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There are three major awards that focus on independent publishers: the Benjamin Frankin awards, the ForeWord Magazine Book of the Year awards, and the Independent Publisher Book Awards, better known as the IPPY awards. In February, the finalists for the 2007 ForeWord Magazine Book of the Year awards were announced. Now, the 2007 Benjamin Franklin awards finalists have been announced. The finalists in the children's literature related categories are:

Audiobook - Children's
Fablehaven, Shadow Mountain
The Looking Glass Wars, Scholastic Audio
There Was a Cold Lady Who Swallowed Some Snow, Scholastic Audio

Children's Picture Book
A Frog Thing, Kidwick Books LLC
Love, Ruby Valentine, Lerner Publishing Group
PEEF and the Baby Sister, Tristan Publishing / Waldman House Press

Children's Book & Audiobook
A Frog Thing, Kidwick Books LLC
Riley the Rhinoceros, Animalations Books and Publishing
Take Me Out to the Ballgame, Soundprints, Division of Trudy Corporation

Graphic Novels
Hercules, Lerner Publishing Group
The Life of Pope John Paul II... In Comics, Papercutz
Treasure Island, Stone Arch Books

Juvenile-Young Adult Fiction
Leapholes, American Bar Association
Over a Thousand Hills I Walk With You, Lerner Publishing Group
The Strand Prophecy, Missile Rider Publishing

Juvenile-Young Adult Nonfiction
The Soldier's Friend: A Life of Ernie Pyle, Indiana Historical Society Press
Tales of the Cryptids: Mysterious Creatures That May or May Not Exist, Darby Creek Publishing
Young Person's Career Skills Handbook, JIST Publishing, Inc.

Cover Design-3 or More Color (Children's/Young Adult)
Erec Rex: The Dragon's Eye, Firelight Press
Gitchi Gumee, Mackinac Island Press, Inc.
Teddy's Travels — America's National Parks, TdB Press LLC

Interior Design-3 or More Color - Children's/Young Adult
The Art and Making of Monster House, Insight Editions
The Good in Me From A To Z By Dottie, Discover Writing Press
How the Moon Regained Her Shape, Sylvan Dell Publishing

The Bill Fisher Award for Best First Book (Children's/Young Adult)
Dr. Susan's Girls-Only Weight Loss Guide, Parent Positive Press
Erec Rex: The Dragon's Eye,
Firelight Press
The Strand Prophecy, Missile Rider Publishing

Best New Voice (Children's/Young Adult)
Adventures of the Battling Kids, WaterWood Publishing Group
Erec Rex: The Dragon's Eye, Firelight Press
Fablehaven, Shadow Mountain

View all the winners here

I'm impressed. The lag time between the explosion of graphic novels and ideas for what else to do with them in the classroom besides let kids read them has been fairly short.

The NCTE Inbox Blog has information about a new NCTE professional book, Building Literacy Connections with Graphic Novels: Page by Page, Panel by Panel, ed. James Bucky Carter. Unfortunately for elementary teachers, this book is for teachers in grades 7-12.

However, the ReadWriteThink lesson "The Comic Book Show and Tell" looks as if it could be adapted for younger readers and writers. Especially nice is the Comic Vocabulary Interactive, which gives definitions and visual examples of text, layout and design, and angles. I'd like to gather multiple copies of BabyMouse books from the library (once again, what would I do without the public library?!?!) and try to adapt this lesson for my graphic novel-obsessed 5th graders.

"Graphic novels and comic books provide rich opportunities to explore multimodal literacy. They’re anything but simple. The sophisticated relationships among images and words and layout encourage deep thinking and critical analysis. If we can help students “get” graphic novels, we will simultaneously teach them the literacy strategies they need for navigating many of the other multimodal texts they encounter in their daily lives." Traci Gardner, NCTE Inbox Blog

Samurai: Heaven and Earth, Volume 2, Chapter 2: Land and Sea
Writer: Ron Marz
Artist: Luke Ross
Colorist: Rob Schwager
Publisher: Dark Horse Comics

Once again Ron Marz and Luke Ross have created a believable and stunning adventure.

In Land and Sea, the samurai Shiro along with the Arab he has forced into helping him hunt for Don Miguel Ratera and Yoshiko who have boarded a ship bound for Vera Cruz. The two leave Barcelona and board a ship headed for the Americas.

