Category: Graphic Novels

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

Three generations of women tell their stories in Age 16

Posted on by Rosemary Kiladitis

Age 16, by Rosena Fung, (July 2024, Annick Press), $24.99, ISBN: 9781773218335

Ages 12+

Fung’s story reminds readers that 16 isn’t always sweet. Set in three areas of the world in three different decades, Age 16 tells the stories of a grandmother, a mother, and a daughter at age 16: In 1954, Mei Laan dreams of getting out of Guangdong, China. An arranged marriage may be her ticket to Hong Kong, and a better life. In 1972, 16-year-old Lydia wants desperately to dance and enjoy her life. Her critical mother never looks on the bright side of anything, and it’s hard not to be brought down by her harsh criticisms, particularly about her weight. Maybe if she heads to Toronto, things will be better? In 2000, 16-year-old Roz lives in Toronto, struggles with her weight and self-image. When her mother lets her know that her grandmother is coming to visit, Roz is taken aback – her mom and grandmother aren’t that close. When Mei Laan arrives, dour and full of criticism, everyone feels off-center. Through flashbacks, readers understand each woman’s struggles; through conversations and interactions, the characters ultimately peel away the layers of emotion and trauma. Age 16 brings home how some issues facing women never seem to change, while new challenges constantly emerge: physical beauty and value is a major theme running through the book, with Mei Laan constantly commenting Lydia’s, and later, Roz’s weight; Mei Laan’s own value to her family is through her marriageability. Both Mei Laan and Lydia are single mothers; Mei Laan uses this as another point of judgement against Lydia. Roz stresses about her body image, where Lydia embraces a more free, accepting attitude; most likely as protection and pushback against her mother. Rosena Fung skillfully blends three individuals across three generations to tell a powerful story about women and generational trauma. She tells each character’s story in a different color, allowing for a smooth change in narrative that won’t disrupt the reader. Mei Laan’s story is told with a green-blue wash; Lydia’s, in an orange wash, and Roz, in a purple wash. The illustration work is bold and filled with pop cultural details that will enhance reading. Back matter includes historical notes and resources for further reading. Age 16 is indispensible reading and belongs on every library’s bookshelf.

Age 16 has a starred review from Publishers Weekly and is an Indie Next choice. It is also one of Ms. Magazine’s Most Anticipated Feminist Books of 2024.

Posted in Animal Fiction, Graphic Novels, Tween Reads

Jump in the Time Machine, Biker Mice from Mars is back!

Posted on by Rosemary Kiladitis

I usually post more about graphic novels and collected trade paperbacks, but I could not resist when I saw the latest email from Oni Press – Biker Mice from Mars – which readers of a certain age (and those with kids of a certain age) may remember from the early ’90s animated show and video game – is back! Brought back as part of the Nacelle Verse, Biker Mice joins other vintage TV series in a shared universe. Other titles include Robo Force, The Great Garloo, Sectaurs, and Power Lords. My eldest was a Biker Mice fan when he was little; he even had the game for his Nintendo DS. What a trip in the time machine, right?

From the press release: “Best friends Throttle, Modo, and Vinnie were just three anthropomorphic, motorcycle-riding mice who called Mars home . . . and were always bad to the bone. But when the ruthless Plutarkian races stage a mass invasion to strip their planet of its precious resources, their antiauthoritarian streak is going to turn into a full-blown insurgency. Only the Biker Mice from Mars can prevent the mass destruction of Earth’s nearest neighbor . . . and the freedom of our entire solar system may just hang in the balance.

Leading into the upcoming animated series by executive producers Brian Volk-Weiss, Cisco Henson, Matt Kravitsky, Michael Goodman, Gavin Hignight and Matt Lawton from Nacelle Company, Maximum Effort’s Ryan Reynolds, George Dewey, Kevin Hill and Ashley Fox, as well as Fubo’s David Gandler and Pamela Duckworth, the summer’s most anticipated return pushes the action into the red as a never-before-told chapter of Biker Mice history stands revealed!

Featuring covers from adrenaline-racing artists Dustin Weaver (Avengers, Paklis.) Juan Gedeon (DC: The Jurassic League), Roger Cruz (X-Men: Age of Apocalypse), Ramon Villalobos (Nighthawk, America) and Francis Portela (Green Lantern), the first shot in the Biker Mice’s “Mars War” starts here on July 17th, only in BIKER MICE FROM MARS #1!”

