Tuesday, June 26, 2012

Graphic Novels



Chiggers - Hope Larson
Reading Level: Grade 5-8
Publisher: Atheneum Books for Young Readers, 2008

Abby can't wait to get back to summer camp, but this year her best friend from last year, Rose, is cabin assistant, and is too busy. The new girl and a late arrival, Shasta shows up and share the same interests as Abby, but nobody else likes her. Soon the cabin mates turn against Abby for becoming friends with the Shasta, and Abby has to deal with the possibility of being an outcast.



American Born Chinese - Gene Luen Yang
Micheal Printz Award, 2007
Reading Level: Grade 8-10
Publisher: First Second 2006

American Born Chinese is made up of three separate story lines: The Tale of the Monkey King,  an asian boy who is trying to fit in, and an American high school student who is visited by his stereotypical Chinese cousin, All three stories weave together in the final chapter. Each tale has a "feel" of its own, but all deal with someone to find a way to fit in. I found myself feeling guilty laughing at all the racist puns throughout the book.



Babymouse: Queen of The World - Jennifer L. & Matt Holm
Reading Level: Grade 3-6
Publisher: Random House Books for Young Readers, 2005

Imaginative and sassy Babymouse wants to be invited to Kitty Whiskers' slumber party. She'll do anything to get invited. At the party she finds out that she has nothing in common with the rest of the girls, and her best friend is right under her nose.



Gettysburg: The Graphic Novel - C. M. Butzer
Reading Level: Grade 5-9
Publisher: Harper Collins, 2008

A comic-style retelling of a historical event in U.S. history. Even though it is in comic form, the images are a little harsh. The story is short, but there is substantial end material describing the panels from each page, and the events that surrounded them. Sometimes even using direct quotes from historical records.



Little Mouse Gets Ready - Jeff Smith
Reading Level: Pre K
Publisher: Toon Books

Short and sweet. Mother Mouse is going to the barn and little mouse has to get ready. Putting on his clothes one piece at a time. Getting dressed seems like nothing to adults, we do it without thinking. But  little mouse is making sure his tail goes through the hole in his underwear or buttoning his shirt,  it is a big accomplishment. A funny one on one read for a child is learning to dress himself.



Maus: A Survivors Tale - Art Spiegalman
Reading Level: Grade 9-10
Publisher: Pantheon, 1986

The story begins when Speigalman visits his aging father in Rego Park, NY. He asks him to tell his story for a book he is working on. Though his fathers tale a story of survival unfolds. As the war progressed, loved ones were carted off, friends disappeared, and people turned on one another. A chilling tale of Holocaust survivors in a comic format.



Ghostopolis - Doug Tennapel
Reading Level: Grade 7+
Publisher: Graphix, 2010

Terminally ill Garth Hale is accidentally zapped into the afterlife by Frank Gallows, a ghost wrangler in charge of sending escaped ghosts back to Ghostopolis. By chance, Grath runs into his grandfather and discovers that the laws of time and space don't apply to the world he finds himself in. Back in the real world Frank Gallows, enlists the help of his Ex-girlfriend, Claire, to save Garth and get him back home.



Coraline - Neil Gaiman
Reading Level: Grade 6-8
Publisher: HarperCollins, 2008

This is a comic adaption to Neil Gaiman's 2002 Novel. While exploring her new house, Coraline discovers a bricked up door. When she returns to it later the door is a passage into a reality that mirrors her own. The "other-mother" wants her to stay, but Coraline does not. When she returns, she finds her real parents are missing and in danger. It is up to Coraline to confront her "other-mother" and rescue her real parents.



The Color of the Earth - Kim Dong Hwa
Reading Level: Grade 9-10
Publisher: First Second, 2009

This is the first in a trilogy and the imagery is simple and elegant. Korean Girl Ehwa grows up helping her widowed mother run the local tavern. In each chapter Ehwa is a year older, and learns more about her body, love and about being a woman. As Ehwa discovers herself, her mother learns to love again.


Robot Dreams - Sara Varon
Reading Level: Grade 3+
Publisher: First Second, 2007

This book is perfect for a young reader, since there is virtually no text, the story is told just through the images. Dog wants a friend, So he builds one. Dog and Robot do everything together, until one day at the beach, Dog invites Robot into the water. On the beach rusted and unable to move, Robot is abandoned by dog. As the seasons pass, Dog gains new friends but not that match what he and Robot had, while Robot lies on the sand and reflects on what once was and what might have been.


Persepolis: The Story of a Childhood - Marjane Satrapi
Reading Level: Grade 9-12
Publisher: Pantheon, 2004

Childhood is tough, especially childhood during the 1979 Islamic revolution through to the Iran-Iraq War. As daily life in Iran is changed, Marji must adapt to a world full of religious fanatics. Her open defiance get her into trouble as she loses loved ones, and friends.



Leo Geo and His Miraculous Journey Through the Center of the Earth - Jon Chad
Reading Level: Grade 2+
Publisher: Roaring Brook Press, 2012

The book is meant to be read vertically and follows Leo Geo on his adventure through the earth. With science on his side, Leo descends through earths layers yo discover the unknown. Before long Leo has to leave his ship, and avoid monsters, and save the human race from an underground civilization.


Civil War - Mark Millar 
Reading Level: Grade 6+
Publisher: Marvel, 2008

Ok, so I couldn't leave the graphic novel genre without doing a superhero book, and my friends would expect nothing less. The Marvel Universe is about to be turned upside down. When supervillan Nitro causes an explosion that decimates an elementary school and all those inside. The public calls for justice and the "Superhuman Registration Act" gets signed into law. Heroes are forced to register their secret identity with the U.S. Government, or be considered criminals. The decision is considered a violation of their civil rights and seen as unconstitutional by many. This forces heroes to choose sides and pits hero against hero, tearing friendships and families apart. 

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