Category: Graphic Novel Review

REVIEW: DC Super Hero Girls Graphic Novels by Shea Fontana

REVIEW: DC Super Hero Girls Graphic Novels by Shea Fontana

Posted on by Jaymie

[I received an electronic review copy of both of these books from Netgalley and DC Comics in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.]

DC Super Hero Girls Out of the Bottle – Summary

Wonder Woman, Harley Quinn, Supergirl and Katana are in the art room at Super Hero High working on their comics project. Katana’s is one of the best their teacher has ever seen, but Wonder Woman and Harley Quinn are struggling with theirs. While Wonder Woman checks out Supergirl’s project, Harley decides to try their teacher’s “magic paint” on her own.

When Katana checks on Wonder Woman’s project in order to encourage her friend, one of Harley’s drawings has moved from her project onto Wonder Woman’s. And the comic version of Harley is only interested in causing trouble. Soon she is off the pages all together and hassling the heroes face to face. Then she sets all of their comic characters free, too – and they all become villains.

Review

This is a fun addition to the Super Hero High graphic novel collection. It was the sixth book in the series so far (although in some places it is marked as book 5), after Date with Disaster and before Search for Atlantis. The story for this one is delightfully wacky, which fits the focus on Harley, with more chaos in every chapter, especially when the art teacher gives in to her dark side. The solution to the runaway comic characters is a little cheesy, but I think kids will get a kick out of it (although it may elicit some groans). The story takes a serious turn at the end when the characters talk about anger management, mental health, and therapy. This seems like a great message for the audience – it’s okay to need help and to get help!

These are fun characters, familiar in a lot of ways but still growing up, learning about friendship, and gaining confidence in themselves and their gifts. This particular book had some nice moments celebrating creativity along with the usual friendship and teamwork themes. Fans of this series will gobble up this story.

This is a lighter, sillier version of the characters in Lisa Yee’s middle grade novels. One series or the other (or in my case, both!) will appeal to superhero fans in general as well as fans of these particular heroes.

Rating: ♥♥♥♥

 

DC Super Hero Girls Search for Atlantis – Summary

Mera has arrived from Atlantis to go to Super Hero High. Wonder Woman offers to help her get settled in. The two become friends, leaving Bumblebee feeling left out. Mr. Fox, the weaponomics teacher, leads the heroes on a field trip to Atlantis. But after a battle with a giant squid the group discovers Atlantis has gone missing! It is a lost city once again.

The kids discover Brainiac has shrunken the city and keeps it on his ship. Their elaborate plan to rescue Atlantis requires Miss Martian to impersonate a criminal; the Teen Titans to back her up; and Bumblebee, Wonder Woman, Supergirl, and Mera to shrink down and wait in a fake miniature city until Miss Martian’s team sells it to Brainiac. What could possibly go wrong?!

Review

This series just gets better and better! I loved this story. It’s intricate with lots of suspense and conflict in each chapter. The characters are smart and play off one another in familiar ways (the Teen Titans are a great example). I loved the emphasis on Bumblebee, Raven and Miss Martian in this story. I know Raven from a few episodes of Teen Titans Go! and Miss Martian from Young Justice. I enjoy both of those characters a lot, so I loved seeing them get a lot of focus in this story. The author does a great job with these characters as well as with Bumblebee’s angst and jealousy over Wonder Woman’s friendship with Mera.

In the midst of superhero powers and super villain schemes, there’s a very relate-able friendship crisis that plays out through the larger Atlantis/Brainiac story that’s fantastic! Highly recommend.

Rating: ♥♥♥♥♥

REVIEW: Knight's Club: The Bands of Bravery by Shuky

REVIEW: Knight’s Club: The Bands of Bravery by Shuky

Posted on by Jaymie

[I received an electronic review copy from Netgalley and Quirk Books in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.]

Summary

Three young men decide to leave their life of farming and manure and instead try to become knights. Each has different skills and deficits. Readers choose the path through this graphic novel for their knight-in-training. The character has five nights to find the most “bravery bracelets” to win.

