A collection of mysteries and the mystery of collections

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Casey’s Cases by Kay Healy (Neal Porter Books, 160 pages, grades 2-5). Fifth grader Casey aspires to be a detective, and sees a mystery in almost every situation. Who is the new girl? Where is her missing hair band? What did her crush write in his notebook? Who is the owner of the lost cat she found? Some mysteries are solved in a few minutes (the hair band), while others take the whole book to solve (the new girl, Jan, who becomes Casey’s best friend), and some have surprise twists (the stray cat, whose growing belly turns out not to be from eating too much tuna). Here’s hoping that Casey and Jan will team up for another book of mysteries.

The humor, simple story line, and short chapters will make this an appealing choice for beginning and/or reluctant readers, who may also enjoy copying the drawings that employ basic shapes, such as the triangle-headed Casey.

Monti and Leo: A Mystery in Pocketville by Sylvie Kantorovitz (Walker Books, 80 pages, grades 1-4). Monti and Leo enjoy looking at Mrs. Sheep’s collection of small figurines on display at the local library. In fact, Monti is so enchanted with one item in the collection that he’s a prime suspect when it disappears. Leo wrestles with his feelings that Monti might have wanted it enough to take it, but ultimately he believes in his friend’s innocence and sets out to solve the mystery. When he starts hearing about other missing items around town, he discovers a bird he’s never seen before flying overhead with an item in her beak. Leo runs after the bird, climbs a huge tree, and discovers all the missing treasures–including the figurine–in the bird’s nest. In the final chapter, Monti thanks his friend and reveals his new collection: containers, each one holding a mini collection of different small items.

This is book two of a series I missed last year (thank you, Walker Books for sending me a review copy). The animal cast will appeal to fans of Mr. Wolf’s Class, and it would make a good book for those just starting with chapter books. I’m always fascinated by animal stories in which some of the animals act like humans and others are more like animals (like how Marc Brown’s Arthur has a pet dog), so I was intrigued by the fact that one crow was living in a nest acting bird-like, while another one was the local librarian.

A Pocket Full of Rocks by Kristin Mahoney, illustrated by E. B. Goodale (Knopf Books for Young Readers, 40 pages, ages 3-8). Mom may say a pocket full of rocks will make your coat dirty, Dad might ask where your other mitten will go, and your sister will dismiss them as ordinary, but you know those rocks will make excellent chairs for fairies, or let you write on the sidewalk if you don’t have chalk. There are other collections to fill your pockets as the year goes on: petals in the spring, seashells in the winter, and acorns in the fall. Each object fires up your imagination, and at the end of the year, you can use them for presents: a bowl of shells for Dad’s dresser, tiny pictures on the acorns for your sister, and a bag of petals for Mom to put in the drawer with her sweaters. And a pocket full of rocks for you to make sleds for the fairies.

Wow, this book really took me back, as my older daughter–soon to turn 30–was a collector just like the narrator. I don’t remember flower petals, but our house had plenty of rocks, shells, and acorns, with imaginative stories about each collection. This would be a lovely book to begin a conversation about collecting, seasons, or making crafts from your imagination, with illustrations that beautifully capture each season.

Graphic novels with a STEAM theme

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Very Bad at Math by Hope Larson (HarperAlley, 240 pages, grades 4-8). Verity “Very” Nelson is an athlete, musician, popular eighth-grade class president, and ace student…except when it comes to math, which she is failing miserably. When she’s told she has to bring up her math grade to stay on student council, Very starts working with a tutor. Despite her hard work, her progress is slow, and when Very makes a costly mistake at a class fundraiser, her tutor realizes she’s transposed two numbers and diagnoses her with dyscalculia. He starts to work with her on learning strategies to help her with this disability, and by the end of the book, Very’s back on top and on her way to being successful at math. But Very is something of an activist, and she’s determined to make school a better, more just place for students with disabilities, and the last few pages show her talking to her favorite local politician about ideas she has to do just that.

I’m always happy to see a new graphic novel by Hope Larson, especially one for elementary readers, since most of her books are for young adults. This one is sure to be popular with both elementary and middle school, particularly those who are dealing with some sort of learning issue. Very is resilient and persistent in her efforts, but she also has to learn how to deal with setbacks and not making progress even with hard work. I hope we’ll see a second book to find out how she brings her fight for justice to her school.

