Graphic novels

The Wrong Wrights (Secret Smithsonian Adventures) by Steve Hockensmith and Chris Kientz, illustrated by Lee Nielsen

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Published by Smithsonian Books 

Summary:  Four kids are awarded a trip to the Smithsonian’s Air and Space Museum for winning the district science fair.  When they get there, they discover that, instead of airplanes, the exhibit halls are filled with hot air balloons and dirigibles.  They’ve accidentally stumbled into an alternate reality, and before you can say “Kitty Hawk”, they are whisked back in time to a crucial point in aviation history.  On a windy day in 1909, the Wright brothers, Glenn Curtiss, and Thomas Scott Baldwin demonstrated their flying machines.  Only the Wright brothers were successful, and this led to greater financial support for the airplane, and less for the other types of aircraft.  The kids, with the help of Katherine Wright (Orville and Wilbur’s sister) are able to defeat other time travelers who are trying to help Curtiss and Baldwin, and secure the Wrights’ place in history.  When they return to the present, the airplanes are back in place at the Air and Space Museum.  64 pages; grades 3-6

Pros:  History, time travel, and science are pleasantly mingled in this graphic novel, which is apparently the first in a series published by the Smithsonian.

Cons:  Some of the time travel seemed a little too “Scooby Doo” and not particularly well thought-out.

The Great Pet Escape by Victoria Jamieson

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Published by Henry Holt and Company 

Summary:  GW (real name, George Washington) has been stuck in his hamster cage for three months, two weeks, and one day.  He and his friends, Barry the bunny and Biter the ferocious guinea pig used to be the Furry Fiends until they were captured and turned into classroom pets.  As the story opens, GW has just figure out a way to unlock the cage.  At the end of the school day, he makes his break and goes off in search of his companions.  To his dismay, Barry seems pretty happy in first grade, and Biter has completely gone over to the dark side of kindergarten, calling herself Sunflower and practicing yoga to handle her anger issues.  GW finally convinces them to return to their previous life, but their plans are interrupted by Harriet, the fourth grade mouse, leading an army that includes the fifth grade snake and ten more mice (or wait, is it nine and a well-fed snake?).  War breaks out in the halls and cafeteria of the school, and a single food fight could change the course of class pet history forever.  64 pages; ages 6-10.

Pros:  Victoria Jamieson is a genius. Roller Girl was a Newbery winner and one of my favorite graphic novels of 2015.  Now she’s gone in a totally new direction with a hilarious new graphic.  Unlike some “humorous” kids’ books that just seem silly, this one had me laughing out loud on every page.

Cons:  I can’t decide which sequel I want to see first…Roller Girl 2 or another installment of Pets on the Loose.

Study Hall of Justice (Secret Hero Society series) by Derek Fridolfs, illustrated by Dustin Nguyen

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Published by Scholastic 

Summary:  Young Bruce Wayne is looking forward to starting school at the prestigious Ducard Academy, but right from the first day, everyone seems incredibly mean, even the teachers.  He does manage to befriend two kids who are having similar struggles, a boy named Clark Kent and a girl named Diana Prince.  Together, they try to investigate the dark secrets of their new school and who is behind them.  The story is told through comics, letters, journal entries, school forms, and texts.  With the school mystery solved by the end, Bruce’s mention of an upcoming camp visit hints at a sequel.  176  pages; ages 8-12.

Pros:  Reluctant readers will flock to this book about the young Batman, Superman, and Wonder Woman.  The variety of formats (graphic novel, letters, texts, etc.) makes it an interesting and fast-paced read.

Cons:  The story was a little more complex than I was expecting, and the different types of text could make it a bit confusing.

Five Favorite Graphic Novels

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Each year brings a larger group of graphic novels for a wider range of readers.  Here are some that I particularly enjoyed this year:

Awkward by Svetlana Chmakova.  Published by Yen Press.

Awkward (Berrybrook Middle School, 1): CHMAKOVA, SVETLANA: 9780316381307: Amazon.com: Books

Peppi treats another kid badly on her first day of middle school…then spends a good portion of the rest of the book beating herself up about it and trying to make amends.  Perfectly captures middle school angst.

