Gamerville

Fresh off his success with the award-winning graphic novel Swim Team, Johnnie Christmas is back with another middle grade graphic novel, Gamerville.

Young Max Lightning is a video game wiz. His favourite game is Lone Wolf of Calamity Bay, a single player game that values being a lone wolf above all else, which is exactly how Max likes it. However, when he finally makes it to the finals of Gamerville, a massive video game tournament, his parents throw him a curve ball – they decide to sign up Max for summer camp.

With no choice but to attend, and to miss the Gamerville finals, Max heads off to Camp Reset, a camp that allows “no screens and no distractions.” The camp prides itself on being traditional and doing things “the old way.” Let’s just say that Max isn’t too thrilled about being there.

But things start to change for Max after his first day at camp. After getting lost during his first challenge – a scavenger hunt – Max stumbles upon Lake Nexus. To Max’s great surprise, just across the lake, Gamerville is being held in a couple of days. From then on, Max is on a mission – to escape Camp Reset and make it to the finals.

With the help of his new friends, including reformed cyberbully Dylan, and change resistant Zanzi, Max begins to form a plan. By playing traditional role-playing games with Dylan, Max learns that, just like in video games, if you’re going to win at any game, you’ll need a strategy. After mapping out the entire camp and learning some new survival skills, Max is finally able to make his great escape. But it is thanks to Zanzi that Max learns his greatest lesson: “that a lone wolf is a sick wolf,” and that being part of a pack is far better than going through life alone.

A very poignant coming of age story, Gamerville will appeal to middle grade readers who are fans of not only gaming culture but buddy stories as well. At its heart, the story is all about friendships and finding your pack, life-long friends who will stick with you through thick and thin. All children at this age can relate to this very significant and life altering motif. Coupled with vibrant, video-game like illustrations, Gamerville is sure to be a hit.

Fun, fast-paced and full of high stakes adventure, Gamerville is recommended for libraries everywhere.