Once they are on board and halfway across the ocean, Shiro finds that the ship Yoshiko was on was captured and the people on it taken to Egypt to be sold. Frustrated at being stuck on a ship with no way out or to Yoshiko, he battles the crew and jumps ship taking the Arab along with him.

Meanwhile Yoshiko is sold to a pasha and taken away to a harem where she will live out her days. Don Miguel is also sold to the same pasha. Will he find a way to the harem?

It’s a marvelous adventure on the high seas and across the blistering desert sands. The art is amazing, especially the scenes on the ocean. I don’t know how they make the sea look so real but it’s fantastic. You get the feel of a stormy sea, big waves and movement. It’s incredible.

In case you haven't heard, graphic novels are somewhat popular.

This past weekend, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles was the top grossing movie at the box office. 300, another movie based on a "comic book" has held that spot for some previous weeks. My recent sojourn at the local high school saw a steady and heavy circulation of graphic novels. A few years ago when I started adding them to my elementary library, the selection was more limited but publishers are finally understanding the demand and bringing elementary school friendly talent to the market.



Babymouse by Jennifer L. Holm and Matt Holm - Sublime, divine! Brilliant writing, visual humor and it is PINK! If you do not have this series in your collection add it now. The books are available in library bindings. This series has achieved "classic" status and is a "gotta have it."

Babymouse website

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Mail Order Ninja by Joshua Elder, vol. 1-2, 2006
This elementary-friendly series has humor and the manga look which kids love.

Timothy James McAllister is the victim of school bullies. Felicity Dominique Huffington, the Versacci/Armaani clad rich girl at L. Frank Baum Elementary rules the social order until Timothy wins "exclusive exploitation rights" to legendary ninja Yoshida Jiro for one year. Now protected from school thugs and popular because of his ninja body guard, Timothy wins the election for student body president. Volume 1 ends with Felicity vowing revenge and acquiring the services of a ninja of her own, Jiro's deadly enemy, Hakuryuu Nobunaga.

In volume 2, Felicity takes over the school and the town when Nobunaga defeats and captures Jiro. Promoting herself to Queen, Felicity is a typical evil overlord who controls the adults through Mind Controlling Nutrient Paste breakfast cereal. Unlike the previous book, where Timmy's success is totally due to his ninja protector, this time the kids and citizens of Cherry Creek have to save themselves.

The storyline and Erich Owen's artwork should make this a hit with kids. The story is well drawn and Owen's design showcases the action. Jiro and Nobunaga's back story is revealed through flashbacks and a "newpaper article" included at the end of Book 1. I think graphic novels support readers who do not see the "movie" in their imagination as they read. These books do that wonderfully.

Elder's sense of humor will resonate with all ages. I like his use of music and alternative lyrics: "Everybody loves Ninja Fighting" (to the tune "Kung Fu Fighting") and Jiro's turn as John Travolta in "Ninja Guy" (to the tune of Stayin' Alive) at the school dance.

There are literary devices aplenty, (in case your library must justify a graphic novel collection.) Onomatopoeia clangs, whams, ka-chings and booms. Literary and visual allusions abound. Street signs at one intersection read "Orwell" and "Huxley" while banners with Queen Felicity's picture proclaim "Big Sister is Watching You!"

Mail Order Ninja website

Also reviewed at Big A little a

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The Adventures of Commander Zack Proton series by Brian Anderson
The Adventures of Commander Zack Proton and the Red Giant, 2006
The Adventures of Commander Zack Proton and the Warlords of Nibblecheese, 2006

Hand Zack Proton to your Captain Underpants kids, please, your readers need to find these books!

In book 1, Zack Proton finds himself adrift in space when he opens the wrong door while looking for the restroom. Omega Chimp rescues him and they go on to battle the red giant, Big Large. Book 2 begins when the pair respond to a Class two-B distress signal which means a school bus of second graders is in danger. They rescue a group of captured teachers, defeat some warlording mice and get a parking ticket for leaving their spaceship in a no-floating zone.

