Category: Graphic Novels

Posted in Fiction, Fiction, Graphic Novels, Intermediate, Middle Grade, Non-fiction, Non-Fiction

Jackson’s Wilder Adventures 2: Dentistry and Dreams

Posted on by Rosemary Kiladitis

Jackson’s Wilder Adventures Vol. 2: Dentistry and Dreams, by Sarah Davidson, (June 2025, Papercutz), $9.99, ISBN: 9781545818350

Ages 6-10

Jackson and his dad have moved from their house into a smaller apartment and are enjoying a quick lunch after unpacking when Jackson realizes he’s got a loose tooth! As he starts stressing about losing a tooth, his imaginary thylacine friend Irwin takes him on a journey to meet animals who loose dozens of teeth, from Nile crocodiles to bull sharks; he even gets to see the capybara, an animal who has to file its teeth down because they never stop growing. When Jackson’s tooth finally falls out, he asks Irwin to show him animals who sleep to help him fall asleep as he waits for the Tooth Fairy; Irwin takes Jackson to visit Yakushima Island in Japan, where they encounter the Ussuri Tube-Nosed Bat, who sleeps through the winter in a deep sleep called torpor; the Kenai Fjords in Alaska, where they see a Wood Frog, who can can create a protective film that keeps their internal organs safe as they freeze into a layer of ice for the winter, and Joshua Tree National Park, where they discover the Little Pocket Mouse, who also enters torpor to sleep. It’s a fun and educational look at animals and habitats, with activities like mazes and rebuses throughout.

Jackson’s Wilder Adventures is a fun graphic novel series that combines fiction and nonfiction with great success. Jackson and Irwin are illustrated as cartoon characters, but the animals and habitats are drawn more realistically, making this a good graphic novel series to keep in your collections.

 

Posted in Fantasy, Fiction, Graphic Novels, Middle Grade, Tween Reads

Tales from the TBR, Drop Everything Edition – Goblin Vol. 2: The Wolf and the Well

Posted on by Rosemary Kiladitis

Goblin Vol. 2: The Wolf and the Well, by Eric Grissom/Illustrated by Will Perkins, (July 2024, Dark Horse Comics), $19.99, ISBN: 9781506738697

Ages 10-14

Back in 2021, I first met Eric Grissom and Will Perkins when I read their graphic novel, Goblin. I was hooked. It’s a gorgeously created graphic novel meditation on grief and loss, prejudice and acceptance with magic brimming over the edges of each page. I’ve only just read the second book in the series, published last year, and I cannot believe what I missed out on. Grissom and Perkins found a way to make a second volume of Goblin every bit as captivating and magical. The story begins with Rikt and Fish Breath, the goblin and wolf we met in the first story, seeking shelter from a storm in a fortune teller’s wagon, where Rikt is given a distressing prophecy. They flee the wagon, wolf hunters they encounter on the road, and end up the town of Silverkeep, where a woman named Miss Evelyn takes Rikt and Fish Breath to her “school for monsters”, separating Rikt from his wolf. Miss Evelyn isn’t all she claims to be, and she has pretty dark dealings on hand for her students. Rikt has to figure out how to get himself, Fish-Breath, and the other students away from Miss Evelyn before it’s too late.

Grissom touches on the prejudice other races encounter through Miss Evelyn’s classes, where she refers to her students as “monsters” and tries to whitewash their histories, bringing to mind the cruelty of residential schools that Native Americans were once forced to attend. Miss Evelyn teaches them that their belief systems – “primitive myths and deceptions” are “folktale(s) designed to push… believers into depravity”; forces them to wear human clothing, and enacts harsh punishments for anyone not following her rules. Rikt continues to push back against the falsehoods and outright lies while unraveling the secrets of the school with the help of Oola, a young female troll who has her own dark history with Miss Evelyn. Grissom tells an emotional and taut story, brought to life by Will Perkins’ moody and powerful illustration. The story ends with a suggestion of a third volume, which I am hoping upon hope that we get. If you haven’t visited the world of Goblin yet, please do.

I also discovered that Grissom has a tabletop role-playing game based in the world of Goblin! Needless to say, I printed that out immediately; it’s compatible with Dungeons & Dragons 5e rules, which I just happen to have here at my library. Guess what I’ll be introducing to my Saturday tweens? And the best part? IT’S FREE. You can visit Grissom’s webpage (which also has learning guides for both Goblin books and a host of other cool goodies) or find it on DriveThruRPG.

