Kenneth Oppel's Silverwing gets graphic novel adaptation after years of success

Kenneth Oppel's Silverwing trilogy hassold over a million copies worldwide. It's also been adapted into an animated TV series and a stage play. Now, over 25 years after the first book was released, a graphic novel is being added to the mix.

Silverwing: The Graphic Novel is illustrated by Christopher Steininger, a Saskatchewan-based artist and illustrator.

"Silverwing was a unique challenge artistically to create characters and a world that on one hand is engaging for a younger audience, but also has an appropriate intrinsic darker edge,"Steininger said in an email to CBC Books.

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"After all, the natural world is simultaneously beautiful and scary and playing in that sandbox, bringing that out, is a lot of fun," saidSteininger.

"Silverwing has enchanted readers for decades now. Shade's adventure is so widely popular and beloved that it has long cemented itself in the Canadian children's literature canon," said Yash Kesanakurthy, who edited the graphic novel.

"The graphic novel edition immaculately illustrated by ChristopherSteininger is not only a chance to celebrate the adapted work and Kenneth Oppel himself, but also a way to bring this fantastic story to long-time Silverwing fans and new readers alike. Steininger's compelling art complements Oppel's classic perfectly and the result is an accessible, near-cinematic experience."

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Based in Toronto, Oppel is the bestselling author of many books for young readers, including Airborn, Skybreaker, The Nest, Half Brother and, most recently, Ghostlight.

Silverwing: The Graphic Novel will be available on Sept. 5, 2023.