Review

POSITIVES: This is a clever idea! It’s like a role playing game (RPG) in book mode. Solving puzzles can lead to rewards like weapons or bracelets. There are blank pages at the back of the book to track your character’s progress through the quest.  Readers could compete against themselves or against a friend.

NEGATIVES:

  • It’s disappointing that the author and publisher chose to make all of the characters male. I hope this gets fixed in the sequels. Girls are just as likely to want to try this and may be frustrated that there are no female characters.
  • Many page jumps in my trial run served no purpose except to send me to the opposite end of the book. For example, the first place where I could make a choice sent me to a page that sent me right back to the check in point. Then I went from 4 to 25 to 88 to 7 to find out how things worked in the game/book. THEN I was able to make another choice. That choice took me to three pages that were essentially blank except for the next page number – 299, 311 and 178 – before I had another choice. Usually in a Choose-Your-Own-Adventure story there’s content on each page even if there isn’t a choice to make. And they usually move mostly forward through the book until you hit a dead end. This jumped me all around, back and forth for no purpose.
  • This jumping was especially frustrating because the electronic review copy didn’t have any page links. Every large page jump required a scroll to find just the right image number. In a paper book, that won’t be as frustrating, but I hope any e-books will have page links instead of all the scrolling.

VERDICT: I would try this in physical form and would feel comfortable giving it to a kid. As I said, it’s a really clever idea, which is why I rated it as highly as I did despite the issues in execution. In all the scrolling I saw several sections where I wanted to know more about a different path. I’m curious to talk with kids who use the book to see if they find the pages with only another page number and no other purpose frustrating or not. I’d hold off on getting an electronic version until you know if there are page links or if scrolling is required.

Rating: ♥♥♥♥

REVIEW: Hey Kiddo by Jarrett J. Krosoczka

REVIEW: Hey Kiddo by Jarrett J. Krosoczka

Posted on by Jaymie

[I received an Advanced Reader Copy of this book from the publisher. All opinions are my own.]

Summary

Readers may know Jarrett J. Krosoczka from his previous work. He is the author and illustrator of many picture books as well as the Lunch Lady graphic novel series, the Platypus Police Squad middle grade series (LOVED those), and the second phase of the Jedi Academy books.

Adults may know Krosoczka from his popular TED Talk called “How a Boy Became an Artist.” It’s an inspiring story of his development as an artist and illustrator. And it hints at his childhood experiences. Hey Kiddo, Krosoczka’s new graphic novel memoir, tells more of that story.

Krosoczka was raised by his grandparents due to his mother’s addiction to heroin. His mom was in and out of his life as she was in and out of treatment and jail. Jarrett didn’t meet his father until high school. The details of his home situation impacted him as he grew up and as he developed as an artist. Hey Kiddo shares some of the significant moments of that journey.

Review

This graphic novel memoir for teens is moving and inspiring. I loved it. It’s definitely for a mature audience – teens and older. There’s some language and a few dark moments in his story. He doesn’t shy away from the emotions of his journey – the anger and despair when his mom didn’t show up for important things, his discomfort with anyone finding out she was in jail, etc. Kids who have experienced similar things will feel seen and understood – maybe for the first time – by reading this. Readers who have not walked a similar path have an opportunity to gain insight and empathy for others. And any reader can be inspired by Jarrett’s journey to his creative career.

There are several pages of notes in the back that were even more moving than the book itself. One note shares the rest of the story about Jarrett and his family. Another note focuses on the art included in the book. I love that the book has scans of Jarrett’s actual childhood pictures and letters exchanged with his mom.

This is an excellent, engaging and thought-provoking story. If you love Krosoczka’s work or if you love memoirs or graphic novels, don’t miss this one!

Rating: ♥♥♥♥

REVIEW: Gordon: Bark to the Future by Ashley Spires

REVIEW: Gordon: Bark to the Future by Ashley Spires

Posted on by Jaymie

Summary

The adventure that started with Binky the Space Cat and FURST (Felines of the Universe Ready for Space Travel) takes a trip to the past.