Posted in Early Reader, Fiction, Fiction, Graphic Novels, Intermediate

Super Magic Boy is back, and he’s a Space Tiger this time

Posted on by Rosemary Kiladitis

Super Magic Boy: I Am a Space Tiger! (#2), by Jarod Roselló, (Dec. 2024, RH Graphic), $10.99, ISBN: 9780593427811

Ages 4-8

Hugo the Super Magic Boy and his best buddy, Dino the Dinosaur, are back in another wacky adventure. This time, it’s Mami’s birthday and Hugo wants to find a gift that’s so amazing, it could be… out of this world! Transforming into a space tiger, the two travel through space and arrive at the space tiger planet only to learn that they have their own problems: their magic stone has gone missing and without it, they have no power! Space Tiger and Hugo go on their own quest to find the stone and secure a great gift for Mami. It’s a chaotic story filled with exaggerated reactions and adventure that younger readers will get laughs from. Bold and active illustration bounces off the stark white page. Reading the story reminds me of hearing a child relate a story they dreamed up; it’s here, it’s there, it’s everywhere and makes perfect sense to them. Kids will love this book. A second story stars Hugo and a space tiger at bedtime and is sweet and adorable. The third Super Magic Boy book is due out this fall… what will Hugo transform into next?

Psst… both Super Magic Boy books are also available in Spanish!

Posted in Animal Fiction, Fantasy, Fiction, Graphic Novels, Middle Grade, Teen, Tween Reads, Young Adult/New Adult

STOP THE PRESSES! NEW MOUSE GUARD INCOMING!

Posted on by Rosemary Kiladitis

Holy cow, was this a great announcement to read. Mouse Guard is an Eisner and Harvey Award-winning graphic novel and comic book series; it’s a fantasy setting similar to Brian Jacques’s Redwall books. The Mouse Guard was formed to protect mice against predators. It’s a great series; my son (now in his mid-20s) was a tremendous fan when he was a kid, which naturally got me reading it. We were both hooked!

Anyway, the great news from BOOM! Studios: in honor of Mouse Guard’s 20th anniversary, we are getting a NEW Mouse Guard adventure! Here’s the scoop from BOOM!:

LOS ANGELES, CA (December 19, 2024) – There are few series as lauded and beloved as David Petersen’s Eisner Award-winning and New York Times bestselling Mouse Guard. Now, in celebration of the 20th anniversaries of both Mouse Guard and BOOM! Studios, David Petersen, along with Eisner-nominated artist Gabriel Rodríguez (Locke & Key), bring a brand new chapter to life in this sprawling saga with MOUSE GUARD: DAWN OF THE BLACK AXE.

The origins of the legendary Black Axe are revealed in this prequel story set in the earliest point in the Mouse Guard history. Adventure with the ancient weapon’s first mouse wielder and champion, Bardrick, as he sets off on an epic quest of good versus evil!

“Getting to write this Mouse Guard lore of the forging of the Black Axe and it being handed to Bardrick (first of eleven wielders) while getting to do so with the brilliant Gabriel Rodríguez drawing Dawn of the Black Axe has been a thrill,” said Mouse Guard creator David Petersen. “He’s going above and beyond with his inked pages and storytelling while I’m just trying to keep up coloring them and still do them justice. Gabe was top of my list when we started pitching names for this spin off project, and I postponed it for a long time until his schedule opened up––I didn’t want to do this first one with anyone else.

“I’ll continue to work on the next volume in the main Mouse Guard series: The Weasel War of 1149, but I also hope this is first of many more Mouse Guard books like this one, where I get to explore the other past wielders of the Black Axe with exciting and extremely talented collaborators like Gabe.”

“I’ve been a fan of David Petersen’s work since the first time I saw a volume of his astonishing Mouse Guard books. We became friends as soon as we met,” said Eisner-nominated artist Gabriel Rodríguez. “Almost a decade ago we started daydreaming about working together on the story of the first wielder of the mythical Black Axe. That dream finally came true, and I’m humbled, grateful and excited to share it with the faithful legion of Mouse Guard readers.”

MOUSE GUARD: DAWN OF THE BLACK AXE #1 features main cover art by series artist Gabriel Rodríguez, and variant covers by Mouse Guard creator David Petersen, and celebrated artist Goñi Montes (Mighty Morphin Power Rangers).

