Nimona
Written and Illustrated by Noelle Stevenson

Publisher’s Summary:
Nimona is an impulsive young shapeshifter with a knack for villainy. Lord Ballister Blackheart is a villain with a vendetta. As sidekick and supervillain, Nimona and Lord Blackheart are about to wreak some serious havoc. Their mission: prove to the kingdom that Sir Ambrosius Goldenloin and his buddies at the Institution of Law Enforcement and Heroics aren’t the heroes everyone thinks they are.

But as small acts of mischief escalate into a vicious battle, Lord Blackheart realizes that Nimona’s powers are as murky and mysterious as her past. And her unpredictable wild side might be more dangerous than he is willing to admit.

Primary Source Pairing:
Nimona was started as a web comic by author and illustrator Noelle Stevenson. For this primary source pairing, invite students to study an early illustration of Nimona and analyze how her character developed and changed physically in the illustrations and as a character in the plot of the story. For more information and more illustrations visit Noelle Stevenson’s website at gingerhaze.com.

Questions for Discussion:

• What do you notice first?
• Find something small but interesting.
• What do you notice that you didn’t expect?
• What do you notice that you can’t explain?
• How has Nimona’s character changed physically in the illustrations?
• How do the illustrations in the book support the plot of the story?

Credits:
Book Cover and Summary: Follett
Nimona Illustration: PasteMagazine.com