Tag: Andy Hirsch

Posted in Middle Grade, Non-Fiction, Non-fiction, Tween Reads

Science Comics and Dogs: A Reader’s Best Friend

Posted on by Rosemary Kiladitis

Science Comics: Dogs – From Predator to Protector, by Andy Hirsch, (Oct. 2017, :01FirstSecond), $12.99, ISBN: 9781626727687

Recommended for readers 8-12

With a rescue pup named Rudy as our host, the latest addition to the Science Comics pack looks at dogs, and their evolution from predatory wolf to man (and woman!)’s best friend. Readers also take a side trip into lessons on genetics and evolution, and the history of dog breeding. Rudy is a sweet, affable guide, forever in search of his favorite bouncy ball; kids are going to love him. Making him a rescue dog adds a nice socially aware touch, and provokes discussion about adopting versus shopping for pets. Kids will learn about Gregor Mendel, the scientist and friar whose work with pea plants made him a pioneer in modern genetics; they’ll learn about observable and inherited traits, and how chromosomes combine to pass along these traits. This is information that applies to everything, not just dogs. It’s packaged with a cute puppy and a bright toy ball, sure, but there’s fantastic, solid learning to be found here.

The Science Comics series keeps getting better. Put copies of this nonfiction series on your shelves and keep a set for your reference collection. They’re that good, making seemingly confusing subjects like genetics accessible to kids and adults alike. I haven’t been able to grasp a conversation about Punnett Squares since high school, but seeing it illustrated and explained in plain English here made it so reasonable! A glossary and additional resources are available at the end of the book. Science Comics are a must-add to middle grade nonfiction collections.

 

Posted in Fiction, Fiction, Graphic Novels, Historical Fiction, Humor, Intermediate, Middle Grade, Tween Reads

Sibling antics in the Wild West: Varmints

Posted on by Rosemary Kiladitis

varmints_1Varmints, by Andy Hirsch (Sept. 2016, First Second), $16.99, ISBN: 9781626722798

Recommended for ages 7-12

Set in the Old U.S. West, Opie and her younger brother, Ned, are orphaned siblings searching for the man who shot their Ma. Problem is, their Pa is THE bad guy – the kingpin, the big bad, cue the dramatic music at the mere mention of his name kind of bad. And he’s expert at not being found. Opie and Ned are undeterred, though; they mean to find their Pa and have some words: if they can just stop arguing with one another long enough to stay out of trouble, that is.

There’s a lot of action and dialogue in this first volume of Varmints. The sibling squabbling provides some quick-witted entertainment, and the explosions and fights, not to mention the cartoony art and bright colors, will hold kids’ interests. It’s a very old-school type of storytelling, with humor, wit, and pathos.

Good addition to graphic novel collections, especially where Westerns are popular; otherwise, a good secondary purchase. There’s a 2013 Varmints story, “The Coonskin Caper”, on Andy Hirsch’s website, along with links to his other work, including The Baker Street Peculiars, for fellow Sherlock Holmes fans who love a touch of the supernatural in just about anything. Check out some of his work on Adventure Time, Garfield, and The Regular Show, too.

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