This was a wonderful book, interspersing journal pages with graphic novel panels to tell the story of an 11 year old girl, Cici and her friends solving mysteries in her small French provincial town. The story revolves around a mysterious man with paint cans in the forest which leads to a wonderful adventure that brings joy to the whole town in the end. I loved everything about this book. How often do you observe strangers and ask yourself what they might be doing? I loved that Cici had the wherewithal to follow the clues to the end, and that by solving these simple life mysteries she brought joy to others around her. Plus, it seems that Cici and her mother have some mysteries of their own that I hope will shake out in future installments!

Brought to you by OBS reviewer Scott

Cici’s journal: The Adventures of a writer in Training is actually a collection of two “graphic novelettes” originally written in French and translated to English: Cici’s journal: The Petrified Zoo and Cici’s journal: Hector’s Book; they are labelled Part One and Part two in the book respectively. The Interweaving thread that binds the two novelettes is Cici, A 10-year-old girl, who is an aspiring author, and keeps a journal (as her mother insists, “if you’re going to be a writer you should write,”) making the graphic novelettes part graphic and part prose. Cici has a nose for mystery, and the two mini-mysteries in both novelettes are both well constructed and easy to read. At no point does the reader feel lost or confused as the book is written for younger aspiring writers (hopefully of graphic novels).

The characterization was flawlessly executed, although the journal entries do not sound like a 10-year-old wrote them. Otherwise, the dialogue between the children themselves, the interactions between children and adults and the rare interaction of adults speaking with adults really resonated well. Cici grows and learns lessons the hard way, lending credence to her interactions with the people around her. Joris Chamblain brings all the characters to a head in the second book, and it is done in a realistic manner that does not cheat or rob the reader of any concerns about Cici’s behavior. Cici’s surrounding cast is fleshed out well enough that they do not feel artificial or contrived.

The artwork in the book is typically European. It runs the gamut of deftly lined characters, to 10-year-old crayon scribbles that line the pages of the journal. Likewise, it has a sense of grandeur and mystery surrounding things like a stone wall, or a closed off section of a library (the two notable examples from Part One and Part Two). Perspective and proportion are bang on and the characters (Cici and her two best friends Lena and Erica) look like 10-year old’s. It is a rarity for artists who regularly draw adults to draw children as the proportions of the body change. But her Aurėlie Nėyret pulls it off flawlessly and does not fall into the trap of making them “mini-adults.” The lettering (presumably done by computer and added in after the translation), is in an easy-to-read font and word balloons do not tie up the panel’s real estate. `Cici’s Journal should appeal to lovers of little mysteries (mystery-ettes?). children’s stories, aspiring writers (or journal authors). European art aficionados and plain old lovers of graphic novels. While geared towards children, adults can at least find the artistry in this graphic novel. While not spectacular, Cici’s journal: The Adventures of a Writer in Training is a quick, easy read that can be enjoyed from many points of view.

Gorgeously illustrated and paired with other media (photography, hand written notes) I’m looking forward to more from this author and illustrator combo.

As an aspiring writer, Cici takes time to observe people, and one day her observations lead her to follow the trail of an old man, carrying some paint into the forest. Continued watching of this man reveals he does this every Sunday. Whatever could he be up to?

Readers who appreciate graphic novels will be drawn to this book, and the surprise ending is touching and sweet. A lovely book that will have readers asking for more.

Je n'ai malheureusement jamais été capable d'ouvrir ce document sans faire planter mon application...je ne peux donc pas donner une chronique de cette BD.

I love the illustrations in this book. Beautifully detailed. They really convey the majesty of the zoo story. The plot is decent, the characterization fairly shallow. Its worth reading just to admire the art

I was immediately drawn to the main character, she's a wanna-be writer. The illustrations are very well done and gorgeous. I loved the characters, the mysteries, the adventures.

My biggest struggle with my students is that they think people are born being good writers and that there are people who can automatically create a perfect, print-worthy first draft. This book is perfect for them because they get to see how Cici is mentored by her beloved former teacher turned author and how she has to work hard to hone her craft.

