Tag: Mad Cave Studios

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

Tales from the TBR: More Winx Club!

Posted on by Rosemary Kiladitis

Winx Club Vol. 2: Friends, Monsters, and Witches!, by Iginio Straffi & Rainbow S.p.A., (June 2024, Papercutz), $14.99, ISBN: 9781545800805

Ages 7-12

The second collected volume of Winx Club reprints three classic stories from Winx Club’s 2004 run: In “A Friend for Bloom”, Bloom tells Musa, Tecna, and Flora how she came to Alfea, and how Stella helped her realize that she is a fairy. “Prisoner of the Dark” sees Bloom caught by the Trix, who trap her inside a tree. “The Swamp Monster” sees the Trix return to make more mischief when the Specialists notice animal carcasses in the swamp – just as the Winx are near the swamp on assignment. Middle graders and middle schoolers who enjoy Disney’s W.I.T.C.H. series will enjoy this collected volume, as will your anime and manga Magical Girl fans.

I’ve discovered that having the Winx Club Wiki on hand has been helpful for some of my graphic novel readers: it’s a good resource for anyone interested in learning more about the series, with in-depth profiles on the characters and resources on the various series, episode breakdowns, movies, and more.

 

Fate: The Winx Saga Vol.1 : Dark Destiny, by Olivia Cuartero-Briggs/Illustrated by Christianne Gillenardo-Goudreau, (August 2024, Mad Cave Studios), $14.99, ISBN: 9781960578938

Ages 12+

Folks, this is a Winx Club for middle school and beginning high schoolers! Fate is an original graphic novel and a continuation of the Netflix series (2021-2022). Set in the magical school of Alfea, this group of fairies is coping with the loss of their friend, Bloom, after she left to find her mother in the Realm of Darkness. The group is attacked with new powers and find themselves up against an enemy they’ve never experienced before. Is Bloom going to come back and save the day? The illustration has a more YA graphic novel feel – less bright, characters are more realistic with a soft cartoon feel; think Molly Knox Ostertag, Faith Erin Hicks, or M. Duffy. Fate brings Winx Club to a slightly older audience, whether it’s tweens and teens that have moved on from the earlier Winx series, are fans of the Netflix series, or are just ready for a magical series geared toward them. It’s a good investment for you graphic novel series, if you have fantasy readers.

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 Fantasy, Fiction, Graphic Novels, Middle Grade, Non-Fiction, Teen

Graphic Novels to add to your Fall carts

Posted on by Rosemary Kiladitis

I’m still reading graphic novels by the bunch: I’ve even applied to be a CYBILS Graphic Novel judge this year, because I had such a great time being one last year! There are such good books coming out for middle grade and YA, and with a new focus on early reader graphic novels picking up strength, I can honestly say we comic book fans have inherited the earth and it feels good. Here are a few more to add to your Fall order carts.

