The Adventure Begins!
(Dungeons & Dragons)
by Dennis R. Shealy, Nate Lovett (Illustrator)
DETAILS: Publisher: Golden Books Publication Date: January 03, 2023 Format: Hardcover Length: 23 pg. Read Date: February 8, 2023
What’s The Adventure Begins! About?
This is essentially the Dungeons & Dragons cartoon episode, “The Night of No Tomorrow” turned into a book for the pre-reading/very early reading set. Which is one of the best ideas I’ve come across this year.
For those of you young enough not to be aware of it, for three seasons (only 27 episodes) starting in 1983, there was a Saturday Morning cartoon based on Dungeons & Dragons. On the show, a few friends (and the little brother of one of them) were sucked into a world full of dragons, wizards, unicorns, and other magical things/beings. A small little fellow, calling himself the Dungeon Master, equipped these children with weapons and abilities to keep themselves safe and guided them through the world to try to find a way back home.
This particular book tells the story of them being brought into the world, equipped, and through their first adventure.
Let’s Talk about the Art for a Minute
The art is very much like what I remember from the cartoon—but it seems a little simpler, a little more like the kind of thing you find in a Little Golden Book (not at all coincidentally, that’s what this was). Lovett did a great job of capturing the look of the show and translating it into a book for kids.
Sure, I think people are a bit too smiley in it overall given the subject, but that’s to be expected for this kind of book, so I’m not complaining. Basically, it’s everything a guy could hope for.
There are some samples on Lovett’s website, in case you want to check them out.
How is it to Read Aloud?
It’s a little wordier than most of the Children’s Books that I’ve been playing around with lately—it’s got a better story, and some heft to it (for what it is). I think this is the kind of thing to read to an older toddler (also, the pages are very easy to tear, so keep it away from those who want to taste their books).
It’s not the most verbally-engaging read—but at the point where the reader is transitioning into stories, you’re not looking for fun rhymes and goofy things to say, you’re looking for a simple story. And that’s what’s delivered here, with good art to support that. I’m really looking forward to reading this to an audience in the near-future.
So, what did I think about The Adventure Begins!?
I was on the homepage of a certain online bookseller and this cover was shown under the heading, “You might like” (or words to that effect). It seemed too good to be true—a Little Golden Book take on this show? I put it in the shopping cart without further reflection.* I was a big fan of the show back when it was on, and have often wished that there were more episodes. Somehow, back when they aired reruns of all animated shows so frequently, I don’t think I ever saw this particular episode. So getting to see the friends get into this world for the first time was a little bonus for me.
* Maybe I checked out the price. Hopefully, I checked the price first. If my wife asks, I absolutely did.
Do you need to know the show to appreciate this? Nope—which is good, it’s not streaming and the DVDs are cost-prohibitive.* The grandcritter’s dad has had no previous exposure to the show and liked the book (which is good, I got it as a way to introduce the critter to their dad’s hobby). I doubt we’ll get it, but I’d appreciate a couple of sequels—the title does say “Begins,” after all.
* Yes, I went looking as soon as I saw this book. I might have even scoped out action figures for the cartoon, which are not as cost-prohibitive.
This is a fun age-appropriate story, a nice nostalgia-hit for people of a certain age, and full of eye-grabbing art. I’m glad the store’s algorithm decided I needed to see it.
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