Anderson's writing is fast paced and full of humor. Effie(FE-203), the malfunctioning droid sings "Daisy, Daisy, give me your answer true" and Zack remembers an incident at the Klaatu Memorial Test Facility. Mouse warriors are led by General Algernon who bears a striking resemblance to The Brain and threatens to "cut off their tails with a carving knife"

I really like Doug Holgate's book design as it moves the reader between traditional text and comic book format. The story is also interspersed with helpful tips for young space heroes, a quiz "Is that really your teacher? Don't Be Too Sure" and a maze, shades of Highlights magazine. Along with the allusions and onomatopoeia, there are alliterations and metaphors ("You are space toast!")

This is entirely light hearted and entertaining reading. To become better readers, kids need to practice reading and Zack Proton will keep the text flowing under their eyes.

Commander Zack Proton website

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City of Light, City of Dark by, Avi, illustrated by Brian Floca 1993

I read this book several years ago but was unable to purchase it for my collection because it was out of print. I see Scholastic has now reprinted the title.

Avi and Floca were ahead of their time when they created this story as a graphic novel in 1993. Carlos and Sarah and a magic subway token have until winter solistice to save NY City from a deep freeze. Much of the dialog is English and Spanish.

I have some more elementary titles to review but I think I will post these quickly in case I have another "blogger" moment.

Vampire Hunter D
Author: Hideyuki Kikuchi
Illustrator: Yoshitaka Amano
Publisher: DH Press/Digital Manga Publishing
ISBN 10: 1-59582-012-4
ISBN 13: 978-1-59582-012-9

This Japanese novel was known to anime fans for twenty years as the basis for the popular 1985 anime movie, one of the first American anime releases. Kikuchi became known as the author of a large series of Vampire Hunter D novels and short stories, but none were available in English until DH Press began publishing translations by Kevin Leahy in 2005.

Kikuchi has synthesized the American pulp genres of science-fiction, adventure fantasy, horror, and Westerns. In 12,090 A.D., civilization is slowly rebuilding after millennia of destruction by global atomic war and terrorism by mutated monsters, followed by dominance by vampires who formed a ruling class of immortal Nobility until they became decadent. Human townships are now throwing off the rule of their local vampire lords, often with the help of wandering mercenary Vampire Hunters.

Doris Lang, a young woman near a frontier town trying to run her late father’s farm, is bitten by vampire Count Magnus Lee. Lee is amused by her proud spirit and intends to make her his latest wife instead of a common mindless bloodthirsty vampire. Doris is also threatened by both her own townspeople, who want to kill her before she becomes a vampire, and Count Lee’s haughty daughter Larmica who tries to eliminate her rather than suffer the humiliation of gaining a human stepmother. Doris’ plight is desperate until a lone stranger rides into town on his horse; the mysterious Vampire Hunter known only as “D”.

Kikuchi’s writing style is awkwardly both stilted and florid, possibly in a deliberate emulation of 1930s pulp fiction, or World War I-era French thrillers such as Leroux’s The Phantom of the Opera. Here Count Lee is talking with his daughter after they have temporarily trapped D under their castle:

“Last night, when you returned from the farm and spoke of the stripling we just disposed of, the tone of your voice, the manner of your complaints – even I, your own father, cannot recall ever hearing you so indignant, yet your indignation held a feverish sentiment that was equally new. Could it be you’re smitten with the scoundrel?”

Unanticipated though her father’s words were, Larmica donned a smile that positively defied description. Not only that, she licked her lips as well.

The setting is colorful, though; an original blend of horror stereotypes and decayed futuristic s-f technology. And old-fashioned pulp writers still have many fans. Kikuchi’s style may not be for everyone, but more than just anime fans will enjoy this first Vampire Hunter D novel.

PEACH FUZZ vol. 1
By Lindsay Cibos and Jared Hodges
TokyoPop, 2005
Review copy provided by publisher

After I read this book, I knew I needed a kid-sized perspective on the story. I wanted to make sure that my "adult perspective" filter wasn't interfering with my take on the story line. So I asked Carmen Girl, a responsible pet owner, to read the book and talk to me about it.

First, a mini plot summary: Amanda begs her mom for a pet, her mom caves in, Amanda picks a ferret because it's unusual but she knows nothing about ferrets, Amanda makes a lot of mistakes as a first-time pet owner (first-time and ignorant and with no parental support and guidance...but I digress).