So excited that this special graphic novel has finally arrived! A young girl who dreams of writing novels, observing adults, and taking notes about the people and world around her? She’s like Harriet the Spy for the modern age. Sprinkle in a little mystery in the form of a strange old man who appears in the forest every Sunday and Cici’s journal scribbles, doodles, and observation notes and you’ve got yourself one totally amazing read.

- From our YAYBOOKS! November Roundup on yayomg.com

The art is gorgeous and the story is charming! Would recommend.

Cici dreams of being a famous writer someday, a novelist maybe! To start out, though, she's practicing by journaling like a reporter and finding mysteries in her small town.

The construction of the book was a fun amalgamation of comic book panels, handwritten journal entries, and photographs. Since this was an arc there were some panels that were harder to see than others, such as the photographs, but the general layout gave a good impression of what the book would look like in its final form. Neyret's artwork was very bright in it's panels, eye catching and soft around the edges. My favorite scenes were the library panels from the second story. There was a magical quality to the different sections of the library, from the children's shelves to the history section.

As for the characters, Cici was difficult to like as a main character. As good as a spy as she thought she was, her skills of observation needed a lot of work. She wasn't trustworthy either, constantly lying to her mother and her friends and never suffering any consequences for those actions (another thing that frustrated me - Cici never got in trouble for anything).

Erica, one of Cici's best friends, seemed like the voice of reason in their small group. While Cici badmouthed her quite a bit, saying nearly every time she spoke about Erica that all she did was complain, Erica had good reason to say the things she did about Cici. How she kept asking them to lie, how she needed them as cover stories, things like that. I understood why she got angry at Cici and why they finally fought near the end of the book.  

Cici doesn't always have the best decision making skills. Her friendship with Ms. Flores at the onset of the book from Cici's perspective is a close one, but in her own words she doesn't know much about Ms. Flores, her mother doesn't like that she hangs out with her so much, and she has to lie to her mother about the amount of time she spends at the Flores house. That struck me as really strange, especially since this book seems to take place in the present. I think the story as a whole, from the zoo in the first story onward, would have worked better in an earlier time period, perhaps in that of Kit the American Girl or Harriet the Spy. The liberties of their time periods would have melded better 

There was something about Cici's voice that I found hard to really like. The way that she communicated throughout her journal entries, the way she thought, these passages all sounded like the way an adult thought a ten-year-old child would say things or think things rather than the way such a child would actually say or think. Her voice, the writing behind it, wasn't wholly believable. It wasn't a painful interpretation, but it wasn't as good as it could have been.

Cici's Journal might be suited to a young crowd that won't pick at the story lines as I have or character building, but I'm not sure they'll be wholly satisfied with the characters having little to no consequences and disregard for friendships.

This is almost like a modern-day Harriet the Spy with a young girl making observations about the world around her and then writing them down. Like Harriet, Cici makes some missteps in her personal life, her journal becoming more important than her friends or listening to her mother. It's a charming book with a built-in mystery. It is a little preachy and, like most graphic novels, it takes a loooong time to load the pages on an ereader.

Three stars
This book comes out today
ARC provided by NetGalley

CiCi's Journal: The Adventures of a Writer-in-Training by Joris Chamblain is currently scheduled for release on November 7 2017. Cici dreams of being a novelist. Her favorite subject: people, especially adults. She’s been watching them and taking notes. Everybody has one special secret, Cici figures, and if you want to write about people, you need to understand what’s hiding inside them. But now she’s discovered something truly strange: an old man who disappears into the forest every Sunday with huge pots of paint in all sorts of colors. What is he up to? Why does he look so sad when he comes back? In a graphic novel format; interwoven with journal notes, scrapbook pieces, and doodles, Cici assembles clues about the odd and wonderful people she’s uncovered, even as she struggles to understand the mundane: her family and friends.

