📖 Overview
The Lumberjanes comic series follows five friends at Miss Qiunzella Thiskwin Penniquiqul Thistle Crumpet's Camp for Hardcore Lady Types. During their summer camp experience, the girls encounter supernatural mysteries and magical creatures while earning merit badges and supporting each other through adventures.
The campers - April, Jo, Mal, Molly, and Ripley - navigate both normal camp activities and extraordinary circumstances that test their skills and friendship. Their cabin leader Jen attempts to keep them in line while they investigate strange occurrences in the woods surrounding their camp.
The series combines elements of summer camp, friendship, and fantasy with an emphasis on girl power and inclusivity. Through their experiences solving mysteries and facing challenges together, the characters demonstrate themes of loyalty, bravery, and the importance of being true to oneself.
👀 Reviews
Readers highlight the book's representation of diverse characters, friendship themes, and supernatural adventure elements. Many reviewers note the inclusive depictions of LGBTQ+ characters feel natural rather than forced.
Readers appreciate:
- Fun, energetic art style
- Strong female friendships
- Camp setting and supernatural mysteries
- Humor that appeals to both kids and adults
Common criticisms:
- Plot can feel scattered or unfocused
- Character development moves slowly
- Some find the dialogue tries too hard to be quirky
Ratings:
Goodreads: 4.1/5 (28,000+ ratings)
Amazon: 4.7/5 (500+ ratings)
Common Sense Media: 4/5
Multiple reviewers compare it to "Gravity Falls meets Girl Scouts." One parent reviewer notes: "My 10-year-old devoured the entire series in a weekend." A critical review on Goodreads states: "The story jumps around too much, making it hard to follow the main plot."
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Giant Days by John Allison and Max Sarin Three university students navigate their first year at college with misadventures, friendship challenges, and unconventional solutions to everyday problems.
Nimona by Noelle Stevenson A shapeshifter joins forces with a villain in this graphic novel that subverts fantasy tropes through unexpected alliances and hidden truths.
Be Prepared by Vera Brosgol A Russian-American girl tackles summer camp challenges, cultural differences, and finding her place in this autobiographical graphic novel.
The Backstagers by James Tynion IV Theater stage crew members discover magical doorways and mysterious creatures behind the scenes of their school's drama department.
🤔 Interesting facts
🌲 Lumberjanes was originally conceived as an eight-issue limited series but became so popular that it expanded into an ongoing series with over 75 issues.
🏕️ The series won two Eisner Awards in 2015: Best New Series and Best Publication for Teens.
⭐ The main characters' cabin is called "Roanoke," a reference to the mysterious lost colony of Roanoke Island - fitting for a series filled with supernatural mysteries.
🌟 The phrase "What the Junk!" used throughout the series was created as a child-friendly alternative to common exclamations, and became a fan-favorite catchphrase.
🎨 The series has spawned multiple spin-off novels, middle-grade books, and even inspired a line of Scout-style merit badges based on adventures from the comics.