Ricky Church reviews The Cardboard Kingdom by Chad Sell…
In an era where video game consoles rule supreme, Chad Sell’s The Cardboard Kingdom is a reminder of the power a child’s imagination as a neighbourhood of kids come together to create their own adventures over the course of a summer. It’s a fun book that focuses on and celebrates the differences between each kid, showing how despite their backgrounds, families or other issues, the concept of play and imagination is strong enough to bring them all together. Though it is geared toward a younger demographic, Sell writes engaging characters whose stories are relatable and endearing enough that readers young and old can enjoy.
The Cardboard Kingdom follows a similar structure to something like Love Actually or Pulp Fiction. The book follows a group of over a dozen children in episodic vignettes that connect to each other, but focus solely on one or two children as their imagination runs wild in their fantasy world. Sell, along with several co-writers, makes most of the kids stand out from each other through their home life or imaginary alter-egos. It can be a little too easy sometimes to get confused with which kid is who, but the majority of them are clear enough to follow along without getting lost, especially when it comes to the few core characters that are often given stronger focus. There is also a lot of variety among the characters’ alter-egos as Sell doesn’t place them strictly in a fantasy setting. From one child pretending to be a powerful sorceress to another being a superhero or another as a mad scientist, there are certainly a lot of colourful characters.
Sell explores several different themes throughout the book with the most major ones being children finding acceptance among their peers and families. While there isn’t a lot of parental presence in most of the stories, there are quite a few that show the struggles some of the kids go through with their parents and their make-believe identities. One little girl, for instance, is chastised by her grandmother for being too loud with behaviour that is not to be expected of girls, showing the cultural and generational divide between them, while another girl dresses up like her father only to be reprimanded for dressing like a man. In one of the book’s most affecting stories, a young boy creates a superhero guise as a means to cope with the breakdown of his parent’s marriage. Each story focuses on the kids finding something or someone among their group of friends to belong to that makes them fairly relatable and easy to connect with. Its not all serious though as there is a healthy dose of humour throughout, mostly aimed at kids but with enough that adults can enjoy as well. The story of two competing lemonade and ‘magical items’ stands that quickly grows into a trade war is a highlight of the book’s balance between its humourous and serious tones.
Sell’s artwork is a highlight of the book with some great imagery that contrasts the real world of the kid’s costumes and cardboard castles and their imaginary world of how they see their characters. He gets many of the emotions across quite well and makes each child, as well as their counterparts, look distinct from the other. The colours are bright and vibrant, but Sell also knows when the give the right atmosphere with the colours during the more dramatic moments with the parents or another child. Its well done and one of the aspects that makes Cardboard Kingdom an enjoyable read.
While its aimed at a bit of a younger audience, The Cardboard Kingdom is enjoyable for older readers as well with its relevant and relatable themes and stories. The large cast doesn’t get too confusing and Sell manages to give each character their moment to shine. His writing and artwork are concise, making it an easy and fast read that still delivers the emotions in an efficient manner. Whether you have kids that like comics or want a graphic novel that isn’t of the standard superhero variety, The Cardboard Kingdom has something in it for everyone.
Rating: 8/10
Ricky Church