In the Shadow of the Fallen Towers : The Seconds, Minutes, Hours, Days, Weeks, Months, and Years after the 9/11 Attacks, by Don Brown, (Aug. 2021, Clarion Books), $19.99, ISBN: 9780358223573
Ages 12+
This year is the 20th anniversary of September 11th. Award-winning author and illustrator Don Brown’s graphic novel takes readers into the moments directly after, the attack, and follows the ramifications of that day, still felt in 2021. Don Brown helps put readers into the middle of that day, with quotes from survivors and family members, to help contextualize the events September 11th and its effect on global history and politics. It’s respectful, never melodramatic, thought-provoking, and a strong tribute to the people that we lost, and those we left behind. Artwork is bleak, rendered in shades of brown and grey, with periodic red-orange flames, illustrating the Ground Zero landscape. Back matter includes source notes, statistics, citations, and an afterword. An important addition to your nonfiction collections.
In the Shadow of the Fallen Towers has starred reviews from Horn Book and Publishers Weekly.
Witch for Hire, by Ted Naifeh, (Aug. 2021, Amulet Paperbacks), $12.99, ISBN: 9781419748110
Ages 12-15
High school freshman Cody is sent immediately to the loser table by a cruel sibling, where she meets Faye Faulkner; a goth chick with a witch hat and a group of “losers” that are accomplished students who don’t fit the “mean girl/jock” mold. When a series of pranks go from amusing to outright dangerous and destructive, Faye’s on the case – and the trail leads to Cody. Faye has to decide whether or not to reveal her true identity – she really is a teenage witch! – to Cody and help release her from a very bad deal, or to keep to herself, affecting her usual social distance? I love a good goth tale, and who better than Eisner Award-nominated series Courtney Crumrin’s creator, Ted Naifeh?  Witch for Hire goes beyond the usual mean girls high school story and masterfully weaves a tale of social media, influence, and manipulative magic. Faye Faulkner is your next favorite character; cool beyond compare, with witch powers, excellent baking skills, and who doesn’t give a good gracious fig about what you, or the cool kids, think of her. But she has a heart, and she cares, and that’s what makes her an endearing, interesting character. I hope this is a fun new series I can look forward to; my Courtney Crumrin trades need a break!
Treasure in the Lake, by Jason Pamment, (Sept. 2021, HarperAlley), $12.99, ISBN: 9780063065178
Ages 8-12
Two friends discover a long-lost city and friendship on an adventure of their own in this debut middle grade graphic novel. Iris is a bookworm who craves adventure outside of her tiny town, while Sam seems to like the comfort of small town life. They discover a dry river while exploring one day, and from there, happen on an ages-old mystery that involves a hidden city, and, possibly, a ghost or a time traveler. The key to Iris’s and Sam’s friendship is tied into this adventure, and the two have to get to the bottom of the mystery in time to salvage their own relationship. The artwork is the champ in this beautifully illustrated graphic novel; wordless panels and spreads let readers absorb the beauty of the artwork.
Treasure in the Lake has a starred review from Kirkus and is an IndieNext Children’s Pick.
Nightmare in Savannah, by Lela Gwenn, Rowan MacColl, & Micah Myers, (Nov. 2021, Mad Cave Studios), $17.99, ISBN: 9781952303265
Ages 14+
Alexa is a teen, sent to live with her grandfather in Savannah, Georgia, while her parents serve prison sentences. Word gets out – it always does – and Alexa immediately finds herself an outcast at her new school before she’s even shown up. She falls in with a group of fellow outcast teens – Chloe, Fae, and Skye – and discovers, after a night of partying too hard, that they’ve become Fairies. And not the cute, Tinkerbell-type, winged little dots of light, either. Fairies of legend; changelings who steal human babies, cause trouble, that sort of thing. I was excited to pick this book up – the art is fantastic, with loads of shadows and goth overtones; as a fan of The Craft (1996), it spoke to my post-college soul – but I never quite got onto an even footing with the pacing. I loved Alexa, who emerges as a strong female character, and Fae, who has the Fairuza Balk influence for a new generation. It’s a book I’ll put into my collection – I know I have readers who will love it – but this one wasn’t quite my book.
Posted in Graphic Novels, Realistic Fiction, Teen, Young Adult/New Adult

A YA graphic novel about honoring your authentic self: Needle and Thread

Posted on by Rosemary Kiladitis

Needle and Thread, by David Pinckney, Edited by Chris Sanchez/Illustrated by Ennun Ana Iurov, (Oct. 2021, Mad Cave Studios), $17.99, ISBN: 9781952303234

Ages 12 to 16

Noah is a high school senior who dreams of being a costume designer, but his parents are dead-set against his “hobby” being a viable career and pressure him to apply to more traditional colleges and think of a more “reasonable” career. Azarie is the daughter of a politician determined to show a perfect family picture to the public. Azarie is the lead cheerleader and the perfect student, a young woman who’s in with the in crowd, and nurses a secret love of comic books and a desire to be an actress. The two bond over their shared interests, and Noah introduces Azarie to his friends, who welcome her into their circle – much to the chagrin of the Mean Girls in Azarie’s school social circle, and her image-obsessed parents. When introducing Noah’s family to Azarie’s, her father insists that Noah and his first-responder parents (a firefighter and police officer) enter through the back door – the racial implications, atop the social, cannot be denied. But more than a story about an image-obsessed family of social climbers, Needle and Thread is a story about embracing your passions, honoring yourself and your dreams, and pursuing a supportive community. Azarie is welcomed into Noah’s artistic, cosplaying community and grow with that community’s encouragement, while hitting some bumps along the way. Characters are diverse, the story and artwork are interesting and work together to create a full narrative that YA readers will dive into.