Readers of Courtney Crumrin and the Night Things, the Eisner Award-nominated first installment in Ted Naifeh’s Courtney Crumrin series, should definitely not skip the bitingly witty and insightful introduction penned by Kelly Crumrin (Naifeh’s real-life girlfriend). It speaks of childhood fears and the outgrowing thereof and sets the stage for the book’s dark and sardonic tone. 

This graphic novel largely sets Courtney, the protagonist, against almost everyone else in her life: her clueless parents, her shallow classmates, and of course, “the night things” themselves; her only true ally is her Uncle Aloysius, feared and reviled by all except Courtney, his kindred spirit.

Courtney is a girl without a country. Isolated and different from everyone who surrounds her, she is drawn into a dark and magical world of goblins and monsters and uses her quick wits and strength of character to save herself and others. The language captures the essence of pre-teen angst, and the black and white ink artwork evokes the darkness, doom, and gloom of both Courtney’s mood and the scary situations in which she finds herself … the drawings of the goblin market are especially memorable.

The intended audience, according to the “Youth / Age 7+” stamp placed by the publisher, seems to be elementary school students, but it’s perhaps more suitable for a middle school or even early high school audience due to some of the language used, a situation when Courtney is kissed by a boy against her will, and some of the more frightening scenes.

Without being preachy at all, this book shows young readers that even the scariest things in life – be they monsters or loneliness – can be overcome when a person is clever and brave. That the smartest, toughest, most sensible character on the scene is a bad-assed young girl makes me really excited that this series exists and pumped to read book two.