Space Chasers by Leland Melvin and Joe Caramagna, illustrated by Alison Acton (First Second, 240 pages, grades 3-7). Five middle school students are chosen to be part of NASA’s new STEAM team program, undergoing rigorous training to prepare them for a mission into space. When that mission goes awry, three of the kids wind up on a space station with no adult supervision and must figure out what to do to save the mission…and themselves. Each of the participants brings unique skills to the program but also their own insecurities that sometimes get in the way of solving problems, particularly under pressure. When everyone’s safely back on Earth, the powers-that-be deem the program too dangerous, but the kids manage to convince them otherwise, opening the door for book 2. Includes some work-in-progress art and an author’s note.

Former astronaut Leland Melvin has written a fun space adventure with five endearing kids who get the opportunity of a lifetime. I haven’t been so nervous about the outcome of a space adventure since I watched Apollo 13, which made it hard for me to put the book down. I’ll admit it took some suspension of disbelief to believe that NASA would send middle school kids into space, but heck, if you had told me a few months ago that a 19-year-old nicknamed “Big Balls” would be a senior advisor at the State Department, I would have been pretty skeptical of that as well.

Cutting hair and a mixed-up pair

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The Snips: A Bad Buzz Day by Raúl the Third, inked by Elenora Bruni and Elaine Bay (Little, Brown Ink, 128 pages, grades 2-5). The Snips are a superhero quintet from Scissors City, who not only give the best haircuts, but also use their powers to create such technology as barber-pole jet packs and and drone barber bots. When the Bad Buzz Boys come to town, threatening to destroy one of the Snips’s record for most haircuts given in one day, our heroes spring into action to save the day. The Bad Buzz Boys are racing through town, randomly giving terrible haircuts, and the Snips are able to not only stop them, but to repair the damage and to remind everyone that working together and valuing community are much more important than setting records. Includes additional information about barber poles, the real-life record holder for haircuts given in a day, and directions for drawing one of the Snips.

Those familiar with Raúl the Third’s zany, high-energy comic art will be thrilled to hear that he has a new graphic novel, which appears to be a series opener. Dog Man fans will enjoy a new set of superheroes, and those that speak Spanish–or aspire to learn–will find plenty of it (with translations) interspersed throughout the text.

Operation: Cover-Up by Tate Godwin (Andrews McMeel Publishing, 192 pages, grades 3-6). New Leaf Elementary has two new kids in the fifth grade: Sy always has a joke to tell, while Nick enjoys sharing his wealth of knowledge and advanced vocabulary. A series of mishaps results in Sy being seen as the braniac and Nick getting the label of class clown. Both try to be who they think their classmates want them to be, and when they meet and realize what’s happened, they decide to help each other keep the cover-up going. A new friend named Violet, who’s a secret comic artist, helps them see the importance of being themselves, and a school talent show allows all three to share their real talents with the rest of their classmates. A sequel, Operation: Make a Splash is promised on the last page.

Share this fun and clever graphic novel with fans of Mr. Wolf’s Class. Readers are sure to get a laugh from Sy and Nick’s mishaps and subsequent bumbling efforts to cover up the truth about themselves and will learn a good lesson or two about being true to yourself.

Once upon a time

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The Princess Swap: Cinderella and the Beast or Beauty and the Glass Slipper by Kim Bussing (Random House Books for Young Readers, 304 pages, grades 3-7). Ella from Cinderella and Belle from Beauty and the Beast unexpectedly switch places in this fairy tale mash-up. The bold and adventurous Belle winds up as a servant in Ella’s stepmother’s basement, while Ella, whose glass leg has always kept her on the sidelines, finds herself sharing a gloomy castle with a fearsome beast. Cinderella’s prince is just a kid named Amir in this telling, and he’s sad that his sister Anisa has mysteriously vanished for the last few years. The two stories come together as Ella learns more about the cursed beast, and each heroine has to take matters into her own hands to create a happily-ever-after ending for both of them. A preview of book two, featuring Snow White and Sleeping Beauty, is featured at the end.

I’m not really much of a fractured fairy tale fan, but this version was so clever and well-told, once I got into it, I couldn’t put it down. The stories are told in alternating third-person chapters, and many of the chapters ends on a cliff-hanger that will keep the reader turning the pages. Even the villains are treated with some sympathy in the end, and both girls are strong and brave, with just enough flaws to be believable.

