Sala, Richard. Cat burglar black. New York: First Second, 2009. ISBN: 978-1-59643-144-7.
Author and Illustrator Website: http://www.richardsala.com/
Awards: A Junior Library Guild Selection
Media: Pen and colored ink
Use of Alliteration: (p. 36) “consummate cat burglar.” (p. 36) “astonishing abilities.”
Use of Onomatopoeia: (p. 4-5) “Rawk!” (p. 20) “CREAK.” (p. 25) “CRASH!”
Use of Symbolism: The main character, K. Westree has prematurely silver hair (she is a teenager), which symbolizes that she is wise beyond her age. K. has grown up as an orphan and has had to grow up faster than most children.
Use of Allusion: (p. 53) “a trail of breadcrumbs,” is a literary allusion to the story of Hansel and Gretel.
Special Notations: 2010 Copyright, Graphic Novel (Fiction)
Annotation: Orphaned teenager Katherine Westree is pulled into a creepy, criminal plot after she arrives at Bellsong Academy searching for her long lost aunt. Gothic styled illustrations add an air of camp to this mystery.
Personal Reaction: This gothic and campy graphic novel manages to channel Scooby Doo, The Molly Moon series by Georgia Byng, Archie comics, Batgirl and A Series of Unfortunate Events by Lemony Snicket all at once and it works. It really works; I was transported back to watching Saturday morning cartoons as I read about the blatantly silly and creepy criminals plotting to take advantage of K. (Katherine) Westree. Like Molly Moon and many literary orphans before her, K. has grown up quickly and had to fend for herself. This silver-haired teen has lived life, a life filled with forced criminal activity, and she is excited to have been contacted by a long-lost blood relative. Unfortunately, a group of laugh out loud, old-fashioned treasure-hunting criminals has located K.’s aunt first. Sala shows his wit as one of the criminals explains to K. that her aunt is “sick:” “Well, its – um- complicated. She – uh-has a severe case of inflamed-um-thyroidical glandulitis-and-uh-Well, as I said, it’s complicated! Ha ha!” (p. 22). Sala’s pen and ink comic style drawings are filled with details that move the story along and flesh out the characters: three other teenaged girls who live at Bellsong Academy greet K. wearing school uniforms when she arrives. Two girls wear their shirts neatly buttoned and tucked into the uniform skirt, whereas Dory’s shirt hangs freely with the top button undone (p. 14). Dory is also barefoot as further evidence of her free-spirited, nonconformist ways. Cat Burglar Black is a fun read with a retro vibe that might allow today’s teens to escape contemporary pressures in favor of an old-fashioned, scary, mystery.
