A cute D&D novel. I enjoyed the Stat blocks for the various characters in game and out of game. I enjoyed the characters and their growth. I liked the art a lot. I will be ordering this for my library.

Thank you to Netgalley for giving me an ARC in return for my honest feedback.

I was first introduced to the world of Dungeons and Dragons when I was in middle school. Seeing my love of table top role playing games reflected in the two main characters in this story was a joy.

The storyline of growing up and change in moving into a middle school is entwined together with the TTRPG storyline of two characters coming together and learning to trust against a monstrous opponent. We see Jess's real life struggles with getting out of her comfort zone reflected in her player character's refusal to work with a new character. I could sympathize with Jess's desire to keep the one friend she has and not to throw anything new into the works that might mess that up. But it was also great to see Jess make a mistake and learn to do better and apologize.

The artwork is absolutely gorgeous. The characters are diverse in all ways, from body types, height, and race. And the characters each have their own style. The backgrounds are clean and uncluttered, and the coloring is beautiful.

This was a charming read for anyone who loves table top role playing games and coming of age stories.

Thank you to HarperCollins Children's Books and NetGalley for this ARC.

What an adorable story. The artwork? Adorable. The story? Adorable. As someone with a complicated history with Dungeons & Dragons, I completely fell for Jess''s side of the story. RPGs often allow those of us with social issues a place to shine and letting people that don't sit right with us into these places can be incredibly difficult.
I love the parallels between the players and their characters. That felt very real to my experience at the table. DnD characters are a place to explore intimate parts of yourself. Would you stand up to the big bad evil guy? Or would you stand back? What if you wanted to stand up to them but lacked the means to do so? Enter DnD. Where you have a sword and better stats than you do in real life.
That's what Jess experiences.
I was so happy when she came around to address her issues instead of keeping them inside. She told someone their actions made her uncomfortable. She stood up to bullies. She made friends.
My favorite part (absolutely favorite part) was the stat card for every character. Whenever we meet someone, a stat card appears next to them detailing their popularity, how nice they might be, how smart they are, and a whole bunch of other funny things.
I'll be putting this on pre-order now because I know an entire table of people who need this in their lives.

"I'm not good at friends, but I am good at stories."

First off, this middle grade graphic novel was so sweet and SO nerdy. I love that there are multiple different book series out right now that feature young characters who play D&D.
I recently DMed a campaign for a group of middle schoolers at the public library where I work (it was their first time playing, and they were all so invested), and anytime an author can make this game more accessible for kids that age, I'm a fan.

The little details that Molly and Xanthe include, such as random D&D stats for characters (both inside and outside their campaign) is a great touch, and helps longtime fans of the game feel more at home in the world they created, while also helping readers who will become new players.

Speaking of, the blending of "reality" and the game is very well done. Each frame of the fantasy world is so colorful, but the real world is too.

Also, the main message of being "stronger together" and needing friends isn't going to be something you've never heard of, but it's a much needed message, especially since when this generation of middle schoolers understands isolation better than past ones do.

5/5 art
5/5 plot & story
5/5 heart

Note: This book's publication date was November 30th, 2022, but I was given the ARC a few days into December and still wanted to thank NetGalley, Molly Knox Ostertag, and Xanthe Bouma for the chance to read and review this sweet story!

*Thank you, NetGalley for giving me access to this ARC in exchange for an honest review.*

Dungeons & Dragons: Dungeon Club: Roll Call is a lovely graphic novel that explores the delights and dangers of adventuring in the dungeons of middle school and D&D. The illustrations are brilliant - I loved the stats throughout, especially the ones relating to the middle schoolers that Jess encounters along the way!
I would recommend this book to any fan of D&D, including adults who enjoyed playing in their youth. Fantasy fans around middle school age will delight in this epic romp that explores close friendships, bullying, and the excitement of sharing adventures with other like-minded kids!

I loved this book and really hope they continue the Olivia and Jess' journey through middle school and D&D. I love the use of stat blocks to introduce characters and how out of character talk is included in the D&D session. I really captures how a session is handles and all of the cross talk that happens while playing.

The librarian was a nice addition to the story, though her role minor, it contributed in a big way.

Jess' personality compliments her character, Corius, well because it shows who she wants to be vs who she actually is. Corius is brave, strong and never backs down from a fight, while Jess is timid and avoids them all together. I really saw her struggle of dealing with bullies and using D&D as an escape even if it messed up the game. I loved the line "it's what my character would do."

Olivia is a wonderful, game master, story teller and all around friend.

And finally Tyler, his character/personality is similar to Jess'. He knows how he wants to be but he really struggles to bring that out into the real world. Sunny was a wonder character, very bubbly and fun next to Corius' hard and careless attitude.

D&D is a really fun game and a great way to make friends and this story shows that it can happen even when navigating something as sucky as middle school bullies.

A solid read for middle-grade audiences! Molly Knox Ostertag (Witch Boy) and Xanthe Bouma (5 Worlds, Dragon Prince) have done it again with this fantastic integration of Dungeons & Dragons mechanics and gameplay with real-world family, school, and social situations. Rich characters, wonderful illustrations, and clear, easy-to-follow writing make Dungeons & Dragons: Dungeon Club: Roll Coll a powerful beginning to a new series!