Carmen Girl really liked the way the author portrayed humans from the pet ferret's point of view: as the evil handra, a five-headed monster that attacks the ferret with no warning. Carmen Girl also appreciated the sub-plot to the story -- that you have to teach pets not to bite, and you have to teach them right and wrong.

And then Carmen Girl went straight for the things about this book that concerned me when I read it: Amanda is an irresponsible pet owner. She doesn't know anything about animals. She doesn't realize she has to get in touch with the wild nature of an animal to understand why it bites. She is cruel to Peach Fuzz and doesn't take very good care of her. She needed to learn about ferrets BEFORE she brought one home. And for that matter, why does her mother let her do this? She spoils Amanda and is as unthinking about the pet purchase as Amanda is (they buy the wrong kind of cage). The first pet store clerk is a total ditz, and the vet is completely unprofessional. He admits he doesn't know anything about ferrets. All he does is listen to Peach Fuzz's heartbeat with his stethoscope and then he CHARGES them for saying she's still alive. (This incident occurs after Amanda drops Peach Fuzz from a height.)

By the end of the book, Amanda is starting to "get it." She is using the information she has learned from a helpful pet store clerk to train Peach Fuzz not to bite. They are starting to form a connection.

My question to Carmen Girl -- Is this reform too little too late? Is there too much irresponsible pet ownership in this book to make it worthwhile? Carmen Girl thought it was PROBABLY okay. We both agreed we'd like to read the next book in the series to see if Amanda keeps making better pet owner choices. And when I asked Carmen Girl if I should put this book in the classroom library, she cited A DOG'S LIFE by Ann Martin as an example of a similar book that doesn't show humans in their best light and that gives the pet's point of view.

Final verdict: I'll add it to my collection, but I'll try to make sure I talk to the kids who read it to verify they're getting the message about responsible pet ownership that comes late in the book.

Links: TokyoPop's official site for PEACH FUZZ
The authors' PEACH FUZZ website

The winner of the 2007 Michael L. Printz Award (which honours excellence in Young Adult fiction) is Gene Luen Yang's graphic novel American Born Chinese.

From the ALA website:

Yang draws from American pop culture and ancient Chinese mythology in his groundbreaking work. Expertly told in words and pictures, Yang’s story in three parts follows a Chinese American teenager’s struggle to define himself against racial stereotypes. “American Born Chinese” is the first graphic novel to be recognized by the Michael L. Printz Committee.

Yang, who began drawing comics in the fifth grade, is a high school teacher in the San Francisco Bay area. The annual award for literary excellence is administered by the Young Adult Library Services Association (YALSA), a division of ALA, and is sponsored by Booklist magazine. The award, first given in 2000, is named for the late Michael L. Printz, a Topeka, Kans., school librarian known for discovering and promoting quality books for young adults.

I did not have a chance to review all of the Babymouse titles by Jennifer L. Holm & Matthew Holm. I believe my library had the first one checked out. But I did read the subsequent four in the series:

Holm, Jennifer L & Matthew. 2005. Babymouse: Our Hero.
Holm, Jennifer L. & Matthew. 2006. Babymouse: Beach Babe.
Holm, Jennifer L. & Matthew. 2006. Babymouse: Rock Star.
Holm, Jennifer L. & Matthew. 2006 (2007). Babymouse: Heartbreaker.

Babymouse is a cute, imaginative heroine in the graphic novel series which began with Babymouse: Queen of the World. Even though I missed the first book, I've picked up on this mouse's nature: she has some fears; she has some dislikes; she is always imaginative; she is always opinationated. Some things she hates: lockers, dodge ball, and her nemesis Felicia Furrypaws. In OUR HERO, Babymouse must learn to conquer her fear of gym class--more specifically dodge ball--luckily she has the help of her best friend, Wilson. In BEACH BABE, Babymouse faces the last day of school and the dreaded task of cleaning out her locker. (BTW, I know how she feels.) I suppose the realfocus of Beach Babe is on her vacation at the beach with her family where she has to learn to get along (and play with) her little brother, Squeak. In ROCK STAR, Babymouse faces the challenge of a band concert. Last year she was last chair (or perhaps next to last chair). She doesn't want to be the squeakiest flute player. Can practice really make her better? In HEARTBREAKER, Babymouse faces the sentimental holiday of Valentine's Day. Will she get asked to the dance? Will anyone want to be her Valentine? Does anyone like her like her?

http://www.randomhouse.com/kids/babymouse/
http://www.randomhouse.com/kids/babymouse/homepage.htm
Interview with Matthew Holm

Jackie and the Shadow Snatcher by Larry DiFiori. Copy supplied by Knopf Books for Young Readers.

