Poppy and the Lost Lagoon Review: The New Child-Adventurer

Perhaps there are some people out there who remember Pippi Longstocking. In chapter-books she’s a child adventurer, who has superhuman strength with a pirate for a father and goes on a series of adventures. The most important part of this is that Pippi Longstocking is a child wonder who is physically strong and puts arrogant adults in their place. Her irreverence makes her extraordinary and a hero for the child in us all. Still Pippi is unattainable. As heroic as she is, her physicality cannot be mimicked. Along comes Matt Kindt and Brian Hurtt decades later with Poppy, child adventurer who comes from a lineage of those seeking life changing, exciting experiences.

“Poppy and the Lost Lagoon” is a pure adventure story. You are immediately drawn into the lives of Poppy, her guardian Colt Winchester and a cast of intriguing characters whose backstories could fill graphic novels of their own. The witty banter, stone logic and tea man will have you laughing out loud. And don’t forget the mummified, shrunken head that sends them on these escapades. This combination makes Poppy not only relatable, but attainable. She’s a child who’s smart and uses her mind to figure things out. Her impulsiveness is also an asset. Then there’s her guardian Winchester who has lived a life that rivals Indiana Jones. Essentially you want to know more about these people and the mysteries that surround them.

One narrative thread that runs through “Lost Lagoon” is atonement. Winchester unwittingly atones for what has occurred in the past and Poppy helps right a wrong. More importantly Poppy’s grandfather viewed in a series of flashbacks is ever present. Once a traveler with Winchester, you don’t know if he’s truly dead, being held by someone or is purposely keeping his distance. The central adventure leads to side stories that can be explored in future graphic novels. You root for Poppy because she’s a thinking character. She figures things out. Being a thoughtful person is a rarity these days. And to see that in a child, working through puzzles, reading maps, asking the right questions, researching and having the confidence to give orders will fill you with a sense of envy and happiness.

Poppy is who Nancy Drew would aspire to be. She’ll remind you of a Judy Blume character only more self-assured and without the unnecessary angst. What’s more the artwork of Hurtt is essential to this story. It immerses you in a world where the fantastic is believable. Underwater scenes will have you holding your breath. The movement of the characters will have you saying run out loud. It’s as much a visual ride as a written story that you don’t want to end.

You get the sense that Kindt is fulfilling a dream with Poppy. She’s a girl who works with the people in her life. Though she is young, she’s not annoying or whiny. Poppy is someone you want to spend time with. More importantly “Poppy and the Lost Lagoon” is a tale that has twists and turns that will have you going back to reread it. There’s so much to see and there are a few sub-narratives that you may overlook if you’re not paying attention. The deeper mysteries afoot besides what happened to the missing lagoon will have you begging for more of these illuminating characters. And though there is a resolution to this story, you get the sense that Kindt is chomping at the bit to oblige the reader and expand this world.