Will and Whit by Laura Lee Gulledge- Graphic Novel Review

Title: Will and Whit
Author: LauraLee Gulledge
Pages: 194
Publication Date: May 7th 2013 by Abrams
Source: Library, Graphic Novel
Link: Official Site, Goodreads

Wilhelmina “Will” Huxstep is a creative soul struggling to come to terms with a family tragedy. She crafts whimsical lamps, in part to deal with her fear of the dark. As she wraps up another summer in her mountain town, she longs for unplugged adventures with her fellow creative friends, Autumn, Noel, and Reese. Little does she know that she will get her wish in the form of an arts carnival and a blackout, courtesy of a hurricane named Whitney, which forces Will to face her fear of darkness. Laura Lee Gulledge’s signature visual metaphors will be on full display in this all-new graphic novel, a moving look at shedding light on the dark corners of life.

I loved Gulledge's previous graphic novel called Page by Paige.  The art in is was just amazing and the story was too. so when I discovered she had another graphic novel I had to go and pick it up from my library. 


This book again was quite the feat in art work.  It is all in black and white which really adds to her stories.  This book is a nice tale of loss and growing up.  In the book Will lives with her aunt and make some amazing lamps. In fact.. in one panel there is a hanging lamp that I just adore!  I even thought .. could I make one of those and put it in my house???  Though it would be a lot of outlets I am guessing.

The ceiling lamp that I love!

Anyways... she makes lamps, works in an antique shop and has some really quirky friends.  She ends up meeting some new friends who are putting on a carnival and so she and her friends volunteer to help them out.  While all this is happening there is a huge storm coming so there is a giant black out.  We discover that Will has a lot of nightmares and dark shadows follow her everywhere (these are her inner feelings).  During the black out the neighborhood comes together.  The teens play some flashlight tag, and do things teens do and what not.

Do you like my Kleenex??  haha!

This time though the story was way more for teens the Page by Paige. I didn't find it bad to read it's just that I do feel a little too old for the things that are going on.  I read that there is some sort of musical based on this book but I can't find very much information on it.  I went to the author's website and it looks like it's performed in book stores??  Which is really unique.  I like how when the town goes dark from the storm the frames of the book pages are back.  You can actually see it in this picture:

All in all I would say give this a read...the artwork is seriously amazing and I can't wait to see what Gulledge has in store next.  I haven't seen any information on what she is working on next other then the musical so hoping to see something.

The crystal ball says:

Fog is coming.....  in the middle of the road on this book!