Learn more about Oni Press’s Nacelle Verse comics here.

Biker Mice from Mars #1 releases on July 17th. I’m telling you, keep an eye out for a collected trade somewhere down the line; if you have Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles fans, introduce them to this. Check out some of the covers and interiors here.
Posted in Fiction, Graphic Novels, Humor, Intermediate

This Book Will Self-Destruct! Can you help save the day?

Posted on by Rosemary Kiladitis

This Book Will Self-Destruct (Agent Harrier), by Ben Sanders, (May 2024, Kane Miller), $14.99, ISBN: 9781684648979

Ages 6-10

A new graphic novel series starring a dog – or is he a wolf? – secret agent, This Book Will Self-Destruct is loaded with puns and breaks the fourth wall, making sure that readers can share in the fun. Agent Woof – ahem, Wolf – Harrier gets a call from his spy boss, Top Dog, with a critical message: the book is going to self-destruct unless Harrier can stop it! With the Narrator by his side, Harrier sets out to unravel the threads and find the bomb before the book goes boom. There’s something really odd about the Narrator, though, so Harrier will need help from readers to unscramble some clues. Readers will laugh out loud at the back-and-forth between characters, and the stark red and black illustration work makes everything pop against the stark white pages. Harrier is a fun character and his mission is easy enough to follow for newly confident readers moving on from picture books and easy readers. Endpapers show an inside view of Harrier’s briefcase, filled with all sorts of punny spy goodness like a “gadget watch: for everything except telling the time”, “Truthing Gum: one stick for sticky situations”, and a glass eye: “just because”. This is the first in a new graphic novel series, so get in on this from the beginning. The book includes a fun poster; if you’re buying this for your circulation, hang it up and promote the series!

Posted in Fiction, Fiction, Graphic Novels, Intermediate, Middle Grade, Realistic Fiction

Another kids’ classic goes graphic: Amber Brown is Not a Crayon

Posted on by Rosemary Kiladitis

Amber Brown is Not a Crayon: The Graphic Novel, by Paula Danziger/Illustrated by Victoria Ying, (May 2024, G.P. Putnam’s Sons Books for Young Readers), $9.99, ISBN: 9780593615706

Ages 7-10

Full disclosure: I don’t think I’ve ever read any of the Amber Brown novels, which is insane, considering I’m a kids’ librarian. That said, I thoroughly enjoyed the graphic novel adaptation of Amber Brown is Not a Crayon, illustrated by Victoria Ying, who also wrote and illustrated last year’s YA graphic novel Hungry Ghost. Ying captures Amber Brown’s playful, quirky spirit and the close friendship she has with Justin, who is moving to Alabama, where his father has relocated for a better job. Ying uses bright, happy colors for Amber’s storytelling, with moody, purplish and green washes to denote painful memories: Amber’s parents arguing; her father leaving; Justin’s family packing up their home. Frustrated at trying to communicate her feelings, she and Justin have a falling out over a shared ball of gum, but reconcile right before the move; Justin confesses to having a hard time talking about his feelings, too. The art is appealing and the story stays relatable: themes of friendship, separating, and talking about our feelings will resonate with kids. Kids who love The Baby-Sitter Club and The Baby-Sitter’s Little Sisters will gobble these up.

Amber Brown is Not a Crayon: The Graphic Novel has a starred review from Kirkus.

 

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

Nimona fans will love The Worst Ronin!

Posted on by Rosemary Kiladitis

The Worst Ronin, by Maggie Tokuda-Hall/Illustrated by Faith Schaffer, (May 2024, HarperAlley), $18.99, ISBN: 9780358464938

Ages 14+

Sixteen-year-old Chihiro Ito’s father is a famous samurai; she’s eager for the chance to get into the prestigious samurai school, Keisi Academy, to follow in her father’s footsteps – and meet Tatsuo Nakano, the first woman to be accepted into the school. Chihiro logs a lot of fangirl time on social media following Tatsuo, but what Chihiro doesn’t see is that Tatsuo isn’t as picture-perfect as her socials would indicate. Flashbacks enrich Tatsuo’s story and help readers understand her belligerence, alcohol use, and swearing. Tragedy strikes and Chihiro, bent on revenge, joins forces with Tatsuo. A buddy comedy enveloped in a samurai adventure, Tokuda-Hall and Schaffer’s combined talents give readers a smart, funny story with depth. Schaffer brings Tokuda-Hall’s incredible worldbuilding to colorful life and the action sequences will have readers white-knuckling through the pages. Don’t miss this one. Give this to your Nimona fans (and add Nadia Shamas and Sara Alfageeh’s Squire to the pile, while you’re at it).

