It's MMGM with a review of Seeker Society by Jana Tropper and Kyle Higgins , illustrated by Zack Giallongo, colorist Whiney Cogar

Seeker Society by Jana Tropper and Kyle Higgins, illustrated by Zack Giallongo, colorist Whiney Cogar
Publisher:  Andrews McMeel Publishing
Format:  E- ARC
Number of pages:   176 pages
Publishing:  June 3rd, 2025
Source:  Edeweiss +

Opening Lines: "Stay calm, children!  Everyone just stay calm."


Seeker Society opens with Dr. Adichie, Fern, Zack and Jordan aboard their schools' boat when it is rammed by The Keepers, leading the students to fall overboard.  Then the story skips back two months with the trio arriving at Shackleton's School for Seekers.  Each of them having been selected for their special gifts.  Fern can hear voices from the past, Jordan can see the past when he touches an item and Zack, the youngest is a polyglot and can read ancient texts.  Their new school is a place for exploration and preservation, where the past is discovered but also honored.  The school's motto is "either find a way or make one." 

Seeker Society shifts between past events in each of the student's life, at school or to their present predicament of being thrown overboard.  The trio soon find themselves on an island where they encounter the Keepers, a group of people who have been at odds with the Seekers and want to take advantage of the student's gifts and the map that they've discovered on the island.  Roy, a former teacher with Dr. Adichie and his daughter Shay lead the Keepers, and they're consumed with deciphering the map to find the treasure of the Lost Island.  Shay has the power of navigation and soon revolts against her father in order to help Fern, Zack and Jordan.  She disagrees with her father on selling the treasure and doesn't believe that everything should be for sale.  The children soon begin canvasing the island to try and find the treasure before the Keepers, while trying to evade Roy and his team.  

The Seeker Society is a beautifully illustrated graphic novel, and I loved the way the illustrator and colorist play with color on their full-page illustrations.  How each illustration is a glimpse of what's to come.  Where one page is for example colored blue and the illustrations almost appear black and white, and then the next page shows the same illustrations but in full color.  With all the different colors on the page you start to pick up on things that maybe didn't catch your eye on the blue colored page.  I found this quite interesting.  I also really enjoyed that the story emphasizes friendship, trust and teamwork.  How each student had an opportunity to use their skills and that their skills were evolving to include new ways that they could be used.  How Jordan learned that he doesn't always pay attention and that he needs to work on thinking before acting.  I also especially liked the school's motto and how each of the student's gifts were powers that help them to locate historical artifacts.  There's a really nice reveal at the end of the book, that I don't want to spoil, but I'm fond with the idea that it's tied to the heart of the island.  Seeker Society has received 3 million + reads on the Epic! platform and I'm glad that it is being published in a graphic novel format.  I can see this appealing to 8–10-year-olds who enjoy magical schools and the idea of outsmarting adults.  

I hope you'll check out all the other Marvelous Middle-Grade Monday posts at Greg Pattridge's blog HERE