Lily’s Dream: A Fairy Friendship by Bea Jackson (Aladdin, 40 pages, ages 4-8). Although Lily dreams of flying, so far her fairy wings haven’t worked. As a result, she knows more about beauty close to the ground, and one day she stumbles upon a beautiful fairy house. When the human creator reveals herself, Lily runs away, accidentally leaving behind her cherished gold anklet. The next day, she goes back to look for it, and the girl, who introduces herself as Willow, has found it. Willow makes Lily a fairy-sized acorn helmet, pillow, and trampoline to help her practice flying. Soon she’s taken to the air, and although she still can’t fly high, “Lily was over the moon.” Includes an author’s note that gives more of Willow’s backstory.

Those who judge books by their covers will be captivated by the picture of Lily on this one, and will undoubtedly find the rest of the story equally enchanting. I hope that this is the beginning of a beautiful friendship and that Willow and Lily will have more stories, maybe told from Willow’s point of view. I enjoyed reading about her in the author’s note and wished that more of it had been incorporated into he main story.

Blinded with science

~ Janet Dawson ~ 1 Comment

Thomas Jefferson’s Battle for Science: Bias, Truth, and a Mighty Moose! by Beth Anderson, illustrated by Jeremy Holmes (Calkins Creek, 48 pages, grades 2-5). Thomas Jefferson loved science, and one of his favorite books was Count Georges-Louis Leclerc de Buffon’s encyclopedia of the natural world. But he was incensed by Buffon’s descriptions of American wildlife, comparing it unfavorably to the animals found in Europe. Thomas decided to measure as many American animals as he could, and recruited friends from different parts of the country to assist him, eventually putting together his own book that he showed Buffon when he became minister to France. So committed to the truth about American fauna was Jefferson, that he actually had friends hunt a moose and ship it to France (you can read more about that here). When Buffon saw (and smelled) the enormous moose, he promised to revise his book, but unfortunately passed away a few months later. Jefferson’s book became well-known, and people started sending him information and artifacts to add to it, helping him to promote the idea that the New World was not inferior to the old one…just measurably different. Includes an author’s note, a list of five steps to use for a scientific inquiry process, a timeline of Jefferson’s life, and a bibliography.

A Dangerous Idea: The Scopes Trial, the Original Fight Over Science in Schools by Debbie Levy (Bloomsbury Children’s Books, 288 pages, grades 6 and up). This account of the 1925 trial of John Scopes, a young high school teacher accused of teaching evolution, gives background information on evolution, the law that banned teaching it in Tennessee, and the two great orators, Clarence Darrow and William Jennings Bryan, who served as prosecuting and defense attorneys. The trial itself is described in detail, capturing both the serious debates about religion and the circus-like atmosphere. The story concludes with information about Susan Epperson, a biology teacher who challenged a similar law in Arkansas, leading to a 1968 Supreme Court ruling striking down the law and allowing evolution to be taught in high schools. There’s also information about the play and movie Inherit the Wind, which took some pretty big liberties with the truth about the Scopes trial. Includes an epilogue tying the case to current events, a detailed timeline from 1831-2005, and an extensive bibliography, index, and list of sources notes.

These books could not be more timely with their reminders that attacking science is a tale as old as time. Both are told with a lighthearted, humorous tone, but the back matter shows how extensively researched they are. I enjoyed the Jefferson illustrations that resemble a naturalist’s notebook, with lots of cartoon bubbles and captions. The authors’ notes will give readers plenty to think about, and I thought Debbie Levy did an especially good job of connecting the events of the Scopes trial to current news stories. Beth Anderson delves into the scientific method and explains how Jefferson made mistakes, too, lest any of us think we have any sort of monopoly on the truth.

Poetry to celebrate Black History

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Girls on the Rise by Amanda Gorman, illustrated by Loveis Wise (Viking Books for Young Readers, 32 pages, ages 5-9). “We are girls on the rise./Today, everyone’s eyes/Are on us as we make waves/Pave the way, and save the day. Today, we finally have a say.” With simple rhymes and lush illustrations, this book celebrates girls of all types, encouraging them to support and empower each other through difficult times. Girls are celebrated for being strong and brave enough to right wrongs in the world. “Because when one girl is on the rise,/It means everyone else is, too.”

