Orange    by Benjamin Order:  USA  Can TOKYOPOP, 2009 (2009) Softcover      Reviewed by Ricki Marking-Camuto Orange by benjamin is a sad tale with beautiful artwork. These two elements combine to create what a graphic novel should be. Orange is a teenage girl living the city. Like any teenager, she is going through a period of angst. One day, she decides to end her life by jumping off the roof of her building. A man is up there, drinking and smoking, watching her. Orange decides she cannot go through with it, and ends up befriending the man, Dashu. Her friendship with Dashu develops over the months as her life continues on its usual track of heartache, despair, and shallowness. However, in the end (which is also the beginning of Orange), Dashu manages to succeed where Orange has failed. Both the story and the art of Orange are awe-inspiring, but the art just a little more so. I am not sure what technique benjamin uses, but it looks like a cross between photo manipulation, CG, and paint. The illustrations alone will take your breath away. The story complements the images well to create a bitter-sweet tale of friendship, loss, and coming-of-age. Note: Opinions expressed in reviews and articles on this site are those of the author(s) and not necessarily those of BookLoons. Find more Teens books on our Shelves or in our book Reviews