Most folks think of comics as 'kids' stuff' -- but it can be surprisingly difficult to find graphic novels that are suitable for younger readers. It's even harder to find manga that you can recommend for a kids under 12 that won't leave you explaining something that's just a tad inappropriate (like what's up with those nose bleeds?). When you toss in the requirement that the story be genuinely fun and entertaining for kids to read over and over again, you're practically searching for the Holy Grail by that point.
So when I first heard about Happy Happy Clover by Sayuri Tatsuyama being picked up by VIZ Media's VIZ Kids imprint, I was admittedly pretty snarky about it. It looked adorable, but it just sounded a bit too cutesy-wootsy for readers over 8 years old to stomach.
Then I got a copy of Happy Happy Clover Volume 1 a month ago, and I have to admit that it won me over. It's still every bit as cute as the cover art would suggest, but it also does something rare and wonderful: it's a kid-friendly story about talking animals that act, react and interact like kids do. In a counter-intuitive way, it's a fantasy story that feels real and relatable.
Check out my review of Happy Happy Clover Volume 1 and see why this adorable story won my heart and made me wish I was 8 years old again. You can also check out VIZ Kids editor Annette Roman's comments about Happy Happy Clover from WonderCon.
While you're at it, check out the VIZ Media 2009 New Manga Preview Gallery to get a taste of more new manga that's coming your way this year.
Image credit: © Sayuri TATSUYAMA / Shogakukan Inc.
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