Lumberjanes: Unicorn Power! makes you believe in Friendship

Remember when Sammy Hagar joined Van Halen and it was a big deal? If not-or it was before you knew rock and roll, let’s go back in the time machine. A famous singer, with his own band, was joining a world-famous band to be their lead singer. Most singers went solo after leaving a band. Hagar quipped that he was simply going the other way around. Lumberjanes, one of the best all ages comics on the marketplace is going Van Hagar on us by releasing Lumberjanes: Unicorn Power!, an original novel by Mariko Tamaki with illustrations by Brooke Allen.

If you’re new to Lumberjanes it’s the ongoing story of five friends, April, Jo, Molly, Mal and Ripley who are in the Roanoke cabin at Miss Qiunzlla Thiskwin Penniquiqul histle Crumpet’s Camp for Hardcore Lady Types. Essentially, it’s a normal summer camp setting except the girls go on supernatural hikes, play with science-fiction monsters, swim with mermaids (and mermen!) and become close friends.

You see, the forest behind the camp is packed with all sorts of mysteries. Sometimes the beings come out from the forest and other times the campers have to go in there to experience them.

In Unicorn Power! the girls go on a hike and quickly discover a unicorn. That happens in real time also as it’s in the first ten pages that they first see the unicorn, learn about the local foliage, debate about what to feed it and sing a quick unicorn song.

Fans of the Lumberjanes comic book will immediately notice the fast pace, witty banter and friendship. This is Aaron Sorkin, The West Wing dialogue, expect with summer camp, monsters, unicorns and friendship in the place of politics. In my mind’s eye I have Allison Janney playing the role of Jen, the cool as ice counselor. If anything the novel format works better for some readers because it has a longer narrative for each scene, which are broken up by chapters. Whereas the comic books are broken up by panels and doesn’t offer as much ‘reading’ for the literary inclined.

If you’re not a fan of Lumberjanes you’ll fall into their world without any effort. Each camper is introduced, in their own unique way, that lets readers quickly figure out their personality quirks. All of the chapters are short, with each one being around five pages. The reading level is on par with something that a fourth grader can read easily.