One Year at Ellsmere

One Year at Ellsmere is a redesign of Faith Erin Hicks’ 2008 graphic novel The War at Ellsmere. Hicks is also the author of the ever-popular “Nameless City” series, as well as countless other popular YA graphic titles. One Year at Ellsmere incorporates a lot of the same strengths that appear in Hicks’ other works: good storytelling, an engaging plot, and an incredible talent for capturing the emotions of her characters in their facial expressions.

The main character of this story is Juniper, a gifted teenager who earns a scholarship to a prestigious girls-only boarding school. Despite starting off on the wrong foot, she meets a good friend in her roommate Cassie, and the two of them develop a strong relationship. Part of this friendship comes from the connection built due to the fact that they are both targets of the school’s top student (and top bully) Emily, who refers to Cassie as “Orphan” and to Juniper as “Project”. The main plot focuses on the friction between the girls as Emily’s many aggressions go unnoticed by the adults until Juniper finally snaps. It’s a familiar story, but it’s told in such a way that it’s still interesting.

There is a subplot that I wish was expanded a bit; early on in the book, Cassie tells Juniper the tale of the Ellsmere family for whom the school is named. She reveals that the family’s two sons disappeared without a trace after the older son, known for his cruelty, took off into the forest hunting what they thought was a white deer. Later, during the story’s climax, a unicorn suddenly appears to save the day and stop Emily from getting her way. The connection between the two incidents is there, but I would welcome a little bit more of the magical realism that I know Hicks does so well.

Overall, One Year at Ellsmere is a strong graphic novel with many of the elements that I look for as both a classroom teacher and a school librarian: lots of text and dialogue to supplement incredible artwork, opportunities for readers to develop strong feelings about a variety of characters, and an overall realistic and engaging story.