Lumberjanes by Noelle Stevenson is an Indiana Jones-meets-Goonies-meets-Adventure Time style adventure perfect for girls and young women.
Volume 1, Beware the Kitten Holy, includes issues #1-4 and introduces us to our lovable cast of characters. This troop exhibits what it’s like for young girls/women to be supportive friends. These girls build each other up, rather than make fun of or try to bring the others down. They want to succeed together.
Our setting is a subtle feminist redesign of Miss Quinzella Thiskwin Penniquiqul Thistle Crumpet’s Camp for Girls Hardcore Lady-Types.
A Rosie the Riveter-esque styled camp director is intrigued by the recount of the night’s adventure and encounter with three-eyed foxes who chant “beware the kitten holy”. She encourages the girls to explore and discover the camp and to uncover the strange things and creatures in the woods.
I read Lumberjanes as a Trade Paperback (a book, rather than in issue format) and really enjoyed the style. At the beginning of each issue/chapter there is a page of the camp manual describing the next badge the girls will earn. These badges conveniently pertain to the adventure in the issue. At the end of the issue, Stevenson has added images from the issue mocked up like Polaroid pictures, as if the campers are chronicling their time at camp. It’s a very nice touch.
Overall, the Lumberjanes brings some tough “Girl Power” without being cheesy. The girls encounter strange creatures at camp. They are tested and use their individual mad skills to help their friends escape peril.
At the moment, PBCLS has Lumberjanes issues #1-11 available through our digital portal Hoopla. Click here for the issues!. Learn how to access materials from Hoopla on the PBCLS website .
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