MOUSE GUARD: DAWN OF THE BLACK AXE is the newest release from BOOM! Studios’ award-winning Archaia imprint, home to inspiring graphic novels such as Slaughterhouse-Five by Kurt Vonnegut, Ryan North, and Albert Monteys; The Sacrifice of Darkness by Roxane Gay, Tracy Lynne-Oliver, and Rebecca Kirby; Big Black: Stand at Attica by Frank “Big Black” Smith, Jared Reinmuth, and Améziane; The Killer by Matz and Luc Jacamon; We Served the People by Emei Burell; New World by David Jesus Vignolli; Eighty Days by A.C. Esguerra; Better Angels: A Kate Warne Adventure by Jeff Jensen and George Schall; The Short While by Jeremy Sorese; About Betty’s Boob by Vero Cazot and Julie Rocheleau; Flavor Girls by Loïc Locatelli-Kournwsky; I’m Still Alive by Roberto Saviano and Asaf Hanuka; and licensed series including Sabaa Tahir’s An Ember in the Ashes; Lev Grossman’s The Magicians; and Jim Henson’s The Dark Crystal: Age of Resistance, The Storyteller, and Labyrinth.

MOUSE GUARD: DAWN OF THE BLACK AXE #1 will be available in comic shops March 19, 2025. It is available for pre-order at your local comic shop. Digital copies can be purchased from content providers, including Kindle, iBooks, and Google Play.

For continuing news on MOUSE GUARD: DAWN OF THE BLACK AXE and more from BOOM! Studios, stay tuned to www.boom-studios.com and follow @boomstudios on X.

About David Petersen:

David Petersen is the creator of the New York Times Bestselling and critically acclaimed Graphic Novel series Mouse Guard.  He was the 2007 Russ Manning Award recipient for Most Promising Newcomer and has since gone on to win three Eisner Awards and two Harvey’s for his continued work on the Mouse Guard series. David has done covers for Dark Crystal, Labyrinth, Jim Henson’s Storyteller, Star Wars, TMNT, and Usagi Yojimbo as well as recent work for Magic the Gathering: Bloomburrow.

David and his wife Julia live in Michigan.

About Gabriel Rodríguez:

Gabriel Rodríguez is a Chilean comic book artist and writer. He’s the author of Sword of Ages and co-creator Locke & Key, Onyx, and the Eisner Award-winning Little Nemo: Return to Slumberland at IDW. He’s also drawn titles such as Adventures of Superman for DC Comics, Locke & Key/Sandman: Heaven and Hell for IDW/DC, Le Gouffre Des Resurrections for Les Humanoïdes Associés, and illustrated for Marvel, BOOM! Studios, Skybound, Oni Press, Heroic Signatures and Clover Press. He has also contributed illustrations for novels by Stephen King and Joe Hill. He lives and works in Santiago, Chile. You can find Gabriel on Instagram at @gr_comics.

Posted in Graphic Novels, picture books

Indie spotlight!

Posted on by Rosemary Kiladitis

I haven’t done this in a bit, so let’s shine the indie spotlight on a few books! I’ve been catching up on Mount TBR, and I’ve got a few that may have missed your notice in the last year. Let’s meet some new-to-us, folks, shall we?

Play for Me, Peter, by Carol Selick/Illustrated by Blueberry Illustrations, (July 2023, Carol Selick), $11.99, ISBN: 979-8218190521

Singer, songwriter, and novelist Carol Selick tells a gentle story of love, loss and music in her story about enduring love and the connection we have through music. Peter is a young boy who loves hearing his grandfather play jazz on the piano, but when his grandfather dies and the music stops, Peter is devastated. Slowly, with the help of his grandmother, a kind piano teacher named Mr. Wally, and a final gift from his grandfather, Peter begins to play the piano and to further his grandfather’s legacy. The story touches on the connection we all have to music and one another and is a touching story of love, loss, and moving on.

Visit Carol Selick’s website for more information about her music and writing.

 

 

Captain Baby, by Kaylynn Miller & Nathan Miller, (Feb. 2024, Independently Published), $11.99, ISBN: 979-8872966982

Ages 3-6

Written by a 7-year-old and her father, Captain Baby is a cute story about a pirate who encounters a baby while on his pirate ship. The baby initially attacks the ship – with sharks! – and turns the pirate’s crew against him, marooning him on an island. When the baby is marooned shortly after – pirates don’t change diapers, after all – the grizzly captain discovers that he’s got a soft spot and takes on the mantle of protector. The two have adventures, including fighting off crocodiles and angry, poo-flinging monkeys while questing for gold coconuts. It’s a madcap tale that only a 7-year-old could tell, and the graphic novel format fits the storytelling nicely. The authors encourage readers to read the story in their most pirate-like voice, with little “arrr” puns cropping up in the text. A sweet collaboration between parent and child.