Dream a Dress, Dream a Poem: Dressmaker and Poet Myra Viola Wilds by Nancy Johnson James, illustrated by Diana Ejaita (Harry N. Abrams, 32 pages, ages 5-8). This book-length poem encourages readers to dream, citing the dreams of Myra Viola Wilds, a Black woman who grew up in Kentucky before moving to the city to get an education. She became an accomplished dressmaker until the close work damaged her eyes. Myra didn’t give up on her creative dreams, though, turning from sewing to poetry and publishing a book of her poems in 1915. The back matter includes additional biographical information and a photo, and the book begins and ends with two of Myra’s poems.

Both of these poetry books celebrate following dreams and lifting each other up. Amanda Gorman’s work speaks to these themes in general terms, while Nancy Johnson James offers a story of a woman who succeeded despite multiple hardships and was supported by the Black community that helped publish her work.

Both of these books would be excellent for celebrating Black History Month; if you’re looking for more resources, I have recently updated my Black History book list.

Get ready for Presidents’ Day

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The Painter and the President: Gilbert Stuart’s Brush with George Washington by Sarah Albee, illustrated by Stacy Innerst (Calkins Creek, 40 pages, grades 2-5). George Washington was a man of action who preferred sitting astride a horse to posing for a portrait. Gilbert Stuart was a portrait painter with a knack for capturing his subjects while making the process fun for them. But Washington had him stumped. Not only did he show up with his face swollen from his ill-fitting false teeth, but he refused to engage with Stuart in any of the topics the painter tried desperately to introduce. Finally, he noticed Washington gazing happily at a horse out the window and started talking about horse racing. It worked! He invited George to bring family and friends to their next appointment, and that worked too. Today we see the happy (or not) results of Gilbert Stuart’s hard work every time we look at a dollar bill. Includes replicas of all six presidential portraits that Stuart completed, a time line, additional information about Washington’s teeth, how the painting was used to create the engraving for the dollar bill, and a bibliography.

This lighthearted introduction to Gilbert Stuart’s portraits would make a great addition to an art class. GW may not come off as a barrel of laughs, but readers will wince sympathetically when learning of his dental issues (although there’s no mention of the fact that he bought human teeth from enslaved people). Full disclosure, this book was published in 2024, but I thought it warranted a place in the Presidents’ Day post.

Hiding In Plain Sight: Kate Warne and the Race to Save Abraham Lincoln by Beth Anderson, illustrated by Sally Wern Comport (Calkins Creek, 48 pages, grades 2-5). When newly-elected U.S. President Abraham Lincoln traveled from his home in Illinois to Washington, DC in February, 1861, rumors of assassination were swirling. A plot was uncovered in Baltimore, and members of Allan Pinkerton’s detective agency took immediate steps to foil it. Central to their work was Kate Warne, the first female detective in the agency, whose undercover work as a lady from Alabama helped discover the Baltimore plot. Later, she posed as Lincoln’s sister, helping her “sick brother” board a train in Philadelphia that traveled in secret through Baltimore and on to Washington. When the supposed inaugural train arrived, word got out that Lincoln had already arrived, and Kate Warne faded into the cheering crowd, ready to take on her next assignment. Includes a six-page afterword with photos and additional information about Lincoln and Kate Warne, as well as a bibliography and illustrator’s note.

This exciting detective story would make an excellent read-aloud for both Presidents’ Day and Women’s History Month, with the mysterious Kate Warne playing a central role in preventing what could have been a national tragedy. The illustrations resemble period photographs and the whole book has kind of a scrapbook feel (the illustrator describes the scrapbooks that inspired her work in the note at the end). The additional information in the afterword provides some thought-provoking ideas and observations that could lead to some interesting discussions. Considering how little we know about Warne, there are quite a few children’s books about her: How Kate Warne Saved President Lincoln, The Eye That Never Sleeps: How Detective Pinkerton Saved President Lincoln, and the fictional The Detective’s Assistant.

George Washington’s Spectacular Spectacles: The Glasses That Saved America by Selene Castrovilla, illustrated by Jenn Harney (Calkins Creek, 32 pages, grades 2-5). By the end of the American Revolution, George Washington needed glasses, but he refused to let anyone see him wearing them. When he needed to read something, he would go into his office and slam the door. Everyone thought he was grouchy, but in March of 1783, it was his army officers who were the grouchy ones, after not getting paid for all the years of the war. They were threatening to storm Congress and demand their pay. Washington consulted a congressman about the issue, who wrote a reassuring letter that George thought would appease the officers. But when it came time to read it to them, he realized he needed his spectacles. He finally put them on, and his men, realizing what their beloved leader had sacrificed during the years of war, and agreed to wait on their pay. Includes additional information about this incident, an author’s note about her research and creative process in writing this story, and a bibliography.

