Book Review: Bookhunter

I have to say that as a graduate student in the Library Science field, I am extremely disappointed in the lack of books about librarians. Personally, I think that we're some of the most avid readers and yet there are so few good books about libraries and their librarians. Fortunately, Bookhunter by Jason Shiga has stepped up to the plate to write a graphic novel about libraries and books and he has done an excellent job!

The main character is a special agent who only takes cases that involve books and libraries. He is like the old tv show "Dragnet" but for the literary world. His team is made up for a male scientist who is the stereotpical nerd and a quirky female scientist whose speciality is fingerprints. Similar to the current tv show "CSI" the Bookhunter and his staff hace a lab that is specifically for the investigation of book forgeries, fraud, and theft.

The plot is simple but humorous. The Bookhunter is called to the Oakland Public Library to investigate a theft of John Quincy Adams' bible. The bible was said to have been given to Adams by the Mendi tribe as a thanks for helping them with the Amistad trial. It is believed that the book in the display case is a forgery and that the authentic bible was stolen by a book dealer or seller. The team goes on a crazy chase to find the culprit and investigates using records of libary cards, old microfilm and the Dewey Decimal system.

This graphic novel is not deep or introspective but it is a alot of fun! I was able to finish it in one sitting and laughed most of the time. Though the Bookhunter is not a superhero, it is great to see how he uses his "super powers" (aka knowledge about libraries) to find the criminal. It is light-hearted and the perfect read for any libarian, library lover, or book enthusiast.

-DLP