 

 

Would You Rather?, by Anna Avelino, (Jan. 2024, Independently Published), $14.99, ISBN: 979-8871075081

Ages 7-12

Would You Rather presents 350 questions that will provoke giggles as easily as they’ll provoke thought and discussion. We started playing “Would You Rather” when my youngest was 7, coming up with questions like “Would you rather swing on webs like Spider-Man or run like Sonic the Hedgehog?” It was a fun way to start conversations, and it helped me encourage my little guy to elaborate (his English teacher was thrilled). Here, Anna Avelino offers choices like “Would you rather arrive to school or work in a hot air balloon or a horse-drawn carriage?”. Questions are organized into areas like “Feathers, Fangs, and Furry Friends”, “Hilarious and Silly Questions”, and “Around the World”. Fun for circulating and reference collections!

 

Look at the Picture and Write the Name Coloring Book, by Canette Arille, (Dec. 2022, Independently Published), $9, ISBN: 979-8367455830

Ages 2+

A cute hand-drawn collection of images for kids to color. Images are large, black and white, and make for easy coloring by younger learners. Each picture sports a line where kids and write the name of the image. A nice gift idea.

 

Posted in Graphic Novels, Teen, Young Adult/New Adult

The Murder Next Door examines trauma

Posted on by Rosemary Kiladitis

The Murder Next Door: A Graphic Memoir, by Hugh D’Andrade, (Feb. 2025, Street Noise Books), $20.99, ISBN: 9781951491352

Ages 14+

In 1978, Hugh discovered his friends crying outside their home in his neighborhood. They had come home from school and discovered their mother lying on the floor, murdered. Forty years later, he’s an adult with a successful career and social life, but he’s also haunted by the murder and experiences anger, anxiety, and panic attacks. Through The Murder Next Door, he examines his trauma and its roots, moving between sessions with his therapist and his memories. Using light blue and black illustration, with red for jarring emphasis, D’Andrade’s art is at once stark and dreamlike; his recall so painful, the reporting at odds with what D’Andrade witnessed, that it all churns in his mind, feeding his anger, his anxiety, his constant feeling of dread. He becomes an adult who baits conspiracy theorists, an adult never quite secure. Writing this memoir, D’Andrade allows readers to sit in on his therapy sessions and see where young Hugh was forced to bear witness to the unthinkable; we see the scars it left, rendered in red ink for readers to witness. A moving portrait of youth lost and of resistant trauma.

Posted in Graphic Novels, Post-apocalyptic/Dystopian, Teen, Young Adult/New Adult

A Plausible Dystopia? You Must Take Part in Revolution

Posted on by Rosemary Kiladitis

You Must Take Part in Revolution, by Melissa Chan & Badiucao, (March 2025, Street Noise Books), $23.99, ISBN: 9781951491291

Ages 16+

Set in 2035 during a war between the U.S. and China, with Taiwan divided between the two, You Must Take Part in Revolution is a stark dystopian graphic novel created by a nactivist artist and an international journalist, both exiled from China for their stances. In Revolution, America is a proto-fascist state, led by a President who gained power through a coup. Maggie, Olivia, and Andy are three young people meet during a protest in Hong Kong and become friends, but their differing methods of freedom fighting carry life-altering changes for each of them. The illustration is powerful, with stark blacks and greys and splashes of red and yellow, sparsely used to devastating effect. Chan’s journalistic prowess shines here; the story reads like a headline and has roots in current and past relations between the U.S., China, and Taiwan; she also captures the human side of the story, developing her characters and making them live off the page and in the reader’s head. They will stay with readers long after the book is finished. An excellent purchase for graphic novel collections.

Melissa Chan is an award-winning journalist who was expelled from China through her work as the China correspondent with Al Jazeera English. You can learn more about her via her website. Badiucao is a Chinese-Australian activist and dissident who has been referred to as “China’s Banksy”. You can learn more about him via his website.

Posted in Graphic Novels, Teen, Young Adult/New Adult

Adrift on a Painted Sea is a touching memoir

Posted on by Rosemary Kiladitis

Adrift on a Painted Sea, by Tim Bird with paintings by Sue Bird, (Oct. 2024, Avery Hill Publishing), $18.99, ISBN: 9781910395820

Ages 16+

Sue Bird was an artist who “filled the house with her art”. Her son, Tim Bird, created this graphic memoir as a tribute to her.  Told in flashbacks, Bird touches on his relationship with his mom and her art. Bird incorporates Sue Bird’s art, art research, and photos in his story, fitting his illustrations and narration around all of it with skill and feeling. Chapters are organized into weather reports and illustration, the titles framing the journey of Bird’s grief and loss. Bird fills this memoir with lessons learned, particularly around one of Sue’s paintings, ever-present in his home, whose origin may differ from the story he grew up hearing: “There are always mysteries – big or small – that go unanswered even when you think you know everything about someone”.