Truth really is stranger than fiction, I thought as I read this quirky tale which ends unexpectedly with the army officers wiping away tears as they agree to continue to work without pay. All because George Washington put on his glasses, which, according to the back matter, is exactly how it happened. It’s an interesting story that will undoubtedly prompt some discussion, which could be seen as an example of Washington’s inspirational leadership or what happens when you’re willing to be vulnerable in front of your employees, but personally it kind of made me question the wisdom of those army officers.

Struggles at school

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Mixed-Up by Kami Garcia, illustrated by Brittney Williams (First Second, 208 pages, grades 3-7). Stella is excited to start fifth grade, but her excitement turns to panic as the homework starts to pile up and she falls further and further behind. She and her two best friends often play a favorite video game, but when a new manual comes out, Stella feels alienated when she can’t keep up with her friends’ reading. And to add to her worries, the big fifth grade project isn’t the art project she was hoping for, but one that features students’ writing. When Stella’s teacher calls home, she’s sure she’s in trouble, but it turns out that the adults in her life want to help. Once she’s gotten a dyslexia diagnosis, Stella’s able to work with special education teachers to develop new skills to help with her reading. This also takes away her shame at feeling like she’s not as smart as everyone else, leading to an honest conversation with her friends that helps them resolve their issues. And Stella’s understanding teacher lets her create a graphic novel for the writing project that allows Stella’s artistic talents to shine.

Speechless by Aron Nels Steinke (Graphix, 256 pages, grades 3-7). Mira’s determined that middle school will be a fresh start for her, but on the first day, she finds that, once again, she can’t bring herself to talk at school. Home is a different story, the place where she can be herself and pursue her passion of stop-motion photography. But this haven is taken away when former-friend-turned-mean girl Chloe comes for an extended stay. A phone call from school alerts Mira’s parents to her selective mutism, and she begins to work on her issues with an understanding therapist. A kind and patient new friend, Alex, also helps her by volunteering to be Mira’s partner with a project and defending her from bullies. Mira learns to take things one step at a time, communicating with notes and whispers. She even finds a way to reach out to Chloe (by letter), opening the way for them to resolve their differences. By the end of the story, Mira’s enjoying sixth grade, learning to succeed in her own way. Includes a note from the author (creator of the Mr. Wolf’s Class series) about his own struggles with social anxiety and difficulties talking in public.

These graphic novels offer stories that will both empower kids who may be dealing with learning differences like Stella’s or social anxieties like Mira’s, and create empathy in kids who may have classmates like them. I loved how the girls got help and support both at school and home but ultimately had to find their own ways. Each was able to discover her own talents and see her struggles as something she could overcome while staying true to herself.

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Gabby and Abby

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Gabby Torres Gets a Billion Followers by Angela Dominguez (Roaring Brook Press, 160 pages, grades 2-5). Gabby is an enthusiastic member of the Sea Musketeers, a club dedicated to preserving the oceans. At 9 years old, Gabby’s the youngest member, and she sometimes feels insecure at the meetings. When she suggests starting a social media account for the group, she’s surprised that everyone not only reacts positively but puts her in charge. At home, her parents tell her she can only go online when they’re supervising, and Mom helps her get the Sea Musketeers’ account up and running. But Gabby can’t help sneaking a peek a few days later to find out how things are going. While she’s delighted to find 100 followers, she’s also dismayed when she sees a comment saying that the club is stupid. Gabby immediately goes into detective mode, and no one is safe from her suspicions, not even her two best friends. When her parents start to receive irate phone calls, the truth comes out, and Gabby is relieved of her social media position and grounded for a week. She realizes that she needs to make amends with her friends, using one of her other budding talents–cookie baking–to do so, and at the next club meeting, she discovers a more age-appropriate way to contribute.

This is a cute series opener by the author of the Stella Diaz books (Stella, now a middle schooler, is the co-president of the Sea Musketeers.) I’m always happy to see a protagonist who’s still in elementary school, and Gabby has the enthusiasms and makes the mistakes that many a fourth-grader will relate to. The social media storyline got a little preachy, and also, what kid uses the term “social media”? I feel like the club would have decided to start an Instagram or TikTok account, or some fictional equivalent.