The Plot: Jackie is the type of kid who would lose his head if it wasn't attached. So it' s no surprise when he loses his shadow. But it turns out it's not only lost; it's been taken by the Shadow Snatcher, who takes shadows, sews them together, and uses them to hide his criminal activity. Can Jackie get his shadow back?

The Good: Adventure and mystery and a little bit spooky.

Jackie's clothes place him in the 1920s or 1930s; and this has the look and feel of a movie from back then. There's even a spooky old house, boats, and a chase scene.

I like that Jackie is a regular kid; he loses things, he messes up, he tries to fix things.

The humor is also good; once Jackie learns that his shadow has been snatched, he wonders, "Shadow Snatcher! Why don't they tell us about this sort of stuff in school?" Why not, indeed.

The graphic novels I'd been reading recently for the under 12 crowd have been targeted at girls; Jackie has boy appeal. (Tho let me say Babymouse also has boy appeal -- my godson, who is Mr Rough and Tumble and loves sports, also loves Babymouse. Yeah, we shouldn't label books, but we do.) It'll be nice to be able to give this to the younger crowd who come in looking for graphic novels.

Links:
A Fuse #8 Production review.
Big A little a review.

Queen Bee by Chynna Clugston. Graphix, Imprint of Scholastic. Library copy. Graphic Novel.

The Plot: Haley is the new girl in 7th grade. She's glad she's in a new school; it's a chance to start over and be popular! The only problem . . . she's got this little thing called psychokinesis. Which can cause a wee bit of trouble.

The Good: It's classic middle school story line. Girl wants to be popular so doesn't hang out with the friendly girl. Popular group has a Queen Bee. There's a nice shy boy; but he's not cool enough.

The new twists: it's in graphic novel format. Haley manages to rise to the top of the social structure... but it's tricky staying on top. When new girl Alexa shows up, she not only becomes the new Queen Bee; Haley finds herself struggling to keep any of her popularity. It's not easy, because Alexa doesn't fight fair. Middle School politics are front and center, with a healthy dose of manipulation. All assisted by psychokinesis. Haley can move things with her mind! (But she has some control issues.)

The wrap up is interesting: a little American Idol, a little High School Musical, as the school's drama show determines who will be the Queen Bee. For this volume, at least.

Links:
Author's LiveJournal.
Review by TangognaT at Chicken Spaghetti.
The Goddess of YA Literature - GNs for gurlz

So many of my kidlitosphere friends point me towards books I love.

Fuse#8 found a copy of Mouse Guard at Comic.con. She talks about them here. I r-e-a-l-l-y want to see these graphic novels!

Mouse Guard website

Manga Claus: The Blade of Kringle by Nathaniel Marunas; art by Erik Craddock. Copy from publisher (Razorbill/Penguin Young Readers.) Graphic Novel.

The Plot: An elf's plot to get a change in job responsibilities goes horribly wrong, resulting in an attack of evil demon possessed teddy bears who try to take down the North Pole. Only one man can stop them: Manga Claus.

The Good: "Honor. Loyalty. Tinsel."

And even better: the evil demon possessed teddy bears are evil demon possessed NINJA teddy bears. I know!

This book begins with Santa in Japan, receiving a gift of a couple of sword. The backstory is hinted at: our Santa gets around, including hanging out with the samurai in Japan. He looks like the Santa we all know. Meaning in red jacket with the appearance of plumpness. Then it's the present, and that darn Elf stirs up trouble. See, he thinks that if he brings a Ninja Nutcracker to life and then comes in to save the day, Santa will love him best. (Hey, it's the worst movie ever, but Fritz should have watched Endless Love to realize that this never ends well.) When Fritz does this, he gives the time honored Bwa hah hah of evil. Followed by a coughing fit.

