Jaskier eat your heart out, there’s a new bard in town!! Alto is the only son of the Queen of Skald. A long time ago, with the help of her friends, she saved the kingdom from a terrible evil. Now, as the child of Lady Brightblade, he has a lot of responsibilities, none of which are going on adventures as a bard… but that is all he wants to do.

When he runs away and comes upon a troupe of bards who plan to use a spell to ruin a peace treaty between the people of Skald and the Troll Kingdom, Alto will stop at nothing to stop them. This is what he was born to do!

I really loved Alto’s friends, the people he met along the way. Ebbe is a troll, the only bard of his people, and self taught. Claribel is working as an apprentice to Master Calder, one Lady Brightblade’s friends, who has taught herself how to be a bard from her teacher’s journals. He wrote about what the bard from their crew did, which has helped her to learn from what he saw. Together, they are The Wandering Hearth.

This gave all of the Found Family vibes and I loved them. I could definitely see this becoming a series and I’m sure all of the young kids who have yet to find their calling in Dungeons and Dragons will read this and know what they were born to do… become a bard!

This graphic novel follows Prince Alto, who desperately wants to be a bard wielding magical music and going on adventures. His mother, the queen, Lady Brightblade, doesn't share his wish for him to go adventuring. She would like Prince Alto to stop goofing off with music and learn to be a proper prince. But Alto is bored with castle life and decides to run away and go off on his own adventures. He meets with up with two other bards and together they face the evil that is threatening the kingdom.

This was such a cute graphic novel! I loved the story and I thought it was pretty unique. I don't think I've ever read a graphic novel that centers around three bards. The only think that took this down was the font. There were times that I couldn't really read what was going on because of the font. Other than that though I really enjoyed this!

A young prince must learn to be his own hero. By Ethan M Aldridge who wrote Estranged. Letters also by Molly Fehr. I was hooked as soon as I saw this book was recommended for fans of Witch Boy and Amulet. Those are two of my favorite graphic novels for kids.

Love the art. The purple's and bright green really give you the feeling you are in another world. It starts out with a dragon battle which instantly drew me in. The backgrounds were well done. It really felt like I had stepped into a DnD game. It is everything you could possibly want when you main character is a fantasy bard.

I love Aldridge's art and other books and this book certainly didn't disappoint. I loved it and the found family. Aldridge's art is always stupendous and makes his books stand out in the best way possible.

Fans of “Witch Boy” and Ethan M. Aldridge’s “Estranged” series will be sure to love “The Legend of Brightblade”—a colorful, musical, sparkling fantasy for young readers, filled with enchanting abilities and a charming cast of characters, rendered in vibrant watercolors.

Solidly in the fantasy realm here. Aldridge deftly combines parental expectations, individual desire, and political intrigue. We're looking at the balance between dreams and real obligations, duty to family and culture. There's a lot of "you don't know the whole story" to the plot. A solid read with reasonable messaging.

Super cute! I absolutely love the art style of this graphic novel - it's whimsical, has a gentle, cozy vibe, and is bursting with color. Each page was such a joy to look at. I really enjoyed the characters and story as well. Alto is a relatable protagonist - longing for his own adventure, feeling cramped by his royal position, and eager to prove himself. I liked that he got a chance to learn about the world and gain perspective, ultimately leading to character growth. Ebbe is probably my favorite character! I love a buff troll bard! This is a really great read for younger kids and middle grades, but I think all ages will be charmed by the art and story. I would recommend to fans of She-ra and the Princess of Power, The Tea Dragon Society, Howl's Moving Castle (Studio Ghibli), and The Witch Boy.

'The Legend of Brightblade' with story and art by Ethan M. Aldridge is a graphic novel about a young man finding his way in the world.

Prince Alto comes from a line of heroes, especially his own mother Lady Brightblade. The bard that fought by her side is training Alto, and that is what he wants to be. His mother does not approve and that forces Alto to run away. His journey finds him in strange new company, and he might even end up being a hero of sorts too.

I liked this story of striking out on your own to pursue the thing you are good at. I liked the odd characters the story brings along the way, and even though the story feels a bit predictable, I enjoyed the journey. The art has an interesting look to it also.

I received a review copy of this graphic novel from HarperCollins Children's Books, Quill Tree Books, and NetGalley. Thank you for allowing me to review this graphic novel.

