Rose: Bone Prequel (Bone Series)

When a terrifying dragon attacks the small towns of the Northern Valley, a young Princess Rose (known later as Gran’ma Ben) must defeat it. The beast is actually the ancient evil, the Lord of the Locusts, and while Rose faces danger with honor, her elder sister, Princess Briar, follows a more sinister path.

An unforgettable story with beautiful, sweeping artwork, this prequel explores the fateful beginnings of the epic BONE saga.

Review “Every good epic not only deserves but needs a prequel. So Jeff Smith’s Bone, one of the great graphic novel epics, gets a teasing look at what happened in that magic realm before the series started in earnest. Opening with a Nordic saga-like origin myth about how the dragon queen Mim was driven mad by the lord of the Locusts and buried in stone to protect the world, Rose shifts into a traditional fantasy melodrama about two princesses. Rose is the more beloved, headstrong and inattentive to her lessons about how to control her powerful ability to magically dream. Her sister, Briar, is a darker soul, ambitious and resentful of the attention directed at Rose. When the two are called to their final tests in the danger-fogged mountains of the Northern Valley, they are soon launched into a fiery cauldron of betrayal and battles—all of it witnessed by the dolorous, mournful eyes of the Great Red Dragon. Vess’s dramatic, detailed illustrations remain powerful, but feel cramped by the small trim size. Smith’s tart writing easily weaves humor and tension into a tale packed with lessons on politics and morality.” (Aug.) Publishers Weekly

Author Biography

Jeff Smith is the New York Times bestselling author of the award-winning series BONE, which is published in more than 30 countries and is among Time magazine’s Ten Best Graphic Novels of All Time. BONE was a pioneer in comics publishing for kids in U.S. bookstores when it launched Scholastic’s graphic novel imprint, Graphix, in 2005.

Smith’s other award-winning and acclaimed comics include SHAZAM! The Monster Society of Evil, RASL, Little Mouse Gets Ready, BONE: Rose, and BONE: Tall Tales. Smith splits his time between Columbus and Key West with his wife and business partner, Vijaya Iyer, where he is working on his current project, TUKI.