Sunny Side Up by Jennifer Holm, illustrated by Matthew Holm.  Published by Scholastic.  Book trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vOC_Vjc2wRg

The month of August in a Florida retirement community?  Sunny struggles to adapt to her sudden visit to Grandpa’s.  Flashback scenes help the reader figure out the family difficulties that have precipitated the need to have Sunny out of the house for a month.  Based on the authors’ own childhood, Sunny Side Up is a story of family love and resilience.

Roller Girl by Victoria Jamieson.  Published by Dial Books.

Another middle school story…Astrid and her best friend Nicole pursue different interests, and the possibility of the end of their friendship, during the summer before sixth grade.  While Nicole follows her passion for dance, Astrid decides to try roller derby camp.  Amidst the bumps, bruises, and falls, she discovers something she loves and maybe, just maybe, can learn to be good at.

Lost in NYC: A Subway Adventure by Nadja Spiegelman, illustrated by Sergio Garcia Sanchez.  Published by Toon Graphics.

Part friendship story, part engineering manual, Lost in NYC recounts a comedy of errors school field trip on the New York City subway that results in a new friendship and a lesson in NYC’s subterranean maze.

Secret Coders by Gene Luen Yang, illustrated by Mike Holmes.  Published by First Second.  Hopper’s first day in her new school is anything but ordinary, as she and a new friend discover binary coding, some unusual owls, and an underground network run by a pretty creepy custodian.

Drowned City: Hurricane Katrina and New Orleans written and illustrated by Don Brown

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Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt

     

Summary:  In graphic novel format, Don Brown traces the history of Hurricane Katrina. He begins in early August, 2005, when a “swirl of unremarkable wind” leaves Africa and travels toward North America, gathering strength over the Atlantic Ocean.  As it closes in on New Orleans, residents begin to evacuate, but some choose or are forced to stay behind.  The pictures tell the story, as houses become submerged and residents are forced into their attics and onto their roofs.  Rescue efforts are alternately heroic and ridiculously bungled.  The Superdome debacle is described in detail that is horrific, yet appropriate for younger kids.  The final page describes New Orleans seven years later, still only at 80% of the pre-Katrina population, but slowly rebuilding and coming back to life.  96 pages; ages 10-up.

Pros:  Readers ready to move on from the “I Survived” series will be captivated by this history of a recent U.S. catastrophe.  The graphic novel format is perfect to show what happened from many different perspectives, and the takeaway message is one of resilience.

Cons:  Pretty much every official and politician comes across as inept.

Little Robot by Ben Hatke

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Published by First Second          

Summary:  A little girl who likes to explore discovers a box containing a small robot floating down a stream.  Thanks to the first few pages, the reader knows this robot has fallen off a delivery truck.  The girl and robot become friends; although she’s young, the girl is a pretty good mechanic and helps the robot with a few issues.  She also tries to create some robot friends for him. Meanwhile, back at the factory, an alarm goes off when the robot is discovered missing, and a bigger, badder robot is sent in pursuit.  As the girl and her new friend learn the ups and downs of friendship, the mean robot is seen closing in.  Suspenseful chase scenes conclude with a positive resolution brought about by the girl’s ingenuity, mechanical skill, and caring.  The robots she has created celebrate with a loud dance party.  When the noise attracts the attention of a pair of children, the girl and her original robot friend escape into the woods together.  144 pages; grades 1-4.

Pros:  The beautiful artwork of this graphic novel tells most of the story (there are no words until page 27 and they are sparse after that).  Young children will enjoy making up their own tale, with just a little reading thrown in.  The smart, independent girl and funny, caring robot make an endearing pair.

Cons:  I didn’t really understand why the girl and the robot left the party at the end.  She seemed pretty unhappy at the possibility of contact with other humans.

