Graphic Novels

Review: Lumberjanes by Noelle Stevenson

| Tasha

lumberjanes

Lumberjanes by Noelle Stevenson, Grace Ellis, and illustrated by Brooke Allen

The Lumberjane scout camp is for “hardcore lady types” who celebrate “Friendship to the max!” Five friends are spending their summer together here and they are in for unexpected adventures as they earn their badges. When they head out to get their nighttime badge, they encounter the first of the supernatural monsters, a pack of three-eyed wolves. Luckily the friends, Jo, April, Mal, Molly and Ripley, are also elite fighters so they manage to defeat the wolves. Back at camp, their counselor marches them to the office for discipline, but the head of the camp seems more intrigued than surprised by their find. As the summer progresses, the girls face hipster yetis, polite boy campers with a dark side, stone statues that come to life, and plenty of traps. Summer camp has never been this full of wild creatures and epic battles, all done by a group of amazing girls.

I first heard about how wonderful this comic book was when it was not yet a graphic novel, and I am so thrilled that the first four comics have been turned into this novel that is perfect for libraries. I had high expectations for this comic and was still dazzled by it and rather twitchy to get my hands on the next one. The characters are phenomenally well done, each girl having her own distinct personality and style. Add in the delight of finding a budding lesbian love story and it’s pure magic. I love kick-ass heroines, and this series has FIVE to fall for.

The art is well done too with its own vibe. It has the friendly feel of a Telgemeier combined with more edge that make the battle scenes really work. There is plenty of action and humor to make the book race along. I love the addition of extra art at the end done in a variety of styles. It invites fans of the characters to draw them and create their own stories about these great girls.

This is a graphic novel to devour in one sitting and immediately turn to the beginning and start again. Pure girl-power perfection. Appropriate for ages 12-16.

Reviewed from library copy.

2015 Eisner Award Nominations

| Tasha

2015 Eisner Award Nominations

The nominations for the 2015 Eisner Awards have been announced. These awards are for the best in comics and graphic novels and include specific categories for youth. Here are the nominees in those categories:

Best Publication for Early Readers (up to age 7)

BirdCatDog A Cat Named Tim and Other Stories

BirdCatDog by Lee Nordling & Meritxell Bosch
A Cat Named Tim And Other Stories by John Martz

Hello Kitty, Hello 40: A 40th Anniversary Tribute Mermin Volume 3: Deep Dive

Hello Kitty, Hello 40: A Celebration in 40 Stories edited by Traci N. Todd & Elizabeth Kawasaki Mermin, Book 3: Deep Dive by Joey Weiser

20518978

The Zoo Box by Ariel Cohn & Aron Nels Steinke

 

Best Publication for Kids (ages 8-12)

Batman: Li'l Gotham #2 El Deafo

Batman Li’l Gotham, vol. 2 by Derek Fridolfs & Dustin Nguyen
El Deafo by Cece Bell
I Was the Cat Little Nemo: Return to Slumberland #1

I Was the Cat by Paul Tobin & Benjamin Dewey
Little Nemo: Return to Slumberland by Eric Shanower & Gabriel Rodriguez

Tiny Titans: Return to the Treehouse

Tiny Titans: Return to the Treehouse by Art Baltazar & Franco

 

Best Publication for Teens (ages 13-17)

12724844 The Dumbest Idea Ever!

Doomboy by Tony Sandoval
The Dumbest Idea Ever by Jimmy Gownley

Lumberjanes #1 Meteor Men

Lumberjanes by Shannon Watters, Grace Ellis, Noelle Stevenson, & Brooke A. Allen
Meteor Men by Jeff Parker & Sandy Jarrell

The Shadow Hero The Wrenchies

The Shadow Hero by Gene Luen Yang & Sonny Liew

The Wrenchies by Farel Dalrymple

Review: The Lunch Witch by Deb Lucke

| Tasha

lunch witch

The Lunch Witch by Deb Lucke

What is a witch to do when no one believes in magic anymore? She has her family’s potion recipes and cauldron, but that’s about it. Then she realizes that there is one perfect job for someone who creates horrible brews – being a lunch lady! So Grunhilda becomes a lunch lady, one who scares all of the children. But Madison isn’t scared of Grunhilda despite the fact that she is the one person who knows that she is not what she seems. Madison has enough knowledge to blackmail the witch, but that’s a dangerous course even when the witch wants to help you. Grunhilda finds a kinship with Madison, but her horrible ancestors are maddened to find their magic being used for good, so they step in and cause all sorts of trouble for both Madison and Grunhilda.