Gordon the dog, part of PURST (Pets of the Universe Ready for Space Travel) finds himself alone when the aliens (insects) invade his “space station” (home). Binky has been captured, and their humans have been swarmed.

How can Gordon hope to defeat the aliens on his own? He’s not good with combat. His skills fall more on the science side. Their only hope is an untested time machine. Gordon only needs to go back five days to save his family. But one of the crafty aliens changes the setting to 5 YEARS.

One simple choice in the past threatens to undo everything Gordon holds dear. What will become of Gordon and his family now?

Review

I have been a fan of this series since the first book. A house cat who thinks he’s an astronaut, fighting insect “aliens”? Yes, please. When I was teaching, we had the whole series in the library, and they were often checked out for the majority of the school year. My teenager still keeps up with the new books in the series because he has been a fan since the begining.

This was a fun addition to the series with some great dramatic tension. The time travel piece was terrific. And the author does a great job on the details so even new readers can follow the story if they haven’t read the earlier books.

I recommend the whole series. Spires is one of my favorite illustrators. This is a graphic novel series that will appeal to animal lovers as well as kids who like some action and humor in their books. Gordon is a great main character (although Binky is still my favorite).

Thanks to Netgalley and Kids Can Press for the opportunity to read an electronic review copy of this book in exchange for an honest review!

Rating: ♥♥♥♥

REVIEW: Nick the Sidekick by Dave Whamond

REVIEW: Nick the Sidekick by Dave Whamond

Posted on by Jaymie

Summary

Nick’s super-amazing hearing – and extra large ears – aren’t always an advantage. Sure, he can hear a kid trapped in a backpack by bullies and hear the teacher planning a pop quiz. But he also gets hassled for his crazy-big ears.

When Super Fantastic Guy recruits him as a “superhero assistant,” though, Nick is ready to use his powers for good!

Unfortunately, being a side kick is just as annoying and clichéd as Nick was afraid of. And Super Fantastic Guy likes to always take all the credit! Maybe Nick should give up his dream of ever being a real superhero.

Review

This is a fun graphic novel that will feel familiar to any superhero fan. Nick is absolutely right about all of the superhero tropes and clichés, but he also calls them out when he sees them.

This was a great introduction to Nick, Super Fantastic Guy, and Nick’s best friend, Tess. Lots of potential for future stories – criminals to foil, skills to learn (like flying), and ways for Super Fantastic Guy and Nick to find balance in their relationship.

My students would have loved this graphic novel when I was teaching. This will be popular with elementary-aged readers.

Thanks to Netgalley and Kids Can Press for the opportunity to read an electronic review copy in exchange for an honest review.

Rating: ♥♥♥½

REVIEW: Unicorn of Many Hats by Dana Simpson

REVIEW: Unicorn of Many Hats by Dana Simpson

Posted on by Jaymie

Summary

Phoebe and her unicorn best friend, Marigold Heavenly Nostrils, are back in a new comic collection. In this volume the friends

  • talk about books
  • learn about fandom
  • explore Phoebe’s favorite show, Confetti Canyon
  • see what a unicorn is like as a babysitter
  • experience friendship and family
  • visit Marigold’s home
  • meet Phoebe’s new teacher
  • celebrate Thanksgiving and Christmas
  • and Marigold tries video games

Review

This is my favorite comic/graphic novel series for kids. The pair’s friendship has grown so nicely over the series. Marigold maintains her unicorn vanity but she isn’t off-putting or catty. (That’s Dakota’s role.) Phoebe’s family and human friends bring some diversity to the stories and the humor, so every strip isn’t about sparkles or Marigold’s beauty.

I can’t recommend this series – and this particular book – highly enough. If you are looking for a FUN reading experience for yourself or for a kid in your life, check out the Phoebe and her Unicorn series. I have enjoyed reading these books in order so I can see how the relationships change over time, but I don’t know that it is essential. This is book 7 in the series. Books 1, 2 and 7 have been my favorites so far.

