Vol. 3 - The Solar Trial | Vol. 2 - Secrets of the Petroglyph | Vol. 1 - Lost in Skookum Valley
In this episode of the Adventures of Jasper, Ruby and Jasper travel to Australia to visit cousin Banjo. He has entered a solar car in in the Solar Trial, an actual race that travels 3000km through the outback. En route, the reader gets a tour across Australia. Of course there are bad guys (but not too bad) and the sense of excitement is peppered with humour.This graphic novel has richly coloured panels and the page featuring Jasper's dream is imaginative and incorporates elements of Aborigine designs. This page alone is worth the price of the book. It would be a good choice for 6-12 year olds. The language is too rich for a 6 year old to read alone but young people a few years older would have no difficulties. There is much to like about this graphic novel: strong female characters, no violence, alternative energy, vividly drawn, exciting, plus a tour through the outback. Oh, and let's not forget one amazing husky!
KathleenMM - Victoria, BC
I love doggies. I like reading doggies books. My favourite doggie book is Shadow the Sheepdog written by my favourite lovely writer Enid Blyton. She is very nice writer who writes nice books about animals, famous fives, secret sevens, fairies and Noddy. My Achchan (Malayalam for Daddy) has also shown me on tv many doggie cinemas. All Dogs Go To Heaven is a cartoon movie which is very good to see. Homeward Bound is a doggie movie with real dogs. But there are no doggie comics for me to read. Then Achchan gave me Adventures of Jasper to read. First he reads to me and tell stories of Jasper. Now because I am a big girl I read the book and Amma (Mommy) and Achchan (Daddy) help me with big words. It is the best doggie comic I read. There is also lots of racing in the book and also there is a car which looks like a flying saucer cup. Jasper is very lovely to see. He is also very intelligent and brilliant. He is also a cute dog. He loves Ruby. Ruby is a girl. Ruby is also name of a jewel. She is also smart and also brave. She is also beautiful. Achchan and Amma says that I should also become smart like Ruby. Ruby lives in a cold country called Canada which is very far from our house. There is snow in Canada. I like to buy and love a puppy like Jasper, but Jasper cannot live in our house. It is hot in this place and Jasper is a dog which wants to stay in cold places. I will always read Jasper comics.
Saraswathi Narayan (age 10) and Janaki Narayan (age 5) - Trivandrum, India
(Saraswathi and Janaki's mother language is Malayalam. English is their 'second language'.)
I loved the first two Jasper books, so I was really excited when the third book came out. I liked the funny kangaroos and the annoying dingoes and the pictures were exciting. My favourite part was Jasper's dream because it was like an Aboriginal painting. I was born in the outback, and it made me feel right at home! True! Jasper is just as good as Tintin and I think everyone should buy The Solar Trial. Enjoy!
Liam, age 8
Hi Glen, You have done a wonderful job on this book AGAIN! Your graphic novels are EXCELLENT. The colors, the images and the story, I am so pleased that we are able to print these books for you.
Craig Shemilt - Printorium Bookworks - Island Blue Print Co. Ltd.
The Jasper series offer exciting and wholesome entertainment. I loved it and my seven year old daughter has started to demand that we get a husky for her. And along with Asterix and Tintin - Jasper will soon make it into the triumvirate of international comic albums.
Excerpt from Review by Narayan Radhakrishnan
for Rebecca's Reads (5/13)
It's very well done. I thought 'showing' it would be better than writing about it, because obviously it's visual as much as narrative.
Alan Twigg, Publisher, BC Bookworld
Jasper and Ruby are back! A follow-up to the first of Jasper's adventures, this graphic novel just won a gold medal at the Independent Publisher Book Awards! This exciting graphic novel takes place in the rain forests of Vancouver Island, where the husky, Jasper, and his human companion, Ruby, are spending their summer holidays. When their canoeing trip is suddenly interrupted by a spectacular meteor strike, a flash flood ensues and our heroes discover a long-forgotten First Nations rock carving. The carving reveals mysterious clues and sets in motion an exciting, wonderfully illustrated adventure!