Lucke’s story is a delightful mix of horrible potions, bats that don’t listen, nasty dead ancestors with too many opinions, and amazingly also two people who may just become friends through it all. Lucke creates a story around Grunhilde that offers her back story and makes her transformation to an almost-good witch believable and organic. Madison too has her own story, one that also makes the story work well and makes her own role and connection ring true.

The art of this graphic novel is gorgeously strange and wild. Each chapter leads in with a differently stained page, from oily splotches to actual tomatoes. The pages too are dark and stained, as if Grunhilda herself had been using the book in her kitchen. Against that the white of aprons and speech bubbles pops. Other subtler colors are also used and create a subtle effect against the dark page.

A funny and heartfelt story of unusual friendships created during the most unusual of times. Appropriate for ages 7-9.

Reviewed from library copy.

Review: Roller Girl by Victoria Jamieson

| Tasha

roller girl

Roller Girl by Victoria Jamieson

Astrid and Nicole have been best friends for years, but something is changing. When Astrid’s mother takes them to see roller derby, Astrid immediately wants to do it. Nicole is more interested in doing her ballet camp. Without telling her mother that Nicole won’t be helping with carpooling, Astrid starts at roller derby camp. There she discovers that there is a lot to learn about roller skating, hitting and friendship. As Astrid struggles to keep up with the more advanced skaters at the camp, she finds herself dreaming of of being the star of the roller derby. As junior high and the roller derby show near, Astrid has to figure out how to handle her new budding friendship without losing it to jealousy and how to be a strong teammate.

Jamieson is a roller derby girl herself, so the skills and hard work depicted in this graphic novel offer plenty of detail and reality. The result is a book that shows how hard you have to work to be successful and the determination it takes to stand up over and over again after you fall down. At the same time, the tone is realistic, and does not overdramatize learning new skills and being part of a rough sport. The tone is always realistic and honest.

That same tone continues in the depiction of the friendships that Astrid has. The two friendships, one that Astrid is growing out of and one that is just beginning, are shown in all of their fragility. Astrid’s own responses are honest and depict the difficulties of a young girl trying to find her own voice and her own place in the world. Many readers will see themselves on the page, whether or not they are derby girls.

Get this one into the hands of fans of Raina Telgemeier! It’s another graphic novel with a strong and funny female protagonist. Appropriate for ages 9-12.

Reviewed from copy received from Dial Books.

Review: March: Book Two by John Lewis

| Tasha

march book two

March: Book Two by John Lewis, Andrew Aydin and Nate Powell

The powerful second book in the March graphic novel series continues the true story of the Civil Rights Movement. Told by John Lewis in the first person, this book captures the dangers and violence faced by the Freedom Riders as they headed into the deep south. The nonviolent campaign for civil rights faced beatings, police brutality, bombs, imprisonment and potential death. Yet they found a way to not only keep going but to continue to press deeper and deeper into the south. This book is a harrowing read that shows how one young man became a leader of in civil rights and politics in America.

Lewis’ personal story allows readers a glimpse of what was happening behind the scenes. Historical figures like Martin Luther King, Jr. and Malcolm X make appearances in the book, and their own personal perspectives on civil rights and nonviolence is shared. The pushback on the nonviolent aspect of the movement is also shown clearly on the page when new people joined the cause. This shift towards more reactionary tactics threatens to undo the progress that had been made to that point.

Thanks to the graphic novel format, there is no turning away from the violence. Beatings are shown up close and will a frenzy that is palpable. The dangers are not minimized nor overly dramatized, they are shown honestly. There are unforgettable moments throughout the novel, some of them small like a boy being encouraged to claw out a civil rights worker’s eyes.  Other moments are larger from the mattress protests in the jail to the march of the children and the police brutality that followed.

Immensely strong and powerful, this graphic novel series allows us to see how much progress was made thanks to these civil rights heroes but also inspires young readers to make more progress against the continued racism in our society. Appropriate for ages 13-15.

Reviewed from library copy.

