Tag Archives: graphic novel

Mr. Wolf’s Class

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This is the story of the first day of school for a classroom of students and their 4th grade teacher. Actually, it starts the night before when many students are in bed and Mr. Wolf is feverishly preparing his classroom for seventeen young minds. The story then moves on to the next day and all its trials and triumphs. The characters are anthropomorphized animals, but the reader will recognize the activities and characteristics of a normal human elementary school class.

Mr. Wolf is a new teacher and his day is full of firsts – his first introduction to his students, his first math pretest, his first planning time (library), his first staff room donut and his first lost (and found) student. Along the way, we share his thoughts (thought clouds) as he does a really good job with his first day with his own class.

His students are a multifaceted group, from the serious Aziza to the class clown Randy. There is also the new girl, Margot and the sleepy Penny (her baby brother keeps her awake at night). Readers will recognize themselves and their friends in this story.

The artwork is colorful and conveys the fast pace of the day. The details are fun and readers will laugh at Red Riding Hood book in Mr. Wolf’s hands and the rats that steal the lunch (walking down the hall in single file, each with a lunch item).

This is book one of a series and it should be popular. Readers will enjoy seeing a little of themselves in this story. Recommended

My little pony. Friends forever, Fluttershy & Iron Will

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Iron Will has a problem – he is a bit too assertive and the Mizzuz kicked him out. Also, his son has been misbehaving (talking back to mom and acting out at school), which Iron Will doesn’t think is a problem…hmmmm. So, off he trots to the land of My Little Ponies to ask Fluttershy for help.

Through many trials and many, many errors Iron Will was able to be a bit more sensitive and introspective. He ambled off to make amends with the Mizzuz and get a handle on that rude son of his. Fluttershy ended the story by giving the secret to working with cantankerous bulls (a lesson for all of us) – kindness and patience.

While this book doesn’t give anyone a great deal to learn, it should be popular with the Pony crowd. The message isn’t half bad either – you can change yourself for the better if you try (for goodness’ sake, a cartoon bull was able to do it). additional purchase

Geeky F@b 5: It’s Not Rocket Science

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Sisters Lucy and Marina are the new girls at school and unfortunate events lead them to more notoriety than they wanted. At recess, Lucy fall off the rickety playground equipment and the principal decides to have it removed. Of course, there is no money to replace the old equipment, so Lucy is now ‘the girl that ruined the playground fun’. Her sister, Marina, is a karate kicking sixth grade future astronaut, who has to protect Lucy when some older kids hassle her for her playground incident.

When some new friends come over for a sleepover, the girls hatch a plan to rebuild the playground. Each girl has a talent that can help the team: Lucy cares about the environment, Sofia is computer coder, A.J. loves to build, Zara has wicked good math skills and sings beautifully and Marina loves space. They present their ideas to the principal and she gives the okay to start fundraising and designing. There are snags along the way, but the team works through those challenges to a happy ending.

The STEM references are little heavy handed. But, this first effort from 12 year old Lucy Lareau and her mom, Liz Lareau, is a nice homage to smart girls. This multicultural cast of strong girls is drawn in strong colors and bold pen to make a satisfying story even more fun. And, if they don’t make you smile, then Hubble, the snarky cat, will surely do so! Recommended

The Witch Boy

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The basis premise of this book I that a boy wants to learn spells and other magic like witches, but boys are expected to become shift-shapers. Witches can only be girls. There is lots of adventure, fantasy, action, conflict and interesting characters. It also challenges gender constructs and might really pique the interest of a student who doesn’t fit traditional gender norms or who need an opportunity to learn how to celebrate differences, There is a lot of “world building” in this novel that makes me infer that there may be a sequel in the future.

Fish Girl

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The story takes place on the oceanfront, in a tourist attraction called Ocean Wonders. Visitors pay to see wonders from the ocean including a possible glimpse of “Fish Girl”. Neptune, God of the seas, manages the boardwalk aquarium. Fish Girl does not know that Neptune is a businessman nor that Ocean Wonders is a business. To her, it is her home. Fish Girl starts to question many things about her existence, life in the aquarium, and Neptune’s rules. She wants to be free – free to come and go, free to experience life beyond the glass walls of the aquarium, and free to be seen. She learns the truth about the man who calls himself Neptune and how all of the sea creatures came to be in their glass prison. She wants something different for herself and her underwater family. To get what she wants, she must defy Neptune. In her journey, Fish Girl learns to question. Answers to her questions lead to change – she will no longer be a prisoner in Neptune’s glass kingdom and nor will her underwater friends and family.  

The Complete Adventures of Johnny Mutton

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A fun graphic novel that early elementary will enjoy.
Johnny Mutton is a sheep who was raised as a boy because Momma had “weak eyes and a warm heart” so she didn’t even notice. Johnny has a spunky, positive, can-do attitude. Lessons on kindness and making friends are subtly slipped into the story lines. The Complete Adventures of Johnny Mutton is three books with five short stories in each. Young readers will enjoy how each book is wrapped up with a section titled “where are they now”.  Also included in the book are two extras, a Q & A with the author (James Proimos) and a section titled “I Believe” with some cute and silly statements written by Johnny ( I believe….. bees sting out of love …. mittens run away from home…if you bow after you say something people will applaud…). Body humor, colorful kid-like drawings and silliness will appeal to both boys and girls.  And perhaps the messages on kindness, friendship and just being a good person (or sheep) will sink in as well.

Thoreau: A Sublime Life

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This graphic novel illustrates the life of Henry David Thoreau, the American who “went into the woods because I wished to live deliberately…” Thoreau was a man of many interests – ecology, abolitionism, pacifism, Native American culture. While most people are aware of his life in the woods and his short incarceration for refusing to pay his taxes, fewer might be aware of work on the Underground Railroad and his support for John Brown. The illustrations are incredible; the lush greenery of the forests and ponds are inviting. There are full page illustrations with no words at all, which seems fitting for the story of a man who “wanted to live deep and suck out all the marrow of life.”  The six page essay at the end provides further information about Thoreau’s philosophy. Highly recommended addition for libraries with a nonfiction graphic novel collection.

Mr. Pants Trick or Feet!

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Mr Pants TrickThird in the series of Mr. Pants books, Trick or Feet is as funny and entertaining as the other books.

It’s Halloween and all Mr. Pants and his siblings, Foot Foot and Grommy, want is to get lots of candy and play zombie tag. But their plans are ruined when they get stuck in the airport because of bad weather. All is not lost when Mom saves the situation and hilarity ensues.

From an elementary school librarian’s point of view, this is a book series that will be destroyed from overuse – a very good thing.  Children will identify with the antics of the three siblings. For readers who want chapter books (but who may not be ready for the “real thing”) these books will be a good transitional choice.

 

Bottom line: full color, engaging, humorous and worth buying the series for your young readers.

Binky: License to Scratch

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Binky the cat and Gordie the dog are panicked as their humans pack suitcases for a trip.  Suitcases can only mean one thing – their humans are leaving them behind!  They are told not to worry, that they’ll be in a pet hotel and their friend Gracie the cat will be with them.  But, horror of horrors,  the pet hotel turns out to be boarding at the vet clinic!   The trio hatch a plan of escape only to tumble into trouble with Professor Tuffy – a cat who has a grudge against humans and a plan to get even with them.

This graphic novel is drawn in muted tones, is easy for young readers to follow the sequence of panels and is a fun read. The addition of many different sound effects will have readers giggling as they read and the story line will make them read without wanting to put this book down.

This is book five in the Binky Adventure series.  Spires nails the cat-titude that every cat lover will be able to identify with.