CiCi's Journal: The Adventures of a Writer-in-Training is part graphic novel and part journal style novel. I think that this combination, along with the solid character work by Chamblain will make this a fun read for middle grade and older readers. Cici is a girl on a mission, she want to learn everything she can about other people's secrets because it will help her learn how to write about people better. I like that she has to deal with friend and family issues, and that most of them feel completely authentic. I enjoyed the mysteries that she solves, and that while she might complicate her relationships in the process, she works to make them better and still grow as a person, and a friend. Her fears, and need to ferret out the hidden details of the world around her spoke to me, a stubborn researcher that cannot let go of a question until I find an answer. I think the art style is lovely, although some of the pages did not come over correctly in the digital galley I read, so I assume that the final version reads even better than the copy I read. This was a great read all around, and I think it will find a dedicated fan base. I only fear for the parents and teachers that will deal with readers that might start emulating Cici's detecting drive, but am hopeful for those that might take the idea of writing themselves to heart.

CiCi's Journal: The Adventures of a Writer-in-Training is a book that made me smile. It reminded me of Harriet the Spy in the best of ways, and still felt new and fresh. I think this will appeal to a number of readers.

This book actually includes two stories. I’ll review them separately.

“The Petrified Zoo”
****
Cici and her friends notice a man coming and going from the woods with paint all over him. Cici can’t let this mystery go. Eventually she finds out what the man is up to (view spoiler) and recruits others to help which changes several lives for the better.

A sweet and moving story. I love how Cici mobilizes kids and then even adults to help heal an old man’s heart and revitalize a neglected part of the city. It’d be 5 stars if Cici didn’t lie to her mom all the time. Her mom does figure things out, and Cici does mention at the end that she knows they need to talk, but she hasn’t yet.

“Hector’s Book”
****
Cici gets wrapped up in the mystery of an old woman who takes the bus every Tuesday at 3pm carrying the same book and looking sad. She gets so wrapped up in the case that she ignores her best friends except to use their help and Erica has finally had enough. Cici still doesn’t quite learn her lesson, and it’ll take someone she respects laying things out painfully straight for Cici to see some things she needs to work on personally. But that doesn’t mean she’s giving up on the mystery of the little old lady! She tracks her down to the library and discovers the woman has been checking out a self-published book by Hector Bertelon for numerous years. Cici finds out more about the book, Hector, and the old woman, and comes up with a happy discovery.

It is about time Cici learned her lesson. Too bad she had to go about it the hard way, but I’m so glad she learned it. The mystery with the old woman has a sweet and tender ending, of the kind that Hallmark likes to turn into movies. I didn’t realize at first that this was originally written in French. It makes a little more sense now why the setting feels European (because it is supposed to be) and why some of the phrases characters use are more British English than American. Overall, a fun middle grade sleuthing adventure with some poignant lessons on how to be an unselfish friend and help others around you.

Notes on content (based on ARC): No language issues. No sexual content or decency issues. There’s a flashback to WWII with an illustration of a wounded, dying man (very minimal blood), otherwise no violence.

Cici is a curious writer. When her curiosity gets the better of her, as she tries to unravel mysteries, she neglects her friends and lies to her mother. This book has a solid and satisfying ending. Many students will like it.

Review based on a digital copy received via Netgalley.

Cici is a little girl of about 10-12 who lives with her mother. She has two close friends, Erica and Lena. Together, they have built a clubhouse; it is from this clubhouse that Cici carries out her investigations, with her friends’ help (sometimes willing, sometimes not). Cici longs to be an author and has made friends with a famous author living in her neighborhood. Her mother seems a bit suspicious of everything Cici does, which seems a little strange. Nevertheless, she encourages Cici’s passion for writing by giving her a journal in which she keeps all of her notes and drawings.

The first investigation that Cici opens is into a mysterious old man who is seen walking through the woods with paint cans in the mornings, coming back out in the evenings. He is always covered in paint. Where is he going and what is he doing? When Cici and her friends follow him to a tall wall, the mystery deepens. On her own, Cici returns to get to the bottom of this mystery. What she finds is enchanting and heartbreaking all at the same time, but ultimately heartwarming. I think kids will like the helping aspect, in which Cici is able to see a problem, solve it and help someone live a happier life. It is a very empowering message.