Child Soldier: When Boys and Girls Are Used in War by Jessica Dee Humphreys and Michel Chikwanine, illustrated by Claudia Davila

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Published by Kids Can Press 

Summary:  Michel Chikwanine had a pretty idyllic childhood with his parents and three sisters in the Democratic Republic of Congo until he was kidnapped one day at the age of five.  He and his friends were taken in broad daylight while playing soccer and forced to become soldiers for a rebel army.  Then were given drugs and taught to shoot.  One nightmarish day, Michel was blindfolded and forced to shoot and kill his best friend, Kevin.  After two weeks, Michel managed to escape and make his way back to his family, but it was impossible for him to resume his old life.  Eventually, the political situation in the Democratic Republic of Congo worsened; Michel’s father was imprisoned and killed; and Michel, his mother, and two of his three sisters made their way to Canada.  After a difficult transition, Michel has been able to tell his story and now travels the world inspiring others to make a difference.  Grades 6-9.

Pros:  An incredibly powerful story told in graphic novel form.  The page near the end in which Michel sits on the bus listening to his classmates complain about cold pizza, boring classes, and crummy cell phones should give anyone with “First World problems” pause.  The last few pages, with more information about Michel, child soldiers, and what kids can do to help, will inspire readers to take action.

Cons:  Read this book before giving it to a child.  It’s part of Kids Can Press’s Citizen Kid series of inspiring picture book stories of Third World children, but this one is much darker and more intense than any of the others.  There are a couple of pretty disturbing scenes that may not be appropriate for all young readers.

Human Body Theater by Maris Wicks

~ Janet Dawson ~ 2 Comments

Published by First Second 

Summary:  In the first page of this graphic book, a skeleton appears on stage and begins narrating a journey through the human body.  In eleven chapters, she covers ten different systems plus the senses.  All kinds of organisms are given faces and personalities, including many different types of cells, bacteria, and viruses.  Delicate topics such as pooping, puberty, and reproduction are handled humorously yet informatively.  In the final act, the skeleton pulls on her muscle suit, skin suit, and clothes to become a bit more human.  Includes an extensive glossary and a brief bibliography.  Ages 10-14.

Pros:  An extremely thorough yet entertaining introduction to the human body.  A lot more fun than a biology textbook.  The illustrations are clever and the text is informative and engaging.

Cons:  The amount of material presented may make a cover-to-cover reading a bit daunting.

Secret Coders by Gene Luen Yang and Mike Holmes

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Published by First Second 

Summary:  It’s the first day of a new school for Hopper (think Grace Hopper), and she’s trying to figure out why what’s supposed to be the best school in town looks like a haunted house.  She has an unfortunate run-in with three boys before she’s even gotten in the front door, but much to her surprise, one of the boys, Eni, seems like he wants to be her friend.  She eventually learns that he’s trying to figure out the mystery of their weird school.  Together they unlock the secrets of binary and coding to learn how to operate a mysterious turtle robot they find in the creepy janitor’s closet.  Another boy, Josh, joins them for their final descent into an underground room.  There they’re met by the janitor, who gives them a challenge which will either unlock the secrets of their school or banish them from the campus forever.  Grades 3-7.

Pros:  A quick read for reluctant readers and computer geeks alike, this graphic novel has endearing characters and a lot of action.  The introduction to binary, coding, and robotics could generate interest in those topics.  The cliff-hanger ending all but guarantees a sequel.

Cons:  I didn’t care for the green and black color combination of the illustrations.

Orpheus in the Underworld by Yvan Pommaux

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Published by Toon Books

Summary: Orpheus was the son of the king of Thrace and Calliope, muse of epic poetry. With that gene pool, it came as no surprise that he turned out to be not only musically gifted but pretty good looking as well.  Before long, he fell in love with Eurydice, and the two of them got married.  On their wedding day, Eurydice was bitten by a snake and died.  Overcome with grief, Orpheus tried to rescue her from the underworld.  He was allowed to take her, under the condition that he couldn’t look back.  Of course, right at the last possible moment, he couldn’t help himself, and checked to make sure she was behind him.  She vanished forever, and Orpheus went around singing songs about Eurydice until he was torn apart by jealous women.  (I’m not making this up).  Grades 4-8.

Pros:  The story is compellingly told, particularly the trip to the underworld.  The text is part regular book and part comic; the accompanying illustrations are beautiful.

Cons:  Mythology and comic art is a tricky combination, and some of the comic dialogue seems a bit forced (Orpheus: I couldn’t help myself, I needed to see you again.  Eurydice: I’m glad you left your lyre this time.  Your voice is music enough to my ears.).  Ick.