2015 Great Graphic Novels for Teens

| Tasha

YALSA has selected the 2015 Great Graphic Novels for Teens.  The list includes 79 titles that are recommended for ages 12-18 and that are both high quality and appealing to a teen audience.  They also select a Top Ten which you see below:

47 Ronin Afterlife with Archie #5: Escape From Riverdale

47 Ronin. By Mike Richardson.  Illus. by Stan Sakai

Afterlife with Archie: Escape from Riverdale. By Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa. Illus. by Francesco Francavilla

22807866 In Real Life

Bad Machinery V.3: The Case of the Simple Soul. By John Allison

In Real Life. By Cory Doctorow, illus.by Jen Wang

Ms. Marvel, Vol. 1: No Normal Seconds: A Graphic Novel

Ms. Marvel: V.1. No Normal.  By G. Willow Wison. Illus. by Adrian Alphona

Seconds: a Graphic Novel. By Bryan Lee O’Malley

The Shadow Hero Through the Woods

The Shadow Hero. By Gene Luen Yang. Illus. by Sonny Liew

Through The Woods. By Emily Carroll

Trillium Wolf Children: Ame & Yuki

Trillium. By Jeff Lemire

Wolf Children: Ame & Yuki. By Mamoru Hosoda

2015 Caldecott Medal

| Tasha

WINNER

The Adventures of Beekle: The Unimaginary Friend

The Adventures of Beekle: The Unimaginary Friend by Dan Santat

 

HONOR BOOKS

Nana in the City The Noisy Paint Box: The Colors and Sounds of Kandinsky's Abstract Art

Nana in the City by Lauren Castillo

The Noisy Paint Box: The Colors and Sounds of Kandinsky’s Abstract Art illustrated by Mary GrandPré, written by Barb Rosenstock

The Right Word: Roget and His Thesaurus Sam and Dave Dig a Hole

The Right Word: Roget and His Thesaurus illustrated by Melissa Sweet, written by Jen Bryant

Sam & Dave Dig a Hole illustrated by Jon Klassen, written by Mac Barnett

This One Summer Viva Frida

This One Summer illustrated by Jillian Tamaki, written by Mariko Tamaki

Viva Frida by Yuyi Morales

My Top 10 Graphic Novels of 2014

| Tasha

Here are my picks for the best graphic novels of the year for youth!  As always, share your own picks in the comments.

Comics Squad: Recess! The Dumbest Idea Ever!

Comics Squad: Recess! by Jennifer L. Holm

The Dumbest Idea Ever! By Jimmy Gownley

El Deafo The Graveyard Book Volume 1

El Deafo by Cece Bell

The Graveyard Book: Volume 1 by P. Craig Russell

Hidden: A Child's Story of the Holocaust Phoebe and Her Unicorn: A Heavenly Nostrils Chronicle

Hidden: A Child’s Story of the Holocaust by Loic Dauvillier

Phoebe and Her Unicorn: A Heavenly Nostrils Chronicle by Dana Simpson

The Return of Zita the Spacegirl (Zita the Spacegirl, #3) The Shadow Hero

Return of Zita the Spacegirl by Ben Hatke

The Shadow Hero by Gene Luen Yang

Sisters The Stratford Zoo Midnight Revue Presents Macbeth (Stratford Zoo Midnight Revue, #1)

Sisters by Raina Telgemeier

The Stratford Zoo Midnight Revue Presents Macbeth by Ian Lendler

Review: Apocalypse Bow Wow by James Proimos III

| Tasha

apocalypse bow wow

Apocalypse Bow Wow by James Proimos III

Brownie and Apollo are two dogs who have been happily living together with their two humans.  Their only argument is that Apollo always gets the couch.  But then their humans fail to return and the two of them are left alone.  Brownie knows the humans will be back soon because he’s getting very hungry and they always come back when he’s hungry.  But they don’t return.  So the dogs have to figure out how to get out of the house.  Apollo tries to break down the door, but it doesn’t work so Brownie thinks that licking the doorknob will help.  Apollo knows this makes no sense, but lets Brownie try it.  And when he does, a deer leaps through the window and breaks it.  Ta da!  Brownie and his tongue have saved the day.  But when they get out into the world, there are no humans anywhere and now they have to find their own food.  Can two rather silly dogs find a way to survive the apocalypse?

This graphic novel is told in distinct scenes, creating a rather movie-like experience reading it.  The two dog characters are great foils for one another, Apollo being the more grounded and logical dog while Brownie is rather confused and hopelessly optimistic about everything.  Though the book never explains where the humans have disappeared to, readers will happily just go along with the scenario presented thanks to the humor and the silliness.

Proimos’ illustrations are very funny and the way he uses the page is deftly done, making the scenes all the more humorous.  Readers of Jarrett J. Krosoczka’s books will be right at home here with the illustration style. 

A humorous take on a bleak dystopian disaster, this book will be enjoyed by children who don’t mind a dark side to their graphic novels.  Appropriate for ages 9-12.

Reviewed from digital galley received from Bloomsbury and Netgalley.