Graphic Novels

2012 Great Graphic Novels

| Tasha

YALSA (Young Adult Library Services Association) has named the top ten graphic novels as well as a longer list of graphic novels perfect for teen readers.  Here is the top ten list: 

  

Anya’s Ghost by Vera Brosgal

Axe Cop, Volume 1 by Malachai Nicolle and Ethan Nicolle

A Bride’s Story, Volume 1 by Kaoru Mori

   

Daybreak by Brian Ralph

Infinite Kung Fu by Kagan McLeod

The Influencing Machine: Brooke Gladstone on the Media by Brooke Gladstone, Josh Neufeld & others

Scarlet by Brian Michael Bendis and Alex Maleev

   

Thor: The Mighty Avenger, Volumes 1 & 2 by Roger Langridge, Chris Samnee, & others

Wandering Son, Volume 1 by Shimura Takako

Zahra’s Paradise by Amir and Khalil

Review: Around the World by Matt Phelan

| Tasha

around the world

Around the World by Matt Phelan

In this graphic novel, Phelan tells the story of three adventurers at the end of the 19th century who attempt to travel around the world.  There is Thomas Stevens in 1884 who had been working in the mines but then started bicycling.  He first bicycled across the United States, and then attempted to cycle around the world on the difficult-to-ride old-fashioned bicycle with one larger wheel.  The next adventurer is Nellie Bly in 1889, who set herself the task of beating Jules Verne’s Around the World in 80 Days.  The men running the New York World newspaper did not like her idea, but eventually came around to having her attempt it.  Her race became a national obsession and sold many newspapers for them.  Finally, there is the story of Joshua Slocum in 1895.  He restored an old sailing vessel in a time when sailing was becoming outdated.  Then all on his own, he set off to sail around the world, becoming the first person to sail around the world alone.  These three adventurers all have their own reasons for circumnavigating the globe, but they are united in their attempts.  These are all stories of determination, courage and bold ideas.

United under the umbrella of Jules Verne’s novel, these three stories are beautifully connected and yet stand entirely on their own merits as well.  The three intrepid souls are also equally connected and yet uniquely themselves.  Their journeys are made for different reasons and received differently by the public, but they are all powerful stories of independence and resourcefulness.  All three stories show the power of taking charge of one’s life and following your dreams.

Phelan’s art suits each of the stories individually and also has a cohesive whole.  There are subtle changes from one story to the next, the colors shift from blues and greens to oranges and creams and then to deeper blues and grays.  The art style stays much the same but beyond the colors there are changes in mood that are amazingly deep yet subtly done.  Stevens’ story of bicycling has a merry joei de vive to it.  Bly’s adventure is filled with energy and zip.  Then there is the lonely sailing tale that has a deep grief embedded in it that almost aches.

Beautifully done, this is one of the top graphic novels for children, period.  It is honest, emotional, and a rousing adventure-filled read.  Appropriate for ages 8-12.

Reviewed from library copy.

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Review: Americus by MK Reed

| Tasha

americus

Americus by MK Reed, illustrated by Jonathan Hill

Neal, a high school freshman, who finds himself in the middle of a fight to keep a popular series in the public library.  Danny, Neal’s best friend, gets into trouble with his mother when she discovers he is reading The Adventures of Apathea Ravenchilde.  His mother believes that books with witches corrupt young minds and she goes on a crusade to not just have her children not read them, but remove them from the library as well.  Danny is sent to military school, leaving Neal behind.  But Neal slowly comes out of his quiet shell in high school, finding new friends and discovering new interests like punk rock.  The book challenge plays itself out in front of the library board and inside families in town.  Neal starts working at the library and is asked to speak for the teens who love the series and how important it is to him.  This look at censorship and small town politics rings true, especially for those of us who live near West Bend, Wisconsin.

Reed’s text is a refreshing mix of teen angst and lightness.  There is plenty of humor to move the story along, though this is more of a dramatic graphic novel than a funny one.  Neal is a character who shows real growth through the book, just slow and steady enough to read as real.  He is not a hero, but a young man who breaks through his shyness to speak out for something that is important for him. 