And that's the humor, folks. I, for one, adored it; and loved this tongue in cheek semi realistic behind the scenes look at Santa's workshop ("Tomorrow we build those dolls that pee -- always a messy business...")

Cheetah, age six, asked upon seeing the cover, "is this a book where Santa is evil?" Nope, I answered. Tho I agree with her that he looks evil. No, Cheetah, it's not evil Santa; but rather, once Santa gets his swords and prepares to fight, he becomes buff hot bod Manga Santa who is ready to take those demon possessed Ninja teddy bears down.

It's like a horror movie; except Santa is the action hero. I just wish I had read this & posted it timely. Like, not in February.

The Links: Sandbox:Interview With Nathaniel Marunas and Erik Craddock
A Year of Reading review.
Manga Santa's MySpace (with hysterical song)
Writing and Ruminating review.

I just discovered the blog AmoxCalli through one of its contributors,Gina MarySol Ruiz. (A member of the Cybil's nominating panel for graphic novels, by the way.) Sol has posted a review of Beowulf, a graphic novel by Gareth Hinds. You can check out the book's publishing history at The Comic.Com.

I was interested in a graphic novel adaptation of Beowulf not because I'm a major fan of the story but because I keep going back to it. I read it in college (Classic and Folk Epic class) and later read Grendel by John Gardner. (Hmmm. Do I still have that somewhere?) Like Sol, I also read Seamus Heaney's Beowulf. I found that version quite readable and, for what it's worth, a relative who might have been around middle school age at the time read it, too.

I don't know what it means when you're drawn to something you can't actually claim to love or to be terribly knowledgable about. Well, for one thing, it means I'm going to notice a graphic novel version. But beyond that I'm at a bit of a loss.

American Born Chinese by Gene Luen Yang. Copy from publisher, First Second; Cybils winner.

The Plot: Three stories are being told: of the Monkey King, who strives to be something he is not; and is then mocked and excluded and humiliated for being who he is. Of Jin Wang, from San Francisco, who is always introduced as being "from China", with his name mangled, despite being born in America. He wants to fit in. Then there is Danny and his cousin, with his cousin the embodiment of every negative stereotype in the world, from how he pronounces his words to his clothes to what he does.

The Good: As the chapters alternate stories, from myth (Monkey King) to realistic (Jin Wang) to bizarre (Danny is obviously Caucasian and his cousin is every negative Asian Stereotype personified) the reader wonders, how does this all fit together? Once the pieces of the puzzle click together, it's very satisfying and the reader wants to go back and start over, to pick up what was missed and to see how the stories overlap.

American Born Chinese is about the Chinese American experience; about growing up when people think because of your appearance you cannot be "American". But it is also about conflicts between immigrants and first generation children, about discovering your self, about teenagers and high school politics, about perceptions of yourself and others. For those teachers who match up modern day YA books with classics, I would match this up with any book that is about the first generation experience in America.

American Born Chinese won this year's Printz Award, as well as the Cybils for Graphic Novels (age 13 plus.)

Links:
the infamous rant against Graphic Novels and the National Book Award.
Gene Yang responds.
Outside of a Cat review.
The Brookshelf review.
Librarina review.
Reading YA: Readers' Rants review.
The Rock & Roll Librarian review.

Confession: I went looking for links and between the Printz and Cybils, I was overwhelmed by the number of blogs mentioning this title. So if I left out your review, let me know in the links, and I'll fix that right quick.

Deogratias: A Tale Of Rwanda by J.P. Stassen. Copy donated by publisher, First Second; Cybils long list. Graphic Novel.

One of my Best Books of 2006.

The Plot: A historical note at the front explains that Deogratias is set in late 1994, early 1995, in Rwanda, and gives background about the Hutu majority and Tutsi minority of Rwanda. This is a work of fiction; it is the story of Deogratias, a teenage boy who is a Hutu; and two teenage sisters who are Tutsi, Apollinaria and Benina. It begins after the Rwandan Genocide (800,00 to 1,000,000 dead); and has characters from all sides, the Hutus, the Tutsis, the observers, those who acted and those who did not.

The Good: A must read. Stassen accomplishes much with few pages (less than 80!) and few words. He tells of life before and after the Genocide; he includes the various factions and entities present, from the UN peacekeeping force to the Rwandan Patriotic Front to the Interahamwe. The brevity helps; too many words would drown this story. The simplicity emphasizes the horror.

