Graphic novels

Awkward by Svetlana Chmakova

~ Janet Dawson ~ Leave a comment

Published by Yen Press

Awkward : Chmakova, Svetlana, 1979- author, illustrator : Free Download, Borrow, and Streaming : Internet Archive

Summary: New girl Peppi accidentally bumps into nerdy kid Jaime on her first day of school, and he ends up getting made fun of as a result. For weeks, she agonizes over how best to apologize to him. In the meantime, she finds new friends in the school art club. The art club’s big rival is the science club, and wouldn’t you know it, Jaime is the star of the science club. The principal, in one of those clueless educational administrator moves, pits the art club against the science club in a competition for table space at the annual school club fair. War clouds gather on the middle school horizon until Peppi and Jaime are able to resolve their differences and come up with a solution that allows the two clubs to work together peaceably. Grades 4-7.

Pros: Awkward will happily share shelf space with graphic novels Smile, El Deafo, and Roller Girl. The art is near perfect and the story line impeccably captures the agonizing awkwardness of adolescence. Svetlana Chmakova uses several pages at the end to show the design process of creating characters and settings.

Cons: There are a couple incidences of mildly PG language.

Lost in NYC: A Subway Adventure by Nadja Spiegelman and Sergio Garcia Sanchez

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Published by TOON Graphics

Summary:  It’s the first day at a new school for Pablo; his sixth, and he’s decided it’s just too hard to keep trying to make new friends.  Alicia has other ideas, though, and volunteers to be his partner on the field trip to the Empire State Building.  Before they leave, their teacher, Mr. Bartle, gives them an engaging lesson on the history and layout of New York’s subway system.  In spite of this, Pablo and Alicia manage to get themselves on the wrong train, and eventually the two of them get separated.  Armed with his new knowledge, Pablo manages to negotiate the subway system to get to the Empire State Building, where he’s reunited with the rest of the class and his new friend Alicia.  Grades 3-6.

Pros:  This is an engaging story of friendship with a lot of interesting information about NYC and its subway woven in.  But the real treasure of this book is the artwork.  When Mr. Bartle teaches about the subway, a map springs to life in their classroom, allowing kids to perch on New Jersey and Queens, surrounded by historical photos.  When the kids are lost in NYC, readers could spend an hour poring over the details of each page, with its dozens of diverse characters. There’s even a Where’s Waldo-type challenge, as Mr. Sanchez included pictures of himself and a police officer in every spread.  You will definitely want to visit New York and ride the subway after seeing these marvelous illustrations.

Cons:  There may be a bit too much technical detail for non-engineering types.

The Underground Abductor (An Abolitionist Tale About Harriet Tubman) by Nathan Hale

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Published by Harry N. Abrams

Summary:  Nathaniel Hale is about to be executed, but his executioners want to hear another one of his tales.  One of them accuses him of always making America sound perfect.  So Nathaniel tells the story of Harriet Tubman, which is also the story of slavery and the Underground Railroad.  Told in graphic novel format, the story spans the years from Harriet’s (or Minty’s, as she was known as a child) birth through the end of the Civil War.  Brief stories of Frederick Douglass and John Brown are woven into Harriet’s tale, and additional resources are listed at the end.  Ages 9 and up.

Pros:  This is the fifth installment in Nathan Hale’s Hazardous Tales. (It’s a little confusing. Nathan Hale is the real name of the author, but Nathaniel Hale of Revolutionary War fame narrates the stories). These books do an amazing job of teaching history through an appealing graphic novel format.  I learned a lot from reading this book, and it reads like a great story from start to finish.  I have a small but dedicated group of fifth grade boys in my school who have read all these books, and I can’t wait to give them a copy of this one.

Cons:  It’s impossible to tell Harriet Tubman’s stories without relating some of the horrors of slavery, so make sure readers are prepared.

Rutabaga: The Adventure Chef by Eric Colossal

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Published by Harry N. Abrams

Summary: Rutabaga is a chef in search of adventure when he runs into Winn, Manny, and Beef, three young knights off to slay a dragon.  Rutabaga decides to join them, along with his magical cooking pot.  Knowing his limitations, he stays in the background when they find the dragon, but accidentally ends up being responsible for defeating it.  The four kids continue on their way onto three more loosely connected comic adventures that have Rutabaga using all his cooking skills and optimistic attitude to consistently come out on top.  Grades 2-4.

Pros:  Graphic novel fans will enjoy Rutabaga and his friends.  The stories are engaging, funny, and not too challenging for young readers.

Cons:  I had a little trouble distinguishing the four characters.  I didn’t realize that Winn(ifred) was a girl until the beginning of chapter three.

 

Lumberjanes: Beware the Kitten Holy by Noelle Stevenson and Grace Ellis

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Published by BOOM! Box

Summary:  April, Jo, Ripley, Molly, and Mal are five very different girls enjoying summer camp.  And what a camp!  In the first few pages, the girls ward off a pack of talking foxes who deliver a cryptic message, “Beware the kitten holy”.  They return home to a very angry camp counselor, Jo, and a more lenient camp director, Rosie, who seems to know more than she’s telling.  Originally four comic books, each section is introduced with a page from the Lumberjanes Field Manual, describing a merit badge (“Up All Night Badge”, “Robyn Hood Badge”).  Filled with friendship and Girl Power, there are sure to be more Lumberjanes adventures.

Pros:  Holy Mae Jemison (she and other female heroes are frequently used in exclamatory contexts)!  Each girl has a strong and distinctive personality, and there’s a new adventure on every page.  The Lumberjanes are sure to popular with those ready to move on from Raina Telgemeier.

Cons:  The portrayal of boys is not very flattering (they’re cookie-baking, housecleaning simpletons until they transform into evil monsters).

Mr. Pants: Slacks, Camera, Action by Scott McCormick, pictures by R. H. Lazzell

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Published by Dial Books

Summary:  When cool cat Mr. Pants sees a flier for a film contest, he decides he wants to make a movie and win big.  But life keeps interfering: his mom has planned a tea party, there are chores to be done, and the other kids don’t want to take him seriously.  He perseveres, filming what he can, and piecing together snippets on his computer to create a masterpiece.  The excitement builds at the film festival…will Mr. Pants get the $1,000 prize and his trip to Hawaii?

Pros:  This is the second installment in a new graphic novel series, and Mr. Pants is a worthy successor to Babymouse.  With short chapters, lots of action, and plenty of laughs, these books will engage the most reluctant reader.

Cons: The tea party scene was a little confusing to me.  Too many cats.

Roller Girl by Victoria Jamieson

~ Janet Dawson ~ 7 Comments

Published by Dial Books

Summary:  Astrid and her best friend Nicole seem to be drifting apart as they get ready to enter junior high. When her mother takes the two girls to the roller derby, Astrid discovers her passion.  She tries to convince Nicole to sign up for roller derby camp with her, but Nicole prefers ballet.  Astrid goes anyway, and the four weeks of camp turn out to be life-changing for her.  As the youngest and least experienced member of the group, she has the hardest time getting into shape, and spends more time lying on the rink floor than skating.  But she also makes a friend, dyes her hair, and gets a new derby name.  By the time the girls get to do an exhibition bout, Astrid is still the weakest player, but she’s learned enough to be able to contribute to her team at a crucial moment.

Pros:  Middle grade readers will cheer for Astrid as she learns how to be herself and to navigate the tricky waters of girls’ friendships.  Fans of Raina Telgemeier’s Smile and Sisters will love Roller Girl.

Cons:  Graphic novels like this take too long to create…I can’t wait to read the next installment of Astrid’s story