The second investigation is into an old lady who always checks out the same book from the library. There is a bit of the unrealistic going on in this section. First, there is a check out card for the book, which seems a bit odd in this day and age, especially since there is a thin computer monitor on the check out desk. Second, the librarian talks to Cici about the lady and how often she borrow the book, etc., which is against the rules in libraries. Of course, this is a mystery story, and in all mysteries, rules get broken all the time!

When Cici has a falling out with her friends, her mother is concerned and her author friend (Mrs. Flores) tries to help. Cici seems to forget her friends when she’s in the midst of a mystery, something that is difficult for her friends. She shuts her mother out, often lying to her so that she can continue her investigations. It is Mrs. Flores that helps her figure out what is important.

While Cici’s mysteries seem to involve meddling in the lives of others, her heart is in the right place, and in the end, her efforts always seem to help those being investigated in some way. But in the end, it is herself that needs saving. She has closed herself off from others, and is only now beginning to realize the ramifications of those actions. She begins to open herself up to others in a way that is both difficult and gratifying. I think kids will understand and empathize with Cici’s journey and find of bit of themselves in the story.

The illustrations are great. I love how they alternate between Cici’s Journal and the story itself. The journal looks like a kid’s work, with great little drawings and descriptions of things that show how Cici is really feeling. The story itself is told through beautiful, full color panels. The characters really shine.

Cici has an insatiable curiosity. When something is a mystery to her, she goes after the answer. This causes some problems with her Mom and her girlfriends. It's all part of growing up...

First Second Books and Net Galley let me read this book for review (thank you). It will be published November 7th.

The story itself is partly Cici's journal and the rest of it graphic novel. It's an interesting combo. Her handwriting is a bit hard to read and she doodles so the journal is entertaining.

The first adventure she gets into is trying to follow an old man who has come through the woods. He's carrying paint cans and has paint all over him. When it comes right down to it, she's the one who is brave enough to go over the wall and see what's on the other side. It's an old abandoned zoo. But the animals have all been painted and they look alive...

In the next story, an old woman keeps checking out the same library book. Cici finally asks her why. Her husband went to war and when he came home, he never spoke again. She knows he loved her and it's his book that she checks out. Suddenly, Cici realizes the numbers in his book match the Dewey Decimal Numbers used on the library books...

The mysteries were good, Cici has to apologize to all the people in her life for taking them for granted and being less than honest with her Mom. She gets a lot of praise for her good works. And I'm sure she'll be snooping again.

The artwork in this one is so beautiful - I love the vivid colours and the watercolour-esque style. The characters are quite good, and the mysteries were really great (both were sweet and sad, with a little hope).
However, the character of Cici actually irritated me quite a bit, so I had trouble relating to her throughout the books. I was more interested in her mystery characters than in here. So, a nice diversion, with gorgeous artwork, but not super engaging.

Cici lives in the country in a big olf house with her mother, and loves to explore the nearby woods with her two good friends, Lena and Erica. She has a good friend in a local writer, Ms. Flores, who encourages her to take notes on things around her and pay attention to the stories people tell. Cici observes a man in the woods, Mr. Mysterious, who always seems to be covered in paint, and when she follows him, she finds that the rocks and walls in an abandoned zoo have been covered with beautiful, realistic paintings of animals. Mr. Mysterious has painted the backgrounds of the animal enclosures before the zoo closed, and was very sad that all of the animals had to be rehomed. With the help of Cici and her friends and family, the zoo is brought back to a bit of its former glory.
Strengths: This is an absolutely beautiful graphic novel-- it's almost more like a book of paintings. The story is touching, and all of the characters are pleasant and helpful.
Weaknesses: I hate to encourage children to be writers when they grow up. It seems cruel, like suggesting they become, I don't know, Latin teachers or milk men. (Remember, I am a very bitter ex-Latin teacher!)
What I really think: Will most likely purchase, and it will be popular.

Cici aspires to be a writer. She loves to observe the people around her and writes about them in her journal. Unfortunately, she sometimes gets caught up in what she is doing and mistreats the people around her. The book is designed as two separate mysteries written about in her journal. I thought it was interesting that in both she ends up helping elderly people. Lessons are learned and relationships repaired. I like the format of graphic novel and journal entries.

Nice. I would recommend this to all. Quite enjoyable.