Graphic novels

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.

HiLo: The Boy Who Crashed to Earth by Judd Winick

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Published by Random House

Summary: At the beginning of this graphic novel, D.J. hears a loud boom and sees a huge flash of light. Rushing to investigate, he discovers a boy wearing silver underpants who remembers nothing about himself.  He’s pretty cheerful about his situation, though, and quickly acclimates by absorbing all of D.J.’s vocabulary when they touch hands. As the story unfolds, the boy, who eventually remembers his name is HiLo, turns out to have fallen to earth from another planet and has a powerful enemy chasing him. Subplots involve D.J. feeling like an underachiever in a family of superstars and his reunion with his old friend Gina who has moved back to town after a three-year absence. D.J., HiLo, and Gina manage to save the planet…for now. Grades 3-6.

Pros: A funny, action-packed first entry in a new series. The cliffhanger ending promises more installments to come. A good choice for reluctant readers.

Cons: A few too many suspenseful situations were resolved with the appearance of a new superpower HiLo didn’t know he had.

Wrap-Up Wednesday: Girl-Powered Graphic Novels

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Inspired by the success of Cece Bell’s El Deafo and Raina Telgemeier’s Smile and Sisters, there are some great graphic novels featuring girls this year.

Awkward by Svetlana Chmakova.  Published by Yen Press.

The title says it all.  Peppi and Jaime literally run into each other on the first day of middle school, then spend the first half of the book agonizing over how to become friends.  Perfectly captures those tough middle school emotions, with a realistically happy ending.

The Underground Abductor by Nathan Hale. Published by Harry N. Abrams

Nathan Hale’s latest Hazardous Tale is girl-powered by Harriet Tubman.  The compelling story of the Underground Railroad’s most famous conductor.

Sunny Side Up by Jennifer Holm, illustrated by Matthew Holm.  Published by Graphix.

It’s 1976, and Sunny’s unhappy to be suddenly forced to spend the month of August with her grandfather in Florida.  Flashback scenes reveal the family crisis that has led to her trip. Brother-and-sister team Jennifer and Matthew Holm team up for this family drama/comedy based on their own childhood experiences.

Roller Girl by Victoria Jamieson.  Published by Dial Books.

Astrid’s having best friend problems as she gets ready to middle school, but a summer of roller derby camp gives her new friends, increased self-confidence, and about a thousand bumps and bruises.  My personal favorite

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Baba Yaga’s Assistant by Marika McCoola, illustrated by Emily Carroll

When Masha sees an ad for Baba Yaga’s assistant, she recalls her grandmother’s old stories about the witch and decides to apply.  Through skill, luck, and a little magical talent, she manages to prove herself worthy of the job while at the same time healing some of her difficult family relationships.

Baba Yaga’s Assistant by Marika McCoola, illustrated by Emily Carroll

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Published by Candlewick

Summary: Masha feels all alone in the world since her grandmother died and her father is about to get remarried. When she sees an ad for an assistant posted by Baba Yaga, she remembers her grandmother’s stories about the Russian witch and applies. She’s given a series of tests, the final one of which is to cook some children for Baba Yaga’s supper (she cleverly outwits the witch on that one). Through a combination of skill, luck, and a little magic talent, Masha proves herself capable of being a witch’s assistant and heals some family relationships in the process. Grades 5-8.

Pros: Readers will connect with Masha and her family issues in this engaging graphic novel. The witchy folktale elements add a pleasantly spooky note.

Cons: If I hadn’t grown up on a steady diet of Baba Yaga stories in Jack and Jill magazine, I might have found some of the folktale allusions a little confusing.

Sunny Side Up by Jennifer L. Holm, illustrated by Matthew Holm

~ Janet Dawson ~ 1 Comment

Published by GRAPHIX 

Summary: Sunny is not happy at the prospect of spending the entire month of August, 1976 with her grandfather in Florida. He lives in a retirement community with no kids, she has to sleep on a squeaky sofa bed, and Grandpa’s idea of a big outing is a trip to the grocery store. In chapters flashing back to various points in the last couple years, the truth about why Sunny is on her extended visit are gradually revealed: her older brother is having some serious trouble with drugs and alcohol, and their parents want Sunny away from home while they try to get him some help. Sunny makes friends with the gardener’s comic book-loving son, and eventually is able to talk to her grandfather about what is going on at home, getting reassurance that it’s not her fault. She even talks him into a trip to Disney World before she returns home in September. Ages 8-12.

Pros: This seems to be the year for graphic novels starring girl protagonists. The award-winning Babymouse brother-and-sister team has produced a touching story based on their own childhood. An author’s note at the end talks about living with someone with an addiction.

Cons: I didn’t like the artwork quite as much as some other similar graphic novels (Smile, Roller Girl). Although the rendition of the 1976-era “Gee Your Hair Smells Terrific” magazine ad was spot on.