I was so excited to get an arc of the latest book by Ethan M. Aldridge! I love his Estranged series, and I was charmed by The Legend of Brightblade as well. This graphic novel follows Alto, the youngest child of the famed hero and ruler of the Kingdom of Skald, as he sets out to become a bard against his mother's wishes and forms his own heroic bard troupe along the way. The story is told through incredibly lovely art painted in bright colors with wonderful attention to detail. While this standalone novel seems aimed at a slightly younger audience than his previous series, I think it's a story that will appeal to fantasy readers young and old alike.

This graphic novel is a MARVEL! Using the classic fantasy themes, inspired by bards and magic, Aldridge weaves a story of finding your place, knowing yourself, and confidence in your inner power that is truly a magic of its own. I loved the characters and the story and I could have had another 300 pages and not been bored. Wonderful stuff.

While individuals can be fierce on their own, three is stronger than one in this tale of adventure and music. Alto doesn’t want to be a prince; he just wants to be a bard who sets off on heroic adventures. Inspired by the brave deeds of his mother who long ago saved the realm from destruction, Alto believes he can single-handedly defeat the new threat to the kingdom. But what he comes to realize is that his mother did not accomplish her great feats alone. He learns that magic is stronger when people unite as a team and that being a lone hero is not all it’s cracked up to be.

A sweet and charming story about following your dreams and being heroic in a unconventional way that will appeal to middle grade readers who enjoy fantasy stories.

Thank you to the HarperCollins Children's Books and NetGalley for the advanced electronic copy of this wonderful book. Like true legends of old, this tale is about a prince who wants to be a bard and his adventure to eventually save the kingdom with his friends and music. I really enjoyed the story, the characters, the magic, and the artwork and can’t wait to recommend this amazing book to any middle grade child I come across. Special thanks to Ethan Aldridge for an amazing story!

Absolutely beautiful art. The story is a bit mild and didn’t really grab me, but I'll still rate it highly because I think the intended audience would get more out of it. Still highly recommended.

Thank you to NetGalley and HarperCollins for free advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

Prince Alto dreams of adventure beyond the peaceful palace. With his mandolin in hand, he runs away and meets Ebbe and Clarabel, two other kids who have their own reasons for setting off on their own. But Alto soon learns that there's more to becoming a hero than the legends foretold, and soon Alto, Ebbe, and Clarabel are faced with challenges greater than they could have ever imagined.

Ethan M. Aldridge creates a beautiful, fully realized world complete with stunning water color washed art. The Legend of Brightblade didn't disappoint, and I'm excited for his future work.

Story and Art: Ethan M. Aldrige
Cover Design and Lettering: Molly Fehr

Ethan M. Aldridge is magic. In this graphic novel, a runaway prince saves his kingdom by joining with two other misfit bards to create an amazing and powerful band to stop a rival evil band of bards. Each page is elaborately and gorgeously hand painted with watercolors. The characters have distinctive personalities and the character designs fit very well in this Dungeons-and-Dragons-type world. Alto is exactly who a prince should be if he grew up hearing about the grand adventures of his mother and had his own adventurous spirit. It's funny, heart warming, and did I mention gorgeous? Aldridge's skill and technique with watercolors blows my mind. Each page is a new piece of art that deserves to hang on someone's wall.

Would recommend to all kids with even the tiniest interest in fantasy worlds, but especially if they're into Dungeons and Dragons. The way the bards create magic in this book is absolutely perfect and an example I wish I'd had before I started playing my first bard.

This really put a smile on my face. I had read the author’s two Estranged books and like those this one was a really wholesome feeling story about family. This one felt like it was aimed at younger kids, the young prince feels like a sheltered 11 or year old preteen to me. He’s occasionally fairly childish in his reactions but hey, a youngest noble child would be pretty sheltered and unworldly so it fits the character. Alto just wants to be a hero like his mother was but she’s settled into the boring responsibilities of ruling and doesn’t really hear him when he tells her he he wants to be. I’ve just marked the author to follow on Goodreads because 3 for 3 of really good enjoyable stories is an author I want to keep reading!

I really enjoyed this book. I really believed the loving yet misunderstanding relationship between Alto and his mother. The characters and the artwork were very appealing. I'd definitely be interested in a sequel. I really enjoyed the unique magic system.

A vivid visual fantasy adventure, ideal for young readers. I would love to see this book on classroom shelves and appreciate the way the images and story create interest.