Heroes and Chaos

Gr 5–9—Lots of information and lots of fight scenes are packed into this compact book, which will definitely be educational for readers, if a little overwhelming in terms of the scope of this adventure. Based on the 14th-century novel The Romance of the Three Kingdoms, the story focuses on three brothers, Bei Liu, Yu Guan, and Fei Zhang, who turn the tide of some of China's most epic battles. The line between literature and history is not always a clear one-the story is based on a novel, but the novel was based on history, so Western readers may be confused about which parts of the story are fact or fiction. Heroes and Chaos reads in part like a textbook, with an overview of the story and maps at the beginning of each chapter, followed by the next portion of the story told in graphic-novel form. The illustrations are colorful and filled with action, using an eye-catching mix of panel shapes and sizes that will help readers follow the story. This is definitely an ambitious series, comprising 20 volumes, and it will probably be most useful for educators looking for ways to make Asian history and culture come alive.—Andrea Lipinski, New York Public Library