The Stonekeeper (2008): After the death of David Hayes, Karen Hayes decides to move her daughter Emily and son Navin to the little town of Norlen so they can start over, away from the bad memories.The Amulet series will end with the ninth novel. Jason helped also to provide story editor notes and organize production. As of the second volume, Jason Caffoe (also a contributor to Kazu's Flight and Explorer anthologies) has contributed as a colorist for the series. Several artists have been involved in the production of the books. Kazu continued production after recovery and later released the awaited sixth book in August 2014. Production was halted on the series when Kazu experienced a bout with bacterial meningitis, which saw him in a medical center and later recovering at home, slowly regaining his memories and easing into his daily routine. He wanted to be able to empathize with both kids and parents as an audience. He has also stated that many of the elements, such as the robots and mobile suits featured throughout the story's universe, have been inspired by 'Super Robot' television shows during his brief childhood in Japan.īased on the success of his first published graphic novel, Daisy Kutter, Kazu began to work on the first book of the Amulet series, which he saw to be an immense challenge in transition.

Kazu was greatly inspired by Hayao Miyazaki's Nausicaa of the Valley of the Wind and Jeff Smith's Bone, both of which he used as a basis for creating his own story. After graduation, however, Kazu began to see a desperate need for all-ages comics and began further developing the story for Amulet, which he had already begun as a student through artworks that were not presented to publishers.

There are some 'mature' themes throughout such as the dad dying at the beginning and the great grandfather dying but at 8 years old most kids can handle that especially understanding that it is fiction but they can empathize with the characters' losses which is what a good book does! The characters are relatable for my son, and he loves all their various quirks.An early rendition of Amulet by Kazu in the 1990s.ĭuring college, Kazu was prone to making more violent and profane comics, as an attempt to break free from being categorized as a 'kids' cartoonist'. No more violent than old school batman and robin or spiderman cartoon, and its in defense of others or to protect others except when its perpetrated by the evil Elves. He has books 1-3 and has read and re-read them each at least 3 times! The illustrations are phenomenal, the storyline is interesting and creative, suspenseful, and has just enough 'violence' to captivate and facinate my kid without being inappropriate or overly graphic. It is accessible to most kids that read at minimum a grade 2/3 level. My 8 year old son absolutely loves these books.

The amulet graphic novel series