Tag: Early Reader Graphic Novel

REVIEW: Wagnificent: The Adventures of Thunder and Sage by Bethanie Murguia

REVIEW: Wagnificent: The Adventures of Thunder and Sage by Bethanie Murguia

Posted on by Jaymie

Summary

Sage is excited about hunting for magical creatures with her dog Thunder. But Thunder is learning about his wolf ancestors, leading to some behavior that Sage doesn’t like. As Sage learns about the connection between dogs and wolves, she starts to understand. And Thunder learns there’s a time and a place to let out the inner wolf.

Review

This graphic novel is charming! I loved the illustrations and the shifts in perspective between Sage and Thunder. The nervous “worry wind” (dog farts) made me laugh every time! There are clever illustrations showing readers about Thunder’s emotions in dog-ish ways. And the wolfish explanations for Thunder’s behavior allow for some empathy and understanding to develop between the characters. This is super sweet! Dog fans and graphic novel fans should not miss this! Book 2 in the Wagnificent sereis, A New Dog in the Den, will be out this summer.

Rating: ♥♥♥♥*

*♥♥♥♥ = Great! Might re-read.

REVIEW: The Unlucky Kid by Bob Holt

REVIEW: The Unlucky Kid by Bob Holt

Posted on by Jaymie

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

Summary and Review

Quin is a normal kid who runs into a bit of bad luck with a flock of hungry seagulls, a rogue wave, a poorly designed plan to remove a loose tooth, and a fishing day.

This is a three-chapter graphic novel with a lot of slapstick antics I think some kids will get a kick out of. As an adult reading this, the three stories felt repetitive. And the “holy (whatever) ” that Quin exclaimed whenever something unlucky happened (9x in the whole book) got old pretty quickly.  That said, I have never been the sort of person who enjoys watching personal disasters like what Quin experiences – I don’t watch those sorts of shows, and I scroll past those sorts of videos online. So I’m not exactly the audience for this. For the right readers, this will be a hoot.

Rating: ♥♥♥*

*♥♥♥ = Solid, fine

REVIEW: Duck and Moose by Kirk Reedstrom

REVIEW: Duck and Moose by Kirk Reedstrom

Posted on by Jaymie

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

Duck Moves In – Summary

A moose looking for some peace and quiet gets a rambunctious new neighbor. So Moose keeps taking Duck to other places he could live. But Duck is determined to stay put – on Moose’s head!

Moose Blasts Off – Summary

Moose is playing astronaut, and Duck wants to play too. But this is something Moose likes to do alone. So he teaches Duck about using his imagination. But what happens when Duck’s imaginings are different from Moose’s?

Review

These early chapter book/graphic novels are a lot of fun! Each book has 3 chapters with full color artwork. I LOVE the illustrations, and the friendship struggles will feel familiar to kids. These would be great books to use for talking about resolving conflict, compromise, making new friends, etc.. And I think kids will crack up at some of the things Duck and Moose get into. Fans of Piggie and Gerald, Ballet Cat and Sparkles, or other best friend/”odd couple” pairings will enjoy Duck and Moose! Book 3, Duck in the Dark, is currently scheduled to release in December.

Rating: ♥♥♥♥*

*♥♥♥♥ = Great! Might re-read.