The Ancient Oak
Written by Sean Patrick O’Reilly
Art by Chris Uminga
Letters by Shawn DePasquale
Edited by Casey Jones
Arcana Comics
Release Date: August 29, 2012
Cover Price: $5.95

The Ancient Oak is a charming little graphic novel for all ages. I read this to my 8-year-old daughter and she loved it, definitely picking up on the moral of the story. Not to worry, though. This isn’t a preachy little book. Quite the opposite, it is a fun read with a point to be made.

I loved the tale and all of it’s Eco-friendliness. Centered around a young Princess, the story starts with her father, the King, cutting down a forest at record speed. Even after a warning, he continues until it seems he has destroyed the local climate. Luckily, the young Princess isn’t afraid to try to repair the damage. In the process, she learns a valuable lesson about doing her part to help nature.

Simple, yet effective, art from Chris Uminga definitely gives this little book a childish quality… but in a good way. Simplified for even the youngest mind, the story pairs with the art to present the reader with a fun and uplifting message about doing the right thing. Sean Patrick O’Reilly did a stupendous job with this and I cannot wait to buy a few copies for my nieces and nephews when it hits shelves.

This is not my typical review in that I would mainly recommend this to teachers and children, but there are a few lessons to be found in this graphic novel. If you have wee ones, then I cannot convey it enough that this is a much-needed item. Additionally, this would make a great gift for anyone who is concerned about our planet and how we treat it. And while I won’t pressure you too much on this, it would be a stellar Earth Day present for someone… albeit a bit late for this year.