Reed also has other characters who are complexly drawn.  The two girls in shop class alone break stereotypes.  The kindness of the rock and roll boyfriend, who is also desperate to escape a table full of girls and their gossip, is a moment that is just lovely.  Neal is exposed to new music in that scene in a way that is engagingly written.

Hill’s art is done entirely in black and white.  The scenes from The Adventures of Apathea Ravenchilde are done in a different style with more shadows and a darker palette of gray.  The contrast is striking and well done.  I appreciated the fact that the books are more realistic than the real world of the graphic novel.  As a reader, that really speaks to how vivid books can be.

A great pick for high school graphic novel fans, this book belongs in all public library collections.  It is engaging as well as empowering.  Appropriate for ages 13-15.

Reviewed from library copy.

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Review: Benjamin Bear in Fuzzy Thinking by Philippe Coudray

| Tasha

benjamin bear in fuzzy thinking

Benjamin Bear in Fuzzy Thinking by Philippe Coudray

This is another winner from Toon Books.  Their graphic novel line up for elementary aged children manages to be funny, smart and perfectly age appropriate.  Originally published in France, this graphic novel has a certain elegance and style.  Each comic in the book ranges from three to six panels, telling small stories in a quick, simple way.  The humor ranges from a quiet contemplative joke about friendship to a physical slap-stick style.  Coudray has woven those styles together so the book moves from one level to another seamlessly, creating a dynamic and surprising reading effect. 

Coudray’s humor is multi-faceted and great fun to read.  The book moves from one sort of humor to another with great ease.  The illustrations are colorful but in a more sophisticated palette than many children’s books.  A lot of the humor is physical, so the illustrations convey much of it.  Even in the broadest of slapstick, there is a feel of style that makes it a unique read.

The book is laugh-out-loud funny and also great fun to share aloud with children.  This is a graphic novel that belongs in all public libraries, because it is a great hook for reluctant readers.  Appropriate for ages 5-9.

Reviewed from library copy.

Also reviewed by Pink Me.

Review: Level Up by Gene Luen Yang

| Tasha

level up

Level Up by Gene Luen Yang, illustrations by Thien Pham

As a child, Dennis was forbidden from playing video games.  When his father died, he played them all the time.  He was even good enough to consider playing on the professional circuit.  But that was before THEY showed up.  Four cute little angels with plenty of attitude and a lot of bossiness seemed to know exactly what Dennis should be doing with his life, and it certainly was not video games.  Instead, they pushed and insisted in his father’s name that he start studying hard and then go to medical school.  But will Dennis find happiness there?  Or will he return to his love of gaming?

Yang captures the tension between following your own dreams and following those of your parents.  The four angels serve as universal parental voices, insisting that the future path is set and that one must fulfill one’s destiny.  The writing is infinitely readable, down-to-earth and yet striking.  The book wrestles with important themes, using the graphic format to lighten things but still looking deeply at the choices that shape a life.

Pham’s illustrations are filled with simple lines, washes of color, and often have a play of light and dark backgrounds in different frames on a page.  But if one looks at the illustrations, they are well rendered, interesting and far more than the simple lines may originally seem.

This book has teen and gamer appeal galore.  Before I got to read it myself, my husband and two sons had to read it first.   Both the theme of video games and the graphic format made it impossible for them to pass up.  Appropriate for ages 12-15.

Reviewed from library copy.

Also reviewed by:

Review: Anya’s Ghost by Vera Brosgol

| Tasha

anyas ghost

Anya’s Ghost by Vera Brosgol

This debut graphic novel tells the story of Anya, a first generation American who has worked hard to fit in at school by losing her Russian accent and blending in with the other students.  But she can’t quite manage to be normal.  Falling down a well doesn’t help, and discovering a ghost in the bottom of the well isn’t a good start either.  But as she befriends the ghost, her life starts to become easier.  She gets help with tests, manages to connect with a cute boy she has been watching from afar, and gets clothing and makeup tips too.  Everything seems to be looking up, until Anya begins to figure out what is truly happening.

Told in black-white-and-gray illustrations, this graphic novel has a deep appeal.  Anya is a girl that readers will immediately relate to.  She has insecurities about her body, her school, and herself.  The strength of the novel comes in her character which rings very true and is written with a solid humanity.  The inclusion of the ghost lends a more fantasy tone to the book, offering an appealing foil to this very real protagonist.

