This Was Our Pact

By: Ryan Andrews

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Paperback | 11 June 2019

At a Glance

Paperback
336 Pages

Age
10+

Grade
4+

Dimensions(cm)
15.4 x 21.6 x 2.7

Paperback

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It's the night of the annual Autumn Equinox Festival, when the town gathers to float paper lanterns down the river. Legend has it that after drifting out of sight, they'll soar off to the Milky Way and turn into brilliant stars. This year, Ben and his classmates are determined to find out where those lanterns really go, and they made a pact with two simple rules: No one turns for home. No one looks back.

The plan is to follow the river on their bikes for as long as it takes to learn the truth, but it isn't long before the pact is broken by all except for Ben and (much to Ben's disappointment) Nathaniel, the one kid who just doesn't seem to fit in. Together, Nathaniel and Ben will travel down a winding road full of magic, wonder, and unexpected friendship.*

*And a talking bear.

About the Author

Ryan Andrews lives in the Japanese countryside with his wife, two kids, and their dog. A friendly Kodama or two have been known to take up residence in the giant acorn tree that shades the house. Ryan works at his drawing desk in the early morning hours to the sound of rummaging wild boar and badgers, who come from the surrounding forest seeking out shiitake mushrooms and fallen chestnuts. This Was Our Pact is his first book with FirstSecond.

Industry Reviews

An original and much-needed view of the complex world of middle-school friendships. --New York Times

Andrews' marvelously melancholic, earnest graphic novel, [is] at its core an exercise in whimsical self-reflection. This story's a quiet one in which danger flickers and hope flares at odd but fruitful moments...the primarily blue and red mixed-media pictures underscore how nighttime sometimes promises transformation. Brilliantly enchanting. --Kirkus, starred review

Andrews crafts a phantasmagoria of events that recall animation from Studio Ghibli and Cartoon Saloon...picaresque episodes and a dreamlike resolution conjure a giddy sensation, like staying up all night. --Publishers Weekly, starred review

Richly imagined and complexly emotional... [This was Our Pact] may owe some of its eerie melancholy and occasionally menacing absurdity to the likes of Lewis Carroll and Shaun Tan, but its message is distinctly its own: what you imagine to be the end of the journey may be satisfying, but the adventure actually goes on as long as you keep riding down the road. --Booklist, starred review

For readers who want an escapist fantasy with a light touch. Hand this title to fans of whimsical or unpredictable adventures such as Neil Gaiman's Fortunately, the Milk or Madeleine L'Engle's A Wrinkle in Time. --School Library Journal, starred review

An enthralling tale of friendship, determination, and wonder. --Horn Book

A great starting point for fantasy lovers who haven't yet embraced graphic novels. --The Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books

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