The Inscrutable Doctor Baer and the Case of the Two-Faced Statue - by Jerzy Drozd (Paperback)

About the Book

When a powerful magical artifact is stolen from his carefully ordered home, The Inscrutable Dr. Baer, a collector and protector of arcane treasures, must embark on the first adventure of his life.

Book Synopsis

"Easily one of the best graphic novels of the year." -- SCHOOL LIBRARY JOURNAL
"A creative odyssey." -- KIRKUS

The Inscrutable Dr. Baer, at your service!

While he's much too busy to embark on any adventures himself, Dr. Baer is here to help with yours. Are you burdened with an unwanted magical object? Gorgon's head? Monkey's paw? Flaming sword?! Sell it to Dr. Baer; he'll tame its spirit, carefully catalog its origin, and keep it safe and orderly within the walls of the spookiest house you're ever likely to find.

But when novice explorers Taft the Tortoise and Pickles the Pig accidentally enable the theft of Baer's most powerful artifact by the nefarious sorcerer Gallus Lugubrious, the good doctor is forced out of his house to reclaim it. The only problem is, for everything he knows about magic, he knows nothing about adventuring, and he'll have to figure this one out as he goes, far from the comforting safety of home.

In over his head, along with his equally inexperienced new allies, Dr. Baer sets out on a dangerous quest through a world of monsters and magic to set things right . . . and to find his next chapter.

Review Quotes

"Pulls off a magic trick not seen since Jeff Smith's Bone series. . . . Magical and fresh, this is easily one of the best graphic novels of the year." -- SCHOOL LIBRARY JOURNAL (Starred Review)

"A creative odyssey. . . . Draws on a tradition of older fantasy adventure comics in a way that's too rarely seen today." -- KIRKUS

"Well-organized and well-told. . . . A home run." -- SCHOOL LIBRARY JOURNAL (Science Comics: Rockets)

"A plethora of data with crisp visuals that approximate the flow of a top-notch documentary." -- PUBLISHERS WEEKLY Starred Review (The Warren Commission Report)

About the Author

Jerzy Drozd is a cartoonist and teaching artist. He wrote and illustrated Science Comics: Rockets with his wife, Anne Drozd, and he is one of the artists of The Warren Commission Report graphic novel adaptation. Jerzy leads cartooning workshops for children and teens in libraries and schools, as well as for teachers who want to bring comics to the classroom. He's also a member of the Ohio Arts Council's Teaching Artist roster and hosts multiple podcasts about comics and how to make them, such as How to Be a Teaching Artist and Lean into Art. Jerzy has drawn special projects for Glencoe/McGraw-Hill, Marvel Comics, VIZ Media, and many others.