by Jeremy Whitley (Author), Bre Indigo (Illustrator), Melissa Capriglione (colorist)
May 16, 2023
Genre: graphic novel, middle-grade, fantasy, superhero, Children's Animal Comics , Children's Fantasy Comics, comics
Publisher: Macmillian
A nonbinary middle schooler saves a dog from bullies and is offered the chance to become the Dog Knight, protector of a magical pact between humans and dogs, in the first book of this humorous and heartwarming middle-grade graphic novel series from Jeremy Whitely, author of Princeless, and Bre Indigo, illustrator of Meg, Jo, Beth, and Amy: A Graphic Novel.
Frankie knows who they are. They’re a drummer, they’re nonbinary, and they’re… the Dog Knight?
One day Frankie is a relatively normal middle schooler, with relatively normal challenges, like finding the perfect outfit to wear during their drum solo during the upcoming band concert. The next, they save a friendly golden retriever from bullies and suddenly find themselves in a giant magical doghouse, with a funny looking helmet, talking to a group of dog superheroes called the Pawtheon about a job offer.
If Frankie can prove that they possess the six dog virtues of loyalty, kindness, honesty, justice, stubbornness, and smell, they will be named the Dog Knight and be given the power to fight alongside the Pawtheon and save the world from the forces of chaos.
Maybe there is more to Frankie than they thought?
The Dog Knight is charming, meaningful and fun! Jeremy Whitley's young adult comics can be appreciated by kids and adults. He writes about wonderfully diverse characters and their journeys of self-discovery, standing up for what is right, and having compassion for others. The Dog Knight is all of this and more.
A nonbinary middle schooler saves a dog from bullies and is offered the chance to become the Dog Knight, protector of a magical pact between humans and dogs, in the first book of this humorous and heartwarming middle-grade graphic novel series from Jeremy Whitely, author of Princeless, and Bre Indigo, illustrator of Meg, Jo, Beth, and Amy: A Graphic Novel.
Frankie knows who they are. They’re a drummer, they’re nonbinary, and they’re… the Dog Knight?
One day Frankie is a relatively normal middle schooler, with relatively normal challenges, like finding the perfect outfit to wear during their drum solo during the upcoming band concert. The next, they save a friendly golden retriever from bullies and suddenly find themselves in a giant magical doghouse, with a funny looking helmet, talking to a group of dog superheroes called the Pawtheon about a job offer.
If Frankie can prove that they possess the six dog virtues of loyalty, kindness, honesty, justice, stubbornness, and smell, they will be named the Dog Knight and be given the power to fight alongside the Pawtheon and save the world from the forces of chaos.
Maybe there is more to Frankie than they thought?
I'll first talk about what I thought while reading The Dog Knight. This is a feel-good action/adventure story that had me rooting for Frankie to complete the trials and become the Dog Knight and the best version of Frankie they could be! As a mom, it was nice to see a story with a parent that supports and respects their kid's choices.
Next, I will talk about why this story is important. In today's climate...where people are trying to erase the LGBTQ+ community from schools, we need more stories like this.
Frankie is a middle-school non-binary character. Just like every middle schooler, they are trying to figure out how to fit into a world where adults want to divide everyone into "this" or "that." But for Frankie, it is a little more complicated. For example, they don't feel comfortable in traditional "boy" clothes or "girl" clothes but those seem to be the only choices. Until they find out who they are, how can they begin to explain to others around them what being non-binary means? Whitley shows how important a supportive parent and a good friend are for any kid that doesn't fit in yet.
The use of dogs is the perfect symbol of how to be a good person. A group of superhero dogs protects mankind from the minions of chaos by using traits that dogkind values most: Loyalty, Kindness, Honesty, Stubbornness, Justice, and Smell (this one is explained in the story). Frankie must pass a trial for each trait to become the Dog Knight (without their mom, who has a dog allergy, finding out!) But it isn't easy. Could you show kindness or justice to people who have bullied you?
The artist Bre Indigo has a style that is a natural match for this story and its target audience. I've been following Bre's young adult LGBTQ+ webcomic, Jamie, for a long time. She has a wonderful ability to tell a story in comic form. Her art is comfortable and cheerful. As a black queer person, like Frankie, I think Bre was able to bring a lot to The Dog Knight.
The Dog Knight is a must for any library. It is the type of representation that can help queer kids and their non-queer peers understand what being non-binary is about in a humorous and genuine way that can open the door for some positive discussion.
5 "doggie hat" Sheep
SharonS
About the Authors
Jeremy Whitley
A writer of comic books, books, podcasts, and more living in Durham, North Carolina. He is the creator of the Eisner Nominated and Glyph award winning series "Princeless" as well as it spin-off "Raven the Pirate Princess" and "The School for Extraterrestrial Girls." He has also written several books and comics for Marvel Comics including the critically-acclaimed "The Unstoppable Wasp", "The Future Foundation", "Champions", and "Avengers". He has also written over fifty issues of the "My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic" comic book series.
Bre Indigo
An illustrator of the graphic novel Meg, Jo, Beth, and Amy and the online web-comic Jamie, is a black, queer, freelance artist and illustrator based in Orange County, California.
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The story revolves around this adorable yet fearless dog named Max, who discovers a special suit that grants him incredible powers. From that moment on, he becomes "The Dog Knight" and embarks on an epic journey to protect the city from villains and save its citizens from impending doom. The way they've depicted the bond between Max and his human companion is just heartwarming, and it brings out all the feels!
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