Bitsy & Boozle Tell a Story!

June 10, 2024
A tale of derring-do serves as the
educational vehicle for a lesson in story structure in this graphic novel yarn by collaborators Goetter and Riess (The Bawk-ness Monster). Beginning with a welcome to the Realm of Narration by Bitsy—one of the three cyclopean Point-of-View sisters—the pink-skinned storyteller introduces her two older siblings: Prima, who tells of her adventures as a knight in first person, and cantankerous witch Midi, who writes interactive stories in second person. Eager to begin a tale of her own, Bitsy—an aspiring third-person narrator—calls upon stout, mustachioed wizard Boozle to become her reluctant protagonist. Communicating via pictograph, Boozle agrees to help Bitsy in exchange for his “very own Happily Ever After.” Using foreshadowing and flashbacks—storytelling techniques that Bitsy explains in bard-like ditties that address the reader—Bitsy chronicles Boozle’s journey, during which he assists troubled villagers, gains allies named after literary principles, and encounters a fearsome antagonist. Throughout the fluidly drawn and brightly colored adventures, Bitsy doubts her narrating chops, but encouragement from Boozle emphasizes the creators’ assertion that everyone’s POV is unique, making for a memorable story-within-a-story and a noteworthy tale. Ages 6–10.

September 15, 2024
Grades 1-5 When you're a member of the Point-of-View family, it's important to know how to tell a story, so Bitsy sets out to create one exactly the way her sisters Prima (who tells stories in first person) and Midi (second person, of course) have taught her. Telling her story in third person with her buddy Boozle the wizard acting as the protagonist, Bitsy sets Boozle on a quest to find Happily Ever After, sending him through the town of Rising Action and up Story Mountain to Climax Peak, where he meets the Big Central Conflict. Bitsy's directions on how to create an exciting story are cleverly delivered in the form of an exciting story. The use of a fairy-tale trope that should be familiar to most readers makes it easy for new storytellers to insert their own tales into the described format. The colorful artwork is energetic, cartoony, and approachable. A playful, smart way of teaching storytelling formats, Bitsy's successful journey as a narrator should encourage readers to give writing a try.

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