Jen de Oliveira – Reggie: Penguin in Charge
Above is page 75 from Reggie: Penguin in Charge, the sequel to Jen de Oliveira’s debut graphic novel Reggie: Kid Penguin, published by Little, Brown Ink.
Panel Breakdown:
Panel 1: Although reluctant to say goodbye to the class butterflies (which he raised from caterpillars), Reggie has decided letting them go is for the best. The class is dressed up for a butterfly goodbye party, but Reggie clearly isn’t in a celebratory mood.
Panel 2: Mr. Oso (Reggie’s teacher) calls the class to gather together.
Panel 3: Reggie’s classmates, excited for the big moment, form a circle around Reggie and the butterflies as Mr. Oso prepares to count to three.
Panel 4: Unable to contain their enthusiasm, Reggie’s classmates begin counting out loud.
Panel 5: Reggie is nervous -- it’s almost time to let the butterflies go!
Panel 6: The class reaches the count of three, and Reggie begins to open the butterfly habitat.
Cartoonist’s thought process:
I wanted the tension to build on this page because, once it’s turned, the reader is presented with a beautiful full-page reveal of the butterflies being released. This page is all about anticipation and emotional contrast: Reggie’s classmates (dressed up for their “Bon Voyage Butterflies” party) are looking forward to letting the butterflies go. The butterflies flutter restlessly about their mesh cage, ready to explore a bigger space. Reggie, however, has been dreading this moment; as the class butterfly monitor, he’s cared for the butterflies since caterpillar-hood and has grown very attached to them. Reggie knows saying goodbye to the butterflies is the right thing to do, but the thought of doing so makes him very sad. By using tighter shots in the final row of panels, the pressure begins to build – and then the next page is a wide shot of the butterflies flying freely overhead. My goal for this page was for the reader to empathize with Reggie during this bittersweet moment. “Butterfly Monitor” is the most emotional short story from the Reggie books, and my hope is that it feels relatable and sincere.