Munro's Books - Victoria, BC
I stumbled on your Jasper comic visiting Whitehorse this weekend. Lovely work. You have a real Herge feel for story blocking and perspective. Look forward to seeing more.
Matt, Canada
We bought a copy of your book this summer for Olivia's birthday. Just wanted to tell you that she really liked it and read the whole thing in one go!
Miranda, BC, Canada
We received the two copies this morning. They look great, especially with the award medals on the cover! Thanks again, and I look forward to hand selling these and ordering more.
Annie Leonard, Manager, The Next Chapter Bookstore Iowa USA
I really liked the book because it was very exciting and there were some funny characters in it as well. I really liked the scene where the bear scares Roger and eats his sandwich.
We'll look forward to the next book in the series!
Maddy, Victoria BC
I thought that Tuya and Iskut were really cute, but my favourite character was Jasper! I loved the book and I couldn't put it down until I had finished. I really enjoyed reading it!
Megan, aged 10. Australia
I liked the story and I loved how the bear looked. I was amazed when I read it and I thought it was sooooooooo interesting!
Hannah, aged 7. Australia
No new Tintin albums have been published in the last 30 odd years ... and we have to wait close to five years for a new Asterix to be published and my reading diet was severely affected. When out of the blue when I got hold of Glen Lovett's two comic albums my joy knew no bounds. Initially, I was cautious - would this be one of those horrible Tintin/Asterix pastiches and I am glad that I was WRONG. That Glen Lovett had been influenced by Herge is obvious. The finesse to detail, the deftness in stroke and the exciting vibrancy one relishes in each Herge panel/frame is present in this adventure series also. But other than that there is no comparison between the two.
Excerpt from Review by Narayan Radhakrishnan
for Rebecca's Reads (5/13)
With a graphic European style reminiscent of Tintin, Australia-born Glen Lovett of Sooke has self-published Lost in Skookum Valley, aimed for girls aged 7 to 13.
The hero is a Siberian Husky (because Lovett has four of them) and the action evolves from an avalanche in the B.C. mountains that separates Ruby from her pup named Jasper. Mushing her dogsled team, Ruby must save Jasper from a major wildlife smuggling operation which she helps to courageously foil. Lovett worked from many years on animation storyboards from major film companies including Disney, Warner Brothers and Hanna Barbera. It's a very well done book!
BC Bookworld
This is a truly Canadian comic book creation, set in the snow-capped mountains,
complete with Mounties, bears, dog-sleds, wolves and an engaging little Husky hero
called Jasper. But even more than that, it takes place in the great tradition of narrative
comics for young readers such as the Adventures of Tintin and Asterix. Vivid graphics,
a fast-paced story line complete with bad guys and good guys and a brave and
resourceful female character at its heart all make this the kind of book that younger
readers will really enjoy. (So will those of us who were reared on Snowy and Captain
Haddock and Obelix and Getafix). The underlying message of respect for nature and
wildlife is timely and the whole story is delivered with humour and great artistic skill.
Charles Peacock, Head of School, Christ Church Cathedral School, Victoria BC.
The Adventures of Jasper, Lost in Skookum Valley is inspiring, full of suspense and excitement. The unfolding mystery kept my suspense to the last word. Every page opens with imaginative, bright illustrations. It is a fantastic story.
Chloe, aged 12. Australia
I like this story because it is very adventurous, with great characters, and lots of excitement. I really enjoyed the story because it was about dogs and Canada and snow. I also thought that Ruby is wonderful as the heroine.
Sofia, aged 9. Australia
We really enjoyed the book and are looking forward to Jasper's further adventures! Our daughter presented the second copy to our school's library today. The librarian, Mr. Jacobs, has already started reading it, and he was very enthusiastic.
Beth PA USA
I really like everything, especially the mountain backgrounds, and how you get so much detail and expression with such an economy of line.
Selby BC Canada