The illustrations are clear and often very funny.  Emotions come through nicely and characters are depicted in ways that expand their character beyond the words on the page.  Anya is shown as a normal girl with curves, which makes her very relatable.  It doesn’t hurt that she is also sarcastic.

The storyline is strong, developing into a scary story that is hauntingly appealing.  Appropriate for ages 14-17.

Reviewed from library copy.

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Review: Hocus Pocus by Sylvie Desrosiers

| Tasha

hocus pocus

Hocus Pocus by Sylvie Desrosiers and Remy Simard

This wordless picture book has the feel of a graphic novel, but one designed for very small children.  It tells the story of Mister Magic who heads home with his pet dog, feeds the dog, and then settles in listening to music with his headset.  Once he has fallen asleep, the rabbit jumps out of his hat.  On the counter is a grocery bag and he spots some carrots up there.  But he has to sneak past the sleeping dog to get there.  He has the great idea of wearing slippers to be quieter, but then he crunches on a peanut.  The dog wakes up and discovers the rabbit’s activity, but the rabbit is able to soothe him back to sleep with some violin music.  But that is only the first round, as the dog and rabbit try to outwit each other.

This is a very funny picture book that emerging readers will enjoy.  It’s not a wordless book for toddlers who would miss the humor of the story, but rather one for slightly older children who will read this book like watching a silent cartoon.  The humor is pure slapstick fun, channeling the Daffy Duck and Bugs Bunny feel with plenty of physical gags. 

The art here is crisp and clean with a modern vibe.  The colors are vibrant, bright and very appealing.  Children who pay close attention to the illustrations will see some of the jokes coming, making it all the more fun to read.

A modern picture book that is full of classic humor, this book has great appeal.  Appropriate for ages 4-6.

Reviewed from copy received from Kids Can Press.

Also reviewed by 100 Scope Notes and Sal’s Fiction Addiction.

Review: Page by Paige by Laura Lee Gulledge

| Tasha

page by paige

Page by Paige by Laura Lee Gulledge

Paige has just moved with her family to New York City.  She is having trouble relating to her mother and had to leave her best friend behind.  Now she has to find people in the big city who can understand her.  But before she can do that, she has to start to understand herself.  Is she the quiet girl or can she become an extroverted artist?  As Paige struggles to find herself and to find her voice as an artist, readers are treated to an extraordinary look at the process of art combined with the process of finding friends and love.

Gulledge has created a graphic novel where the visuals are powerful and speak volumes.  She turns the comic format into one that is strongly artistic and very visual.  Here we see the emotions of Paige brought to visual life from her self-doubts to her most self-aware.  Paige is a character that readers with artistic interests will relate to easily.  Her yearning to create combined with her doubts and worries make for a book with plenty to inspire other young artists to take the risk of creation.

Get this in the hands of tween and teen artists and step back.  A truly inspiring read.  Appropriate for ages 12-15.

Reviewed from library copy.

Also reviewed by:

Check out the trailer that gives a sense of the great art:

Review: Binky under Pressure by Ashley Spires

| Tasha

binky under pressure

Binky under Pressure by Ashley Spires

Released September 1, 2011.

Binky is still a space cat and still protecting his humans from the alien invaders.  His life has become rather dull.  Then one morning, Gracie arrives.  She’s a new kitty his humans have adopted.  Binky tries to explain that this is HIS space station and these are HIS humans.  But Gracie doesn’t seem interested in giving up her new home or even Binky’s favorite toys.  It’s not until Binky spots Gracie defeat an alien with incredible finesse that he starts to wonder if maybe she isn’t what she seems to be.  This new Binky book will thrill fans of the series as Binky faces his biggest challenge yet.

Spires has created a series of books that have a strong sense of humor and great storylines.  She writes with dexterity and ease that readers will enjoy.   The illustrations in this graphic novel use many interesting perspectives and incorporate plenty of humor visually as well.  The palette for the books is subdued, giving it a signature look.

Highly recommended for fans of the series.  If you haven’t enjoyed the Binky series yet, start at the beginning.   I envy those lucky enough to read all three of the books in quick succession.  They are such fun!  Appropriate for ages 8-12.

Reviewed from copy received from Kids Can Press.