In the Small

by Devon Hague and Michael Hague

Book Overview

When a mysterious cataclysmic event, the blue flash, causes the population of the earth to shrink in size to six inches tall, suddenly humanity has the tables turned on itself: The very civilization it has created becomes its greatest obstacle to survival. Animals and the environment, which have long suffered under the rule and/or destruction of humans, are now some of their most feared enemies. Amid the confusion and turmoil, two strong teenagers,...

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0316013234
• ISBN13: 9780316013239
• Release Date: May 2008
• Publisher: Little, Brown Young Readers
• Length: 124 Pages
• Weight: 1.25 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.6" x 7.2" x 10.6"
• Age Range: 13 to 17 years
• Grade Range: Grades 8 to 12

Customer Reviews

Gritty Graphic Novel with Amazing Art

First of all, the art is phenomenal-the full color illustrations are really something to behold, there's just panel after panel of amazing art on display here. From post-apocalyptic cityscapes to gargantuan flowerbeds, it's the graphic depiction of violence (no, parents, this is not appropriate for your five-year-old), that is the most unsettling and thought provoking. The premise: what if every human being on the planet was instantly reduced to a height of six inches, may initially seem like a set up for some light hearted shenanigans a la the Borrowers (a work subtly eluded to throughout), but in all actuality (as much as my own sense of belief can be suspended) hidden danger really would be omnipresent. And that's what Hague gets right: gardner snakes, birds, house cats, dogs, mice, spiders and, of course, other human beings are mortal threats lurking, literally, around every corner. Hague poses a pretty wild "what if?" plot device, then answers back with a series of incredibly tough and gritty depictions of what seems to me like pretty reasonable speculations: wouldn't most people die almost immediately? Wouldn't domestic animals become objects of tremendous fear? Wouldn't the visions of an intern hired solely on nepotism become compelling once the world as we know it has totally ceased to exist? The answer to all these questions really is, in my mind: Yeah... probably. Whether the story is an eerie, alternate reality September 11th scenario focusing on hope and the limits of human endurance in times of tragedy, or a religious parable about trusting unlikely prophets in times of desperation and need (and I can't tell if the use of the rather uncommon first name Hieronymous is solely meant to highlight the hero's latent moral judgement and excruciating flashes of nightmare vistas, or is just a reflection of the author's love of Flemish triptychs), this chilling narrative reexamines the potential dangers lurking in our own back yards. Deftly mixing practical situations (characters sleep in mailboxes and don doll clothes-which don't end up totally working for grandpa) with more bizarre sci fi stuff (supernatural visions, demons), the book doesn't offer an explanation as to why everybody has suddenly become knee hight to a lawn gnome, it's just goes with it. As groups of survivors "get it together" and the story hones in on two questing siblings making it in the new world pecking order-with a couple of premonition sequences hypnotically woven in-brother and sister overcome a number of major obstacles in order to help their fellow men and establish a community in a world gone totally nuts. Is this book for little kids familiar with Michael Hague's popular unicorn and fairy books. The answer is a resounding no; In the Small is scary and quite graphic. For the rest of us, it's a pretty awesome graphic novel that's definitely worth checking out. And while we may not be shrinking in 2008 (September 8th having safely passed us by-this year), thi

Courtesy of Teens Read Too

The premise of IN THE SMALL is fairly simple. Suddenly, a blue light washes over the entire earth and all of humanity is reduced to one-sixth of its original size. Nothing but humans are affected, and those who do survive the initial transformation are left to deal with the chaos of a world built for people too big. Suddenly, even the smallest animals and the simplest natural phenomena can cause great danger. The story revolves around a brother and sister, Mouse and Beatrix (Beat for short), who together gather up groups of survivors and marshal them to create a new society. Beat is at home with her mother and grandfather when the transformation occurs, and the three of them begin to turn their house into a sustainable community, inviting neighbors and strangers alike to share the space with them. Mouse is in the city working at his father's business when the transformation occurs. He has a talent for seeing things before they happen, or at least sensing them, something that his father has never understood. But even his father cannot deny the accuracy of the premonition that hits Mouse an hour before the transformation, and afterwards, Mouse becomes the natural leader of a group of people who make a pilgrimage through the city and back to the house that Beat is busy turning into a thriving community. The one thing that makes this book stand out from all of the other stories of humans suddenly shrunken and at the mercy of nature and the elements is the graphic novel format. Hague's illustrations add to the sense of terror and urgency felt by the characters whose formerly-docile world has quickly turned against them. In addition, his characters present several musings about the cause of this transformation, several of which appear to be environmental in nature. Beat suggests that this is a way of Mother Earth getting back at a species that has abused her for too long. The cause of the transformation is not decided upon during the course of the graphic novel, and although the main conflict is resolved for the time being, the story's ending opens up a whole new series of questions that a sequel will surely address. Reviewed by: Candace Cunard

Enchanting YA Review: In The Small

IN THE SMALL MICHAEL HAGUE Rating: 4 Enchantments On a normal September day, a flashing blue light changes humans into beings only six inches tall. A teenage boy nicknamed Mouse, ends up being a leader. He guides office workers out of the city to safety. He's had visions of this day. Can his visions help others survive this scary New World? His younger sister Beat and their grandfather help others gather to their home. All the while, they wonder what has happened to Mouse. Both siblings struggle to survive in this cruel New World. No longer are humans in control. Animals are now a threat. While Mouse and Beat recruit others to their home, a darkness covers the Earth with a threat that's scarier than being tiny sized. This is an interesting twist on the whole end-of-the-world premise. What would happen if you woke up and found yourself only six inches tall? The author does a great job conveying his story in graphic novel format. Both teens are strong characters that draw on their inner strength. The illustrations are gorgeous. This book is sure to appeal to fantasy lovers as well as reluctant readers. I wanted to know more about what was behind the blue light and the growing darkness, which I'm sure will be addressed in a sequel. Michael Hague is both the author and illustrator of IN THE SMALL. Mr. Hague trained at the Art Center College of Design in Los Angeles. Some of his influences include the comic book series Prince Valiant and the works of Disney, Japanese printmakers Hiroshige and Hokusai, and turn-of-the-century illustrators Arthur Rackham, W. Heath Robinson, N. C. Wyeth and Howard Pyle. He resides in Colorado Springs. Mr. Hague's website is [...] and his MySpace site is [...] Kim Rapier Enchanting Reviews May 2008