The Night Marchers and Other Oceanian Tales , Edited by Kate Ashwin, Sloane Leong, Kel McDonald, Jonah Cabudol-Chalker/Contributions by Rob Cham, Yiling Changues, Paolo Chikiamco, Diigii Daguna, Brady Evans, Mark Gould, Gen H. , (Apr. 2021, Iron Circus Comics), $15, ISBN: 9781945820793
Graphic Novel Folktales from the Pacific! The Night Marchers and Other Oceanian Tales
Ages 8 to 12
This collection of cautionary tales from the Pacific is just incredible. The Philippines, Hawaii, and Fiji are all represented, with artists who bring these tales to life in a variety of artistic styles, from cartoon to fantasy art. This is the fourth entry in the Cautionary Fables and Fairytales series, which has done wonders in getting folk and fairy tales from all over the world into the hands of readers. What are you going to find in here? One story, “The Turtle and the Lizard”, is written entirely in Baybayin, an old Tagalog script, and invites readers to learn Baybayin at the end of the story. The title story is an achingly beautiful Hawaiian tale of loss; The Tyrant Has Horns is a tale about a horrible ruler who grows horns on his head, coming to you from the Philippines. Every story transports readers to a fantasy world, and every story gives readers a window into a new culture. Get this series on your shelves.
National Geographic has maps and information about the geography of Australia and Oceania, and you can direct readers who want to learn more about the region to the Encyclopedia Britannica. And you know how much I love Teachers Pay Teachers, so check for the freebies you can find there for anyone who wants to learn more (or if you want to run a super cool program).