Lost Treasure of the Emerald Eye is the first in a series of...a lot...and is written by, uh, Geronimo Stilton: an anthropomorphic scaredy-mouse journalist and editor of The Rodent's Gazette who would really rather not get caught up in the adventures that his younger sister (Thea), cousin (Trap), and nephew (Benjamin, age 9) are always dragging him into.
Originally published in Italy, there are now 49 Geronimo books (with two more planned for July and October 2012), spin-off Thea books, spin-off Creepella books, special editions, graphic novels, and even a television series and audiobooks.
It's popular, is what I'm trying to say.
And honestly, I'm not sure why it wouldn't be popular. Because this is what it looks like as you read:
HOW AWESOME IS THAT?! It's as if a bunch of typographers attacked a novel! For those with children who are reluctant to read--and who don't want to give them comic books, for whatever reason--then this series is probably what you should slip them. They get checked out almost as much as The Magic Tree House and Junie B. Jones series, and I'm forever straightening them up after the "hurricane kids" sweep through, plucking out the ones they want to read.
Probably my only complaint would be that Mr. Stilton is a little too scaredy-mouse; I would rather have a more confident main character. But ah, well; can't have everything we want.
I love what they do with the lettering :) It's great to see appreciation for letters as an art form, maybe this will be the first step to reintroducing the joys of calligraphy... one can dream! (Keep waiting for calligraphy to be a class in the art program...)
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