A warm, heartfelt piece on love and loss that works as a crossover graphic memoir for YA collections.

Posted in Graphic Novels, Realistic Fiction, Teen, Young Adult/New Adult

Teleportation and Other Luxuries, for STEM Geeks Everywhere

Posted on by Rosemary Kiladitis

Teleportation and Other Luxuries, by Archie Bongiovanni & Mary Verhoeven, (Nov. 2024, Mad Cave Studios), $14.99, ISBN: 9781545812242

Ages 12+

A group of brainy misfits come together to win a science competition sponsored by a nefarious coroporation in this original graphic novel from Bongiovanni (A Quick & Easy Guide to They/Them Pronouns) and illustrator Verhoeven. Tyler, a trans teen with a penchant for social media and scientist parents who won’t accept anything less than total success, feels the pressure to keep up appearances for his family’s reputation’s sake. Gabby is a nonbinary student in the competition for far greater reasons than the scholarship money and the fame; her distrust of the corporation and science overall puts her at odds with Tyler. Allegra is a shy genius who hides her intelligence so she can fit in, and LJ is from a small town where he just learned to do everything because no one else could. Each member of the group has a hidden and personal agenda; when they realize a monumental breakthrough, though, they must weigh the cost of entering a project they know will win, but is unsafe. Blamazon, the megacorporation sponsoring the contest, is quick to wave their fears aside. A very human story with four queer teens at its heart, Bongiovanni explores their relationships with one another and with the world outside Blamazon’s walls. It becomes a story that encourages readers to ask themselves what really matters most. Cartoon-realistic illustration keeps pages turning along with the smart dialogue. A solid STEM story with realistic characters and situations at its center.

Posted in Conferences & Events, Graphic Novels, professional development

I went to the Scholastic Graphix Party!

Posted on by Rosemary Kiladitis

Hi all, I know I’ve been posting pretty spottily this year, and it’s not out of a desire to fade away. It’s been a heck of a year, and life and work have been conspiring against me when it comes to having the time I want to devote to Mom Read It. That said, I am NOT going anywhere. I’m still here, still reading, and honestly, the life changes are largely good. Just wanted to let you know that I’ve got stuff to read and talk about, and I’ll be getting more up shortly. Thanks for sticking with me. 🙂

That said… I went to an actual library-type event! It was great to be out and about after what feels like forever. (BookExpo, I miss you!) I attended the Scholastic Graphix 20th Anniversary Party at the Scholastic offices in downtown NYC, and I had the best time! How can anything be less than awesome when your evening starts off with meeting Dog Man?

The Dog Man, the Myth, the Legend

 

Up next, a Graphix panel with some of the biggest names in graphic novels: Samuel Sattin, who’s brought the manga series Unico to the U.S. (and I have an ARC just waiting for me to read it); Jamar Nicholas, who’s releasing a new Leon adventure; Gale Galligan, who my library kids mainly know from the Babysitters Club (but I keep begging them to read Freestyle so I can form a yo-yo club); Raina Telgemeier – THE Raina Telgemeier – who’s writing a book on making comics with Scott McCloud, whose Understanding Comics is the bible of reading and writing comics and graphic novels; and surprise guest Jeff Smith, the creator of Bone! I couldn’t believe this lineup, and that I was there to see it!

 

The authors/illustrators discussed their upcoming books, gave us a peek at some of the art (WOW!), and talked about the state of graphic novels today, and how incredible it is to have been on the journey with Graphix over the last 20 years. A sneak peek at some of the graphic novels we can expect in the new year, and we were off to the party, with a mac and cheese bar, candy tables, and Dog Man and Unico cotton candy.

 

I screwed my courage to the sticking place and talked comics with Samuel Sattin, Raina Telgemeier, and Scott McCloud, and Mr. McCloud was kind enough to take a picture with me.

Smile cupcakes! There were Dog Man cupcakes, too.

At home, a delighted Kiddo enjoys his Dog Man cotton candy.

 

All in all, a great way to spend an evening. I hope to go to more!