Deogratias is told in flashbacks; at first it is a bit confusing (what is happening when?) but it quickly becomes apparent that Deogratias's appearance lets the reader know whether the setting is the present (1995), with Deogratias dressed in rags, or the past (1994), with his clothes fresh and clean and whole. And, of course, the change in his dress is not just because time has passed; the battered outward appearance reflects Deogratias's emotional and psychological damage.*

There is a mounting sense of dread in this book; Deogratias is alive, obviously affected by the events that unfolded, but just how badly he has been injured is not known until the last pages. How did he get to where he is? And why is he so shattered, when he was not part of the ethnic group that was targeted for extermination? And what happened to those two sisters? With each page, there are glimpses of just how bad it will get, and little bits of hope to hang onto.

What happens to a person who lives thru such horror? What is moral? And of course -- what would you do?

This is an incredible chilling and powerful story; not only because it is about such a horrific time, but also because Deogratias's personal story is so tragic. What would someone do, at that time, in that place?

You will remember these people and this story for a long time.

*For some reason, lately, when I've been reading graphic novels one of the questions I've asked myself is, "did this have to be told in a GN format?" Why use pictures instead of words? Deogratias is one of those books that would not have worked half so well without the illustrations; something would have been lost if only words had been used.

Links:
The film Hotel Rwanda, based on true events.
Reading YA: Readers Rant review.
Bookslut In Training review, from column Kids At War.
Words, words, words review.
Chasing Ray loved this book, also, and like me wonders, where are the awards for this book?

The Rwandan Genocide happened over a decade ago. What about events going on today?
Here are links about what you can do about Darfur:
Save Darfur;
Darfur: A Genocide We Can Stop;
Human Rights Watch: Darfur;
UNICEF.
Darfur Eyewitness (from the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum).

Just in time for Valentine's Day, I bring you a review of Babymouse: Heartbreaker, the fifth title in Jennifer Holm and Matthew Holm's Babymouse series of graphic novels. Babymouse is an indomitable girl mouse who attends school (apparently early middle school) with a variety of other animals and has an adoring younger brother at home. Babymouse also has a rich fantasy life and a wry sense of humor. She has contentious relationships with the monster in her locker and with the narrator of her stories.

As this installment begins, Valentine's Day is approaching. Babymouse dreams of romance - flowers and candy and cupcakes and "cute heart outfits". When she learns that her school will be having a Valentine's Day dance, she puts all of her optimism and energy into getting a date. The results, sad to say, are less than impressive.

Even in her own fantasies, Babymouse is the kind of girl who falls when running down the steps of the palace at midnight and, bruised and battered, mutters "Typical". She kisses a frog, and he turns into ... a snake. She tries to become more feminine, with make-up and freshly curled whiskers, and she looks ridiculous. Even her own "mirror mirror on the wall" laughs at her.

Babymouse has to watch all of the other girls get dates, while there is, apparently, no one for her. But the thing about Babymouse, the thing that makes her stories so worth buying for all of the 7 to 10 year old girls in your life, is that she never quits. And in the end, she triumphs.

As in the other books, the illustrations (all pink and white and black) are hilarious. My favorite from this one is after Babymouse has her makeover. There's a random picture of space creatures, in a spaceship, watching video from earth. And one of them is lying on his back, feet high in the air. The caption is "I don't know, Commander - he was looking at something on Earth and he just fell over." And you see a tiny picture of Babymouse, on the viewscreen, looking dejected. It's priceless! There's also an amusing riff on the movie Dirty Dancing (I'll bet if you think about it for a minute, you can guess).

Underneath the over-the-top graphic novel format, Babymouse: Heartbreaker tackles issues that every girl can relate to. Who hasn't wanted to be invited to a school dance, but not been asked? Who hasn't daydreamed about receiving flowers, cards and chocolates, but gone home empty-handed? But Babymouse doesn't give up, and neither will her readers. This installment of the series is a must-read for Babymouse fans. And if you know any young girls out there who aren't familiar with Babymouse, I ask you to think seriously about introducing her to them. Happy Valentine's Day!

Book: Babymouse: Heartbreaker
Author: Jennifer L. Holm and Matthew Holm
Publisