Tim Burton’s The Nightmare Before Christmas: Zero’s Journey

This quirky graphic novel, published on the 25th anniversary of Burton and Henry Selick’s cult classic stop-motion animated movie, spotlights Zero, Jack Skellington’s glowing, floating, pumpkin-nosed ghost dog, and follows the events of the film. While Jack frets over his plans to discover new holiday lands, Zero is lost in the woods and ventures through the mysterious Holiday Doors into Christmas Town. Mischievous imps Lock, Shock, and Barrel are tasked by Jack to find him. Meanwhile, Zero’s joyous hunt for delicious Christmas cookies pits him against a foul-tempered gingerbread man who traps the hapless ghost dog in a cooking pot—at which point the book abruptly ends, promising continuation in a sequel. The lighthearted script by Milky (Sailor Moon) closely preserves the ambience of the screen on the printed page, and Kei Ishiyama’s art captures the spooky mood of the movie and the energetic, fluid nature of the curious, jittery Zero. Unremarkable lettering mars the work, however: a stark, plain font and oversized, awkwardly placed word balloons obscure the art and interrupt the narrative in panels with dialogue. The charming story and artwork are evocative of the original film, but the sudden to-be-continued end and jarring design limit the book’s effectiveness. Ages 9–12. (Oct.)