Chickenpox by Remy Lai (Henry Holt and Co., 240 pages, grades 3-7). Abby Lai is the oldest of five children, and at 12 years old she resents often being call on to supervise the younger kids. When all five get chickenpox at the same time, she knows she’s in for a rough couple of weeks. Compounding her worries are the difficulties she’s having with her two best friends and another friend who’s a boy and maybe a bit of a crush. As the itchy days go by, Abby has her share of frustrating moments, but she and her siblings also manage to have some fun, such as playing a game called Ghost that their mother has forbidden and starting a comic book lending library. When their youngest brother develops some complications and has to go to the hospital, Abby worries and realizes that she really does love her brothers and sisters. A few phone calls straighten out the friendship problems, and when quarantine finally ends, Abby has fading red spots and some interesting stories to tell to commemorate her time with chickenpox. Includes an author’s note with additional information about chickenpox and her family.

I’m glad Remy Lai has veered away (at least for the moment) from horror and back to a more lighthearted genre. In this semi autobiographical tale, she casts herself as the pesky younger sister who often gets in trouble and picks fights with all of her siblings. Older sister Abby is portrayed realistically and sympathetically, and each member of the large family has a distinctive personality. Fans of Squished by Megan Wagner Lloyd will no doubt enjoy this graphic tale of the ups and downs of being part of a large family.

Let’s see what some of the Baby-Sitters Club graphic novel artists have been up to!

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Fresh Start by Gale Galligan (Graphix, 288 pages, grades 3-7). Ollie is used to starting over at a new school, since her diplomat father’s career means moving every year or two. She tells herself she doesn’t care, sometimes finding a reason to get mad at a friend before leaving. But this time around, her parents announce that they’ve decided to stay in Chestnut Falls, Virginia. Ollie’s excited to discover a group of girls as devoted to anime and manga as she is, and before long, she’s made some new friends, one of whom shares her Thai heritage. The two of them wind up in a Thai dance group, courtesy of their mothers, despite Ollie’s aversion to both dance and wearing the feminine clothes and make-up that are part of the performance. That’s not the only place Ollie struggles with her parents, who are constantly butting heads with her younger sister Cat. As Ollie learns more about herself through the year, she finds herself regretting the ties she cut with friends after each move and also starts to feel more empathy for Cat, putting her in the role of family negotiator. By the end of the year, she’s realized the importance of her connections to friends and family members and is starting to appreciate the feeling of putting down roots. Includes an author’s note, photos, bonus comics, and additional information about Thai language and traditions.

The many fans of middle grade novels/memoirs will enjoy this latest entry by the author of some of the Baby-Sitters Club graphic novels as well as Freestyle. Gale Galligan addresses the issues of fitting in, family dynamics, and racial, cultural, and gender identities with a story featuring manga-inspired artwork and a spunky protagonist. The back matter about their own childhood makes it even more interesting.

The Cartoonists Club by Raina Telgemeier and Scott McCloud (Graphix, 288 pages, grades 3-7). Makayla and Howard love creating comics: Makayla had endless story ideas, while Howard can draw anything she imagines. Encouraged by their librarian Ms. Fatima, they decide to start a comics club and soon are joined by Art, a maker with all kinds of interests, and Lynda, a talented artist who is shy about sharing her work. Led by Ms. Fatima, they take turns teaching each other about comics, including step-by-step directions for making minicomics and the importance of facial expressions, body language, and combining words and pictures. The newly-named Cartoonists Club is thrilled to be selected for participation in a local comics convention, where they meet one of their favorite artists and soon develop a following of their own. Includes interviews with Raina and Scott, a glossary, a list of comics jobs, the steps involved in making the book, and lists of additional resources and museums for learning more about comics.

I was delighted to receive an advance copy of this book (it comes out in April) and read it in a single sitting. While Raina’s legion of fans may be a little disappointed that it doesn’t have quite the involved storylines of her previous works, they will be excited to get so many interesting and useful tips for making their own comics. While that’s the main emphasis, the four characters still have engaging stories of their own. The two things that struck me the most about this book are: 1. The respect shown to young comic fans and artists that will encourage them to take their work seriously (but not too seriously!), and 2. Raina’s down-to-earth humility and sincere appreciation for other comic artists, even with her enormous success.