Many, many thanks to Netgalley and Andrews McMeel Publishing for an electronic review copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Rating: ♥♥♥♥½

REVIEW: DC Superhero Girls: Date with Disaster! by Shea Fontana

REVIEW: DC Superhero Girls: Date with Disaster! by Shea Fontana

Posted on by Jaymie

Summary

Romance is in the air as the Super Hero High kids plan a dance and Batgirl sees her dad, Commissioner Gordon, on a date. Even Principal Waller has a boyfriend. Batgirl signs her dad up for a dating service because she doesn’t like the person he’s dating. But her plans to find true love for her dad backfire.

While the plans for the dance start coming together, and the kids start matchmaking for one another, there’s an explosion at STAR Labs. Dr Faulkner is hurt, and the mayor is trying to hide something. The kids will have to wait to put on their dancing shoes until they sort out what is really going on at STAR Labs.

Review

This was a fun story that really held together well.  There was a nice level of tension from chapter to chapter leading up to the end. The STAR Labs piece was especially well done. The matchmaking was more of a means to an end. It got people into places where they need to be for other parts of the story to take place.

Poison Ivy and Lois Lane had expanded roles in this story which was a lot of fun. The rest of the girls worked various angles on the mystery. The guys – Flash and Cyborg in particular – were more involved in the dance portions of the story.

This will be great for fans of the other graphic novels in this series as well as fans of the Lisa Yee middle grade novels and other DC properties. This is my favorite book so far in this graphic novel series.

Thanks to Netgalley and DC Comics for the opportunity to read an electronic review copy of this book in exchange for an honest review!

Rating: ♥♥♥♥

SATURDAY SMORGASBORD: Must-Have Graphic Novels for Kids

SATURDAY SMORGASBORD: Must-Have Graphic Novels for Kids

Posted on by Jaymie

Recently a teacher friend asked me for my list of “must-have” graphic novels for her classroom (5th and 6th graders). Graphic novels are fun for a lot of kids. While some folks feel like it’s not “real reading,” that is not really true. With graphic novels, students get to practice thinking through the sequencing of a story. Visual learners get a lot of material to work with as they read the pictures as well as the text. Graphic novels can give extra support to kids who are still working on word decoding because the pictures support the text. They can introduce kids to material they might not try otherwise, but they explore because of this format. And for kids who feel like reading is a chore, graphic novels can make reading feel like fun.

Here is the list I gave her for my personal “must have” graphic novels:

Autobiographies

Some of the most popular graphic novels for this age group are autobiographies. Raina Telgemeier is maybe the best known for telling her personal stories in this format. When I was teaching, her books were always checked out from the library from the first day of check outs to the end of the school year. Many kids think of biographies and autobiographies as dry books that someone will have to force them to read. These books challenge that impression. You can read my review of Real Friends here.

Fantasy

I personally read a lot of fantasy, so these graphic novels are ones I read and enjoy. Wings of Fire: The Dragonet Prophecy and The Lightning Thief are both based on novels. The Wings of Fire book series is 10 books long to date, with book 11 releasing this summer. The Rick Riordan mythology books have been around for years. Three of the original Percy Jackson books have been released as graphic novels, too. His entire Egyptian mythology series, The Kane Chronicles, as well as two books in the Heroes of Olympus series have been released in this format as well. HiLo is an original series that I fell in love with when I was teaching. I’ve reviewed the DC Super Hero Girls GN series here on the blog before. I received the Star Wars graphic novels for Christmas (one volume for the original trilogy, another for the prequels, and a stand alone book for The Force Awakens). I love the art style in these and I know my students would have loved these too.

