girl–centric Minx imprint, but it will by no means be limited to them. Several unresolved elements hint at possible sequels.

produced under the hypnotic gaze of Edward Gorey. Silver-haired orphan K. is a prodigious young thief who struggles with the legacy and implications of her larcenous talent. Her enrollment in a peculiar young women's academy promises respite from her troubled upbringing, but soon reveals a direct link to her own mysterious past as her skills are pressed into service for an unknown goal. Sala meets the publisher's smaller, digest-sized format with an economical visual style, fleshed out with gemlike watercolors, brilliantly reproduced.Review in 11/09 School Library JournalGr 5-9–K. arrives at a peculiar, isolated private school after having been raised as a pickpocket in an orphanage following the disappearance of her circus-acrobat-cum-cat-burglar father. It turns out that the only other three girls at the school are also thieves, and the instructors are part of a guild of criminals and were allies of K.’s dad–or so they hastily claim when pressed. The school is owned by her aunt, who is very ill, and the guild–

“students,” breaks into three nearby houses to steal paintings that contain clues to a pirate treasure buried nearby. Filling in the back story requires so much explanation that swollen dialogue balloons nearly fill some of the cartoon panels, but the contrast between the hulking and misshapen adult nogoodniks in the cast and the four slim, leggy teens adds retro charm to a tale well stocked with menacing characters, mysterious voices, rococo hazards and atmospheric shadows. Expect sequels. (Graphic fiction. 10-12)Review in Publisher’s Weekly 8/17 Sala's charming new graphic novel recalls a revamp of the Nancy Drew mysteries

as one of many orphans corralled into thievery by the villainous Mother Claude

“The Obtainers”–hope that the teen will help them discover lost treasure on the grounds that could pay for medical treatments and the restoration of the school. Nothing is what it seems, particularly the disappearances of K.’s classmates during heists to procure clues about the treasure. The artwork is a winning mixture of lovely and comically ugly. This dichotomy, shown in the visuals, is further evidenced in the dialogue, where the guild members are transparent and broad in their motivations and delivery, while the girls are given casual dialogue and a number of funny moments. The story is structured like a lighthearted cross between a fable and a horror film, but only ever teetering on the edge of horror without depicting it. This could have resulted in a mishmash, but Sala elegantly dances through the creepy and the sweet.–Benjamin Russell, Belmont High School, NHReview in 7/27 ICv2Fifteen-year-old K arrives at Bellsong Academy expecting to be welcomed by her long-lost aunt.  Instead she is greeted by member of The Obtainers, a secret organization of thieves.  They have been watching K grow up, first in an orphanage where the headmistress trained the children to be pickpockets, and then in reform school, where K ended up after the orphanage was disbanded by the authorities.  Now that they have K and three other girls in their clutches, The Obtainers are expecting K to use her skills to find the clues that will lead them to a treasure hidden beneath Bellong Academy.  But when the other girls begin disappearing and The Obtainers story stops adding up, K takes steps to solve the mystery herself.  Cat Burglar Black has a style most often found in European comics.  The pen and watercolor pictures are graceful and the occasional wordless pages are beautifully composed to convey K’s tension or emotion.  The story reads like a Tintin/Oliver Twist hybrid and is mostly successful.  That the girls do not instantly bond in friendship is refreshing and K’s loner status and sense of isolation is believable.  While the plot becomes convoluted at times, the bones of the story are solid and the characters, particularly the villains, are fun takes on the standard tropes.  Some major threads are left dangling, so a sequel is sure to come.  Upper elementary and middle school readers will look forward to reading more about K and her adventures.  Review in 11/09 Horn Book In this boisterous graphic novel crime caper, K., a white-haired teen raised to be a cat burglar, believes she’s escaped that life forever when her aunt issues an invitation to join her at the secluded Bellsong Academy for Girls. But all is not as it seems. K.’s past

About the Author

Richard Sala grew up with a fascination for musty old museums, dusty old libraries, cluttered antique shops, narrow alleyways, hidden truths, double meanings, and late night walks. He is known for an expressionistic style combining elements of horror, mystery, and whimsy. Often compared to figures like Edward Gorey or Gris Grimley, he has collaborated with such luminaries as Art Spiegelman and Lemony Snickett, and has illustrated a rediscovered script written by Jack Kerouac. His illustrations and comics have appeared in RAW, Esquire, and The New York Times.

Reviews

News