This is my new favorite book! I, personally, love to play D&D and see it as an amazing way to hang out with friends and stir creativity. It's something that was always described as incredibly complicated and difficult when I was younger but it's actually really accessible! I'm glad this book shows not only the fun that D&D brings, but also the deeper life lessons and bonds. I hope this is a series because I will read each and every one!

I will return to give this book a full loving review when HarperCollins agrees to a fair contract and the strike is over

Sometimes, Middle school feels like a dungeon and the bullies are the dragons that must be slain. Such is the case with this graphic novel. Jess hates navigating the labyrinth of middle school - so to cope with it, she created Sir Corius. Her bestie Olivia, is there to help her through it all - even offering to DM her games. But when Olivia wants to expand the club beyond the two of them, Jess isn't ready. Can the campaign withstand new members, jealousy and a few lurking monsters?

What I loved: the transitions between the d&d campaign and reality, the art style, the diversity depicted within the plot and the positive light dungeons and dragons is portrayed. I also really liked the topics of friendship, bullying and forgiveness explored within this novel.

Highly recommend for middles. I will be adding a copy to my classroom library!

A delightful friendship tale with dungeons and dragons thrown in! A sure bet for fantasy loving kids.

My D&D enthused 12-year-old saw the cover for Roll Call on my screen and immediately made a grab for the iPad. Curling up with the book, he didn’t stop reading until the end, though he was laughing out loud throughout. Great read for D&D players!

Holy shit this is so good.

I LOVE The Witch Boy series, so I instantly wanted to pick this up when I saw Molly Ostertag had a new book coming out. I was absolutely blown away by this, more than I even thought I would be. It's adorable with all the right messages in all the right places. The blend between real life and their D&D game was also insanely cool. I can't recommend this enough! One of my favorite reads of the YEAR.

Thank you to NetGalley and Harper Alley for an advanced copy. All thoughts and opinions are, as always, my very own.

Molly Knox Ostertag is a master of storytelling when it comes to graphic novels. I am very excited about the recent uptick in popularity for D&D. It is a way for people to take a step outside of the everyday and for people who fit into a number of "diverse" categories, it can be a way to deal with some of the negativity that they can face in the real world. Ostertag's story definitely brings the magic and escapism of a good Dungeons & Dragons game to table while supporting the idea of standing up to bullying. Xanthe Bouma's illustrations pair perfectly with storyline truly bringing to life the fantasy of this story.

Thank you to Netgalley for an eARC in exchange for my honest review :)

This graphic novel was amazing. It encompasses all the feelings of making new friends and the struggles you face when navigating new and existing relationships. I love the Dungeons and Dragons aspect to the novel as well. The artwork was gorgeous and it captures the essence of the game and how it allows you to express yourself in a way that’s hard to do naturally. This graphic novel was most likely designed for a much younger audience but I was able to relate through experiences I faced when in middle school.

'Dungeons & Dragons: Dungeon Club - Roll Call' by Molly Knox Ostertag with art by Xanthe Bouma is a graphic novel about friends, middle school, and fantastic adventures.

Jess and Olivia have been friends forever and they play D&D together. Now middle school is looming and Jess doesn't want things to change. Olivia wants to start a D&D club and run for student office. When a new player shows up to the club, Jess is not sure she wants this. Hopefully these two friends can work things out.

I liked this story of friendship and not wanting to share things with others. The art was good and I liked the story within the story also. I think young readers would enjoy this.

A delightful middle grade graphic novel! Love the message on communication it tells. D&D can be such a great resource for building interpersonal skills in people young and old alike, and this book does a great job showing that. The art is also wonderful!!

Thank you NetGalley for the E-ARC!

This is an entertaining book dealing with the interactions of three kids enjoying the world of Dungeons and Dragons. I think any middle schooler who plays Dungeons and Dragons will be able to relate to the characters and situations presented.

I particularly enjoyed that the main character sees the world around her as if she was in the game, but the author didn't take it to the extreme that some might. I've seen other books where the entire world becomes transformed into a fantasy version. In this book, the world remains reality, but stat boxes similar to the Monster Manual will appear next to the characters of the story. The style and formatting is spot on with the 5E Monster Manual.

I'm early awaiting the next book in the series.

This review is based on an ARC obtained through NetGalley.

Jess, an antisocial 8th grader, gets upset when her best friend Olivia invites someone to their Dungeons & Dragons Club. The pair learns to navigate the middle school environment with the help of their imagination.

Molly Knox Ostertag’s new book has me squealing for joy. Her illustration style has always caught my eye, but including excerpt images styled after the DnD player’s handbook was the icing on the cake. Such a wonderfully aesthetic book is paired perfectly with the story it depicts. Learning to navigate middle school, especially through healthy communication, is hard for everyone. The story of Jess & Olivia helps kids learn healthy communication through mediums such as board games. I loved the wholesome message of learning to stand up to bullies & how the people we imagine yourself to be can easily become a reality.
This book is the start of a series following Jess, Olivia, Rubio, & the Sammis. I will be first in line to get my copy of the second instalment. This book will be a valuable addition to every middle school library.

SUCH a delight. the artwork is vibrant and fun and full of movement, and while the story in a lot of ways is nothing new it’s heartwarming to the max. high recommendation for d&d players or kids you think might need some fantastical collaborative storytelling in their life.