The Worst Ronin has starred reviews from The Horn Book and the Bulletin of the Center for Children’s Books.

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

I’m a Mess – a graphic novel we can get behind

Posted on by Rosemary Kiladitis

I’m A Mess, by Einat Tsarfati and Translated by Annette Appel, (July 2024, Mad Cave Studios), $14.99, ISBN: 9781545800867

Ages 13+

Funny and painfully honest, I’m a Mess is an honest-to-goodness meditation on living with messiness. With sections on types of messiness, how to organize without really organizing, and that “golden group of gods”: the Organized, Tsarfati finds the funny parts of being disorganized as well as the advantages: learning to adjust, the ability to improvise, and a well-developed visual memory, for starters. 3-color illustrations are humorous: various parent groups throughout the ages criticize their children’s messiness, as with the Viking father who laments,”In the name of Odin, look at this living room! Are you a barbarian?” A visual list of objects that a “messy person loses in two months” shows a variety of sunglasses, keys, coins, and pens; cross-sections of an organized person’s brain show an array of clearly labeled folders, while the messy person’s brain has three very general, very battered folders. But Tsarfati doesn’t leave us marooned on an isle of disorder: there are helpful tips on non-traditional organizing (the desk spread is my favorite), and she is very big on acceptance. I’m a Mess is a fun addition to graphic novel collections that teens and college students will enjoy.

 

Posted in Fantasy, Graphic Novels, Middle School, Teen, Tween Reads

The ’90s are back: King Arthur & The Knights of Justice

Posted on by Rosemary Kiladitis

King Arthur & The Knights of Justice, by Joe Corallo/Illustrated by Gina Cardinali, (Apr. 2024, Mad Cave Studios), $14.99, ISBN: 9781960578600

Ages 12-16

King Arthur & The Knights of Justice was a ’90s cartoon that lasted for two seasons. Merlin, trapped by the evil enchantress Morgana, managed to recruit a new knights of the round table from a different time: a football team, the New York Knights. The series is back in graphic novel format, with a progressive new storyline and who knows? With enough readership, the storyline may finally be resolved (the original animated series ended abruptly and is therefore incomplete).

This first volume contains the origin story, where Morgana traps the original Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table in glass and traps Merlin in a tree. His spirit is freed to seek new knights across timelines, where he discovers the Knights football team in the present day, and spirits them to Merlin’s timeline, where he explains their mission. The players are surprisingly okay with this new turn of events, because they’re pure of heart and want to help free King Arthur… except for Gallop, one of the players who has a real attitude problem, which will become a bigger issue down the line. GLAAD and Eisner nominee Corallo shines in this new storyline, featuring openly gay characters that are supported by their teammates. Cardinali’s illustrations will attract fantasy fans and gave me a real ’90s cartoon feel as I read the book. With X-Men 97 back to rave reviews on Disney Plus, could we be seeing a ’90s cartoon renaissance?  This one is a good pick for upper middle grade and high school collections.

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

Graphic Novels catchup!

Posted on by Rosemary Kiladitis

I fell a bit behind from reviews between life and the fact that I have trouble turning anything down (it’s really hard to Read All the Books! no matter how much one wants to), but I am giving it a college try. So here’s a catchup of some graphic novels that are already out, but that you may not have been able to check out yet.

