This book has an absorbing adventure plot that moves right along, an enchanting visual style, and a whimsical vibe. It could appeal to everyone from preschoolers (as a read-aloud, with some added explanations from the reader-aloud) to teens and adults, who could find much to enjoy in the story and in the Moomintroll-meets-Picasso artwork. The format is a combination of picture book and graphic novel, alternating between beautifully colored full-page illustrations and black-and-white cartoon panels (with many hybrid color/black-and-white pictures as well). Each new section is introduced by a green-ink line drawing in sailor tattoo style. As the title suggests, the hero is a mule-like creature whose adventures at sea have something in common with the wanderings of Ulysses/Odysseus after the Trojan War. The plot also has echoes of Herman Melville’s Moby Dick (there is a whale, and a quest). The storyline it reminds me of most is that of Bob Dylan’s song “Isis”: a down-and-out narrator is lured on a perilous journey by an untrustworthy stranger’s promise of riches (“When I took up his offer, I must have been mad!” Dylan sings). Motifs from folklore and mythology—dangerous monsters, lost tokens, talking animals who repay acts of kindness—are put to good use. The gentle humor, the rich detail of the illustrations, and the satisfying story will bring readers back to this book again and again.

—Diane Arnson Svarlien