Gr 5 Up-Being a kid is tough: Dylan is too short for the most exciting roller coasters, but everyone says he's too old to dress in costumes. But his grandfather will still suit up with him and act out space adventures from their favorite comic book. Dylan lives with his grandfather and his loving but stressed mother, Eileen. Worried that Grandpa's memory has become too foggy, she takes away his car keys and argues about putting him in a retirement home. When Grandpa dies in an accident, Dylan is told that his grandfather is in a "better place." Determined to find him there, Dylan sets off on a journey, making an unlikely friend along the way. Dylan's world is colored in monochrome except when he is immersed in his imagination, with bursts of red for the metafictional Red Rocket and Kid Cosmo. Sample pages from their comics feature art cameos by a lineup of guest artists who make these comics-within-a-comic feel pulled from a real comics shop. Adults curse a fair bit, which feeds into a running joke about the family swear jar. Murray casts some judgment about being glued to screens, with outdoor play and imagination shown as a uniquely rewarding bonding experience. Dylan's conflating of fantasy and reality is almost too precious, but the difficulty of communicating grief and processing mourning is all too real. Dylan, his mother, and his grandfather are white. VERDICT Big imagination and heart produce a winning adventure that belongs on display next to Jarrett J. Krosoczka's Hey Kiddo , Joe Kelly and J.M. Ken Niimura's I Kill Giants , and Robin Ha's Almost American Girl . Thomas Maluck, Richland Lib., SC

Murray, an actor, writer, and producer in film, makes his on-the-page graphic debut, nimbly realized by Canadian artist Daley. In a rallying example of the axiom "It takes a village," a half-dozen graphic greats cluding Jeff Lemire and Nate Powell ntribute additional art, namely covers of fictional Red Rocket and Kid Cosmo comic books interspersed throughout. Eight-year-old Dylan and his grandfather are Kid Cosmo and Red Rocket; they're superheroes to each other, creating magical adventures. Dylan has recently moved, school doesn't start for another couple weeks, and his single mother works constantly, but Grandad is always right by his side. When the dynamic duo lands in trouble yet again (shopping cart, parked car, security), plans accelerate to move Grandad to an assisted-living facility t along the way, tragedy strikes. Grandad's gone to a better place, and Dylan's desperate to find him. Daley's action-packed, mostly black-and-white panels burst with technicolor enhancements whenever the superhero comics appear, as if to prove the power of Dylan and Grandad's transformative imaginations. Experienced Daley is undoubtedly the stronger creative link here, ingeniously enabling and elevating Murray's heartfelt debut.

A boy learns lessons about growing up after his grandfather dies in Murray's middle-grade graphic novel.Eight-year-old Dylan Ranger is best friends with his grandfather. The boy's mom, Eileen, a single parent, struggles to keep the family afloat. While she works as a real estate agent, Granddad and Dylan go on adventures as Red Rocket and Kid Cosmo, their favorite comic book characters. When the pair collide with a car while riding in a shopping cart, Eileen tries to convince her father that it's time to live in a care home. Granddad wants to see Wise Oaks for himself, so he drives there for a surprise visit. Sadly, he becomes confused on the road, hits a tree, and doesn't survive. When Eileen later tells Dylan that Granddad has gone to a "better place," he assumes she means Wise Oaks. She tries to bond with her son in her father's absence but remains distracted by work. Dylan decides to find Granddad himself, but when he gets to Wise Oaks, he isn't there. Dylan instead meets an older man named Lloyd who is willing to go on an adventure. As they travel Wise Oaks' grounds by golf cart, they approach another grassy property-and the truth about where Granddad has gone. Writer Murray and artist Daley offer a moving middle-grade tale that helps children cope with the loss of a loved one. Despite his mental fogginess, Granddad is a positive influence on Dylan, keeping him away from screens all day and using a swear jar. Granddad's fate isn't shown explicitly on page, and the scariest moment may be an argument between Eileen and Dylan in which she says her husband left because he "didn't want to take care of you!" Daley's deft illustrations are in ink-washed grayscale until comic book adventures call for color. Key scenes are single-panel pages and convey emotion beautifully (for example, when Eileen visits the crash site). Artists like Jeff Lemire occasionally lend their talents, and homages pop up, including one for The Death of Superman.A finely crafted exploration of grief that children and adults should experience together.