 

The Blue Stars: Mission One: The Vice Principal Problem, by Kekla Magoon & Cynthia Leitich Smith/Illustrated by Molly Murakami, (March 2024, Candlewick Press), $22.99

Ages 8-12

A new middle grade series from middle grade powerhouses? Yes, please! Magoon and Smith take on social issues with a sensitivity and voice that middle graders will appreciate. Riley Halfmoon and Maya Dawn are cousins who move to Urbanopolis to live with their activist grandma. Riley isses her Muscogee cousins, and Maya misses her parents, but at school, they each join clubs and start getting into the swing of things just as their school culture is threatened. Using their talents, the two decide to join forces and go after the bad guy. Taking aim at money, power, and corruption, Magoon and Smith make their protagonists relatable and likable; they value family and community, and have rich diversity around them. An excellent pick for graphic novel collections, Blue Stars is the first in a new series. Visit The Blue Stars website for author information and tour dates and a free downloadable discussion guide.

The Blue Stars: Mission One has starred reviews from Publishers Weekly and Kirkus.

Winx Club Vol. 1: Welcome to Magix, by Iginio Straffi (Created by) & Rainbow S.p.A., (Jan. 2024, Papercutz), $14.99, ISBN: 9781545811375

Ages 7-12

I have fond memories of Winx Club back in the early 00s; my older sons loved the show when it was on Nickelodeon! It was bright and cheery with a lot of action, and they were here for it, so seeing it some years later brought back some nice memories. That said, this book is an insta-hit with the kids at my library. They love anything magical girl, and this take on the Japanese magical girl subgenre is colorful, upbeat, and a lot of fun. Originally created by Italian animator Straffi, the show had some popularity with American audiences and is looking at a 2025 reboot, so it’s a good time to introduce readers to the series.

Volume 1: Welcome to Magix does not assume readers have any prior knowledge of the Winx universe, so you’re good. It’s the origin story, where Bloom, a fairy warrior, goes to Magix Fairy School , and meets a group of besties with superpowers of their own. They take on monsters and witches, and learn about themselves through their adventures and their developing friendships. The action is fast-paced and readers are going to gobble it up. If you’re looking for anime and manga-adjacent books for younger readers, consider Winx Club for your collections. Talk this up to your W.I.T.C.H. readers!

 

School for Extraterrestrial Girls ,Vol 2: Girls in Flight, by Jeremy Whitley/Illustrated by Jamie Noguchi, (Nov. 2023, Papercutz), $12.99, ISBN: 9781545806968

Ages 8-12

We finally have a sequel! Four years ago, Whitley and Noguchi released the first School for Extraterrestrial Girls and it was so good. I am so happy that a second volume is on shelves, because this is such a good story. When we last left Tara, Misako, Summer, Kat and friends, the school had been destroyed in the big final battle. Taking place immediately on the heels of Volume 1, Girls in Flight has the students moving to a new, hidden school where they will wait out their school’s reconstruction. The location: The School for Extraterrestrial Boys! The girls are staying in summer lake cabins while the boys stay in the castle where classes are held, and we get some romances in the story. We also get creepy Headmaster Stokes, who has a creepy obsession with Tara and her people. Whitley delves into burgeoning crushes, representation and diversity, and, naturally, a nefarious plot or two. The art is fantastic, with color and movement throughout. It’s another great story, and I hope school isn’t out of session for too long before we get a Volume 3. Give this to your fantasy readers; best for middle school, while some elementary kids will love the fantasy aspects.

 

Aya: Claws Come Out, by Marguerite Abouet & Clément Oubrerie, Translated by Edwige Dro, (Feb. 2024, Drawn & Quarterly), $24.95, ISBN: 9781770467019

Ages 14+

This is a YA and New Adult graphic novel series set in the Ivory Coast; a slice-of-life look into the lives of a group of people living in middle-class Africa. Aya is a college student and new intern at Solibra, a beer company. She finds herself at odds with the head of human resources, while her friend, Moussa is desperate for his CEO father’s attention. Her friend Albert has to find a new place to live after being outed, and his ex, Inno, discovers that the life of an undocumented immigrant in France can be difficult. Didier just wants to take Aya out to dinner, but Aya doesn’t seem to have the time, and Bintou discovers soap opera stardom comes with drawbacks. Translated from French and set in the 1980s, Claws Come Out is an interesting look at life in Africa at the time, but without reading previous Aya books, readers may be lost. Pacing and panel placement can feel disjointed. Purchasing all 6 books may be an expense in this budget crunch, but if you are interested in testing the title, try one or two of the first books in the series and see how they do before purchasing others.

