20,000 Leagues Under the Sea

A huge sea monster has attacked and wrecked several ships from beneath the sea. Professor Arronax bravely joins a mission to hunt down the beast.He goes aboard the Nautilus, a secret submarine helmed by the mysterious Captain Nemo. At first, the mission is exciting, as Nemo takes Arronax on a voyage around the underwater world. But when things start to go wrong, Arronax finds there's no escape from the Nautilus. He is now Captain Nemo's captive--20,000 leagues under the sea!

George Galuschak - KLIATT

A mysterious creature is roaming the oceans, wreaking havoc on ships. Professor Aronnax, a professor of natural history, joins the crew of the American frigate American Lincoln. Its mission: destroy the sea-beast. Unfortunately the professor, his servant and the ship's harpooner are washed overboard during an encounter with the beastie. They take refuge on its back, which turns out to be a submarine, and become the reluctant guests of Captain Nemo, the master of the Nautilus. Thus begins a journey across the Seven Seas, in the course of which they reach the South Pole, rediscover the sunken continent of Atlantis and engage in a number of sea battles. In the end the Professor and his companions escape; the Nautilus sinks into the Maelstrom, its final fate unknown. This is a fine adaptation of 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea. Whigham's b/w art is action-oriented and very busy; it does a good job of enlivening Verne's novel, which at time resembles an underwater travel video. The visualization of Captain Nemo, the book's most intriguing character, is particularly good; he is both noble and tormented. Contains comic book violence (most notably a battle with a giant squid); recommended for all readers. KLIATT Codes: JSA—Recommended for junior and senior high school students, advanced students, and adults. 2006, Penguin, Puffin, 176p. illus., Ages 12 to adult.