Nonfiction

Some of my students had the idea that nonfiction books were a drag. Thankfully there are a lot of visually appealing nonfiction books being introduced for kids, including these two series of graphic novels. Science Comics covers a variety of topics from dogs to dinosaurs to volcanoes and rockets. Nathan Hale’s Hazardous Tales cover different time periods in history. Readers will find some swearing in these books as the author directly quotes some historical figures. This series has covered Harriet Tubman, Nathan Hale, World War II and other topics.

Miscellaneous

These final recommendations were “maybes” for my friend. The Action Bible is a graphic novel of the Bible which we had in the school library. I thought it was a great way to get reluctant students to check out the Bible for themselves (I taught at a Christian school). Binky the Space Cat is targeted for a younger reader than my friend is teaching. But the stories I think still work for older elementary students. My younger readers zeroed in on Babymouse and the Lunch Lady graphic novels and sometimes missed Binky. I still love this series and think it is great for kids of any age. I have blogged about Phoebe and her Unicorn many times. These are more comic strip books than graphic novels that tell essentially one story from start to finish. The quality and humor make them perfect for the older elementary crowd. Finally, there is a graphic novel for A Wrinkle in Time. I have not read it (yet!), but with the movie releasing later this year, it could be a terrific addition to a classroom (or home) library.

REVIEW: Teen Titans Vol 1: Damian Knows Best by Benjamin Percy

REVIEW: Teen Titans Vol 1: Damian Knows Best by Benjamin Percy

Posted on by Jaymie

Summary

Damian Wayne. Son of Batman. Grandson of Ra’s Al Ghul. Heir to the League of Assassins – until he chose his father’s path instead.

Batman. Absentee father. Damian spends his 13th birthday with his butler. His grandfather sends him a gift that he has been marked for death. Great birthday.

Starfire. Raven. Kid Flash. Beast Boy. All with powers that could make them heroes, but flawed and trapped by their own pasts. Together, as a team, they could be so much more than they have been alone. But trust is hard to come by. And it’s hard to build trust while a team of assassins is trying to kill you.

A ragtag set of heroes will find out if they have any hope of becoming a team.

Review

I really enjoyed this! I’m not much of a DC Comics person, but our family loves the Young Justice series that was on TV several years ago. And I like the idea of the characters on Teen Titans Go, but the stupidity of the show makes me want to beat my head against a wall. But this storyline was smart and enjoyable. I really enjoyed the characterization in this graphic novel. I felt like I had enough information about each character to enjoy the story and not feel like I was “behind” already. I’d like more backstory, but I’m also fascinated by how this group might band together to eventually become a team. And there is plenty of conflict potential still there for future stories.

The art is beautiful. I’m extremely picky about the art styles I enjoy. I’ll give up on a good story if the art doesn’t work for me or becomes a distraction. This art is terrific and really worked for telling this story well. I would definitely read more in this series. Volume 2 should release in March. (Some language)

Rating: ♥♥♥♥

REVIEW: Invisible Emmie by Terri Libenson

REVIEW: Invisible Emmie by Terri Libenson

Posted on by Jaymie

Summary

Emmie is a quiet, introverted 7th grader. She used to talk more, when her older siblings were at home. But since they left for college, Emmie’s gotten more reserved.

She has a best friend, but they don’t see each other much during the school day. So Emmie keeps her head down and focuses on her art. Drawing helps her with her lonely feelings and the knots she gets in her stomach at times.

When a note about her crush becomes public, Emmie wants to withdraw even more. What if he sees it? How can he miss it when it gets texted to everyone?!

Review

This was great. Emmie’s a terrific character. She reminded me of several girls I know – definitely on the quiet side (although the young ladies I know are more confident than Emmie and have bigger social safety nets). These things that Emmie goes through are pretty typical for middle school. I think most kids will be able to identify with the highs and lows of school at this age.

There’s an interesting twist to the story that I enjoyed. I won’t spoil it, but I would love to discuss it with some students and get their take on it.

Put this in the hands of kids who like books like Smile, Sisters, Roller Girl, Sunny Side Up, Real Friends and other books like those. They’ll feel right at home with Emmie!

Rating: ♥♥♥♥