The Inventor: The Dangerous Discovery, by Lars Henrik Eriksen, (Jan. 2024, Papercutz), $12.99, ISBN: 9781545811481

Ages 7-12

You know I can’t go long without recommending a STEM/STEAM book. The Inventor is that book. This first volume introduces readers to Cobalt Cogg and his grandfather, Alfred. The two live on the island of Mata-Mata, and Cobalt wants to be an inventor just like Alfred. There’s a problem when Cobalt and his friend Linnea get into an accident with one of Alfred’s inventions, and Cobalt must find a way to recover and move past his grief with the help of his friends and family. Touching on themes of grief and loss, tinkering and Alpha-Energy, Eriksen creates a tale that is interesting and touching. The look and feel is Miyazaki-influenced, so consider booktalking this to any Miyzaki fans you may have.

Volume 2 is due out in September, so your readers won’t have to wait too long if you invest them in the series now!

Posted in Fiction, Fiction, Graphic Novels, Intermediate, Middle Grade

Winnie the Pooh gets the graphic novel treatment!

Posted on by Rosemary Kiladitis

Winnie-the-Pooh, by A.A. Milne & Travis Dandro, (Apr. 2024, Drawn & Quarterly), $29.95, ISBN: 9781770466968

Ages 7+

PEN Graphic Novel Award winner Travis Dandro introduces a new generation of readers to the Hundred Acre Wood and its most famous inhabitants in his graphic novel adaptation of A.A. Milne’s classic, Winnie the Pooh. Winnie the Pooh entered the public domain in 2015, allowing for a graphic novel retelling. And what a perfect time for it! Graphic novels are more popular than ever, and Pooh’s stories are ready to speak to a new audience while revisiting old friends and readers. Faithful to Milne’s storytelling, Dandro lays out each story in black and white art, giving a soft comic book feel to the characters.  Features are softer, rounder, and Fans of the original stories will love Dandro’s interpretation. Removing the omniscient narrator, he gives characters dialogue and uses spreads and playful panels to tell the stories, adding amusing moments like Rabbit’s 11-step plan to “capture Baby Roo”, showing Rabbit reading from a sheet of paper while the list is laid out in enumerated detail. Endpapers show a map of the Hundred Acrew Wood and key locations from the stories. Dandro also created a brand-new story exclusively for the new volume. There are some lump-in-the-throat moments, beautifully interpreted and reimagined, and the famous moments – Pooh getting stuck in the “tight place” and Owl’s discovering Eeyore’s tail, for a couple – all here to enchant new readers. A lovely addition to graphic novel and classics collections.

Posted in Fiction, Fiction, geek culture, Graphic Novels, Middle Grade, Middle School, Realistic Fiction, Tween Reads

Table Titans Club – read it!

Posted on by Rosemary Kiladitis

Table Titans Club, by Scott Kurtz, (March 2024, Holiday House), $22.99, ISBN: 9780823453160

Ages 8-12

Eisner Award Winner Scott Kurtz crafts a hands-down fantastic story about the power of a good role-playing group in this middle grade graphic novel. Val – short for Valeria – is the new kid in school, and she’s got a bit of a temper. Luckily, a schoolmate named Andrew decides she’s just what the Table Titans – a school role-playing group – needs in their campaign. He and friends Alan and Darius invite Val to be part of the group, and Val discovers she loves the game and the fact that she’s finally found a place where she feels like she belongs. But the teacher who sponsors the group is about to go out on leave, and unless they can secure another teacher sponsor, the Table Titans are looking at an early retirement. Val agrees to join the school’s wrestling team in return for having the coach sponsor the group, and takes on Kate, a fellow classmate who seems to have it out for Val. But why? Table Titans touches on the basics of being in a fantasy role-playing group, and the storytelling is there as a support for Val’s story, as she learns to navigate new friendships and work on controlling her reactions to people around her. Support characters are recognizable and relatable. Kurtz’s artwork is vibrant, bold, and fun to read. All around, an excellent addition to graphic novel collections and another great entry into the gaming-centric stories that have been published lately. Anything that shows folks gaming as social-emotional learning is tops with me. Don’t miss this one.

Table Titans Club has a starred review from Booklist.

Scott Kurtz’s website is a treasure trove of webcomics, including his Table Titans series that follows a group of Dungeons & Dragons players in and out of the game (not the characters from Table Titans Club).