Tag: comics

REVIEW: Stan Lee by Maria Isabel Sanchez Vegara

REVIEW: Stan Lee by Maria Isabel Sanchez Vegara

Posted on by Jaymie

[I received a free electronic review copy of this book from Netgalley and Quarto Publishing Group in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.]

Summary and Review

This is a kid-friendly biography of comics-creator Stan Lee. I adored the colorful artwork in this book! The story is kid-friendly with a focus on reading and storytelling, perseverance, and familiar characters from comics, television, and movies.

While Marvel and the MCU isn’t quite at the height it was several years ago, the staying power of the characters Stan Lee created make his story one that endures whether Marvel is churning out blockbusters multiple times a year or fans are returning to “old” favorites.

This would be great for collections of the Little People Big Dreams series as well as other picture book biography collections – and of course for all Marvel/Stan Lee fans.

Rating: ♥♥♥♥*

*♥♥♥♥ = Great!

REVIEW: Marcus Makes a Movie by Kevin Hart

REVIEW: Marcus Makes a Movie by Kevin Hart

Posted on by Jaymie

[I received a free electronic review copy of this book from Netgalley and Crown Books for Young Readers in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.]

Summary

Marcus had to sign up for an after school activity. He wanted to do art so he could work on his comic every day after school. But the art teacher would have made him do other projects, too. So he agrees to sign up for film making.

But when he gets to the first session, he’s not feeling the leaders or the other kids. He’s hoping to just sit in a corner and work on his superhero comic about Toothpick, his hero. But then one of the leaders suggests Marcus could turn his superhero comic into a movie!

Review

This is a lot of fun! Marcus has big feelings and a big personality, but his heart is usually in the right place. I could hear the author’s voice in my head as I read. And the mentions of “Tevin Bart,” “Taylor Berry,” and some superhero references in the book were hilarious!

This includes solid information about screenplays, writing and revising, taking criticism, etc., but it is well-integrated and never distracts from the story. And Marcus’ voice and personality are consistent (and awesome) all the way through.

This was such a fun story with characters I thoroughly enjoyed. I’d love to read more Marcus adventures! (Grief/loss)

Rating: ♥♥♥♥*

*♥♥♥♥ = Great! Might re-read.

REVIEW: Don't Cosplay with My Heart by Cecil Castellucci

REVIEW: Don’t Cosplay with My Heart by Cecil Castellucci

Posted on by Jaymie

Summary

Edan’s favorite fandom is Team Tomorrow, a comic book property she discovered through an animated show when she was a kid. Her favorite character is Gargantua, who has a complicated backstory. The choices of her superhero team leave Gargantua without a home or a history. So she turns on her team and becomes a villain.

Edan takes her cues from Gargantua as her own life takes an epic hit. Her dad is sequestered while he is under investigation for hinky financial practices. She watches her mother wither under the strain. Her grandmother tries to strong arm both Edan and her mom to engage in life again.

Edan finds the perfect distractions in her new boyfriend and a cosplay club. She learns to develop her own costumes, making due with thrift store finds and her own beginner sewing skills. She’s going to channel Gargantua as much as she can to walk through the challenges she faces. But a Gargantua-approach may not be enough.

Review

This was fantastic! I loved the Team Tomorrow pieces. There were many news-ish interludes between chapters that covered the story of the comic creators as well as different things that happened to the characters over the run of the comic.  When Edan uses the comic to describe her feelings or her choices, it all comes together perfectly.

The relationships in the story are fairly typical for YA books. Edan is keeping a secret from her best friend which will cause issues later. There’s the boyfriend and then the other guy who the reader knows is a better fit. But through the boyfriend piece I thought the author did an excellent job of showing what “gatekeeping” looks like – when fans (often men) question another geek’s fan credentials by asking testing questions to “prove” true fan status. While it was infuriating as I read it, I loved how the author portrayed this behavior and how it left Edan feeling.

There is no tidy ending to this, but things are moving in the right direction for Edan by the end. I loved that things were left a little open. This was thoroughly delightful from start to finish!

Rating: ♥♥♥♥½

REVIEW: Razzle Dazzle Unicorn by Dana Simpson

Posted on by Jaymie

Summary

Phoebe’s best friend is a unicorn named Marigold Heavenly Nostrils. Phoebe is a bit of an outcast at times. She has trouble with a mean girl named Dakota. She thinks her parents are weird. Through it all, Marigold is there to share secrets of magical creatures, extol the sparkly virtues of being a unicorn, and having Phoebe’s back every step of the way.

Graphic Novels for Kids - Phoebe and her Unicorn

Review

I adore this series! If you are looking for a fun graphic novel for kids, check this series out!  I always find some laugh-out-loud moments in each book, and this is no exception. Marigold is a hoot! There are panels that beg to be read out loud, especially when she declares “UNICORN” in a fancy-shmancy font for the answer to anything. Phoebe’s parents are sassy and fun. Great stories in this book with Max, Phoebe’s friend at school, and Sue, a friend at camp. This is a great book/series for fans of Babymouse, Big Nate, Bird & Squirrel, Binky the Space Cat or the Sunday comics.

Rating: ♥♥♥♥

Pictures for the other books in this series are below.

Phoebe and her Unicorn series