Rise of the Toa Nuva (Bionicle Series #1) »

Six mighty heroes – the Toa – arrive on a tropical island to find a land under siege. The Great Spirit Mata Nui has been cast into an unending sleep by the evil Makuta. Now Makuta is attacking the island’s Matoran villagers with vicious Rahi beasts. The Toa must combine their skills and elemental and mask powers to defeat Makuta and restore peace to the island.

In the second story, The Toa return to the island named for Mata Nui to find it is being overrun by mechanical insects called Bohrok. These Bohrok have been unleashed by Makuta and are rapidly destroying trees, mountains, rivers, villages and anything else in their path. After a long, difficult battle, the Toa are able to defeat the queens of the swarms and end the Bohrok threat … for now. During the fight, the heroes are transformed into Toa Nuva, with new armor, new weapons, and new Masks of Power.

School Library Journal

Gr 3-6

A graphic novel series based on the LEGO® toy line. In this story, readers learn about the origins of the Toa and their race to save the island of Mata Nui. The evil Makuta has forced the island into a time of despair and evil; those who inhabit it have been waiting to be saved. Then the Toa arrive, ready to fight the villain. As readers progress through the story, they will experience epic battles, dangerous escapes, and treachery among the warriors' ranks. The Toa must capture all of the Masks of Power, and they definitely need to learn to work together as a team if the island is to be saved. The art is vivid and attention grabbing, and the story line, which weaves in Polynesian mythology, is exciting and action-packed. Kids who love Bionicle will definitely be interested in learning about the beginning of these characters. Although battles are fought throughout, the main action is made up of cartoon violence between the Toa and their nemeses. A great purchase for comics and graphic-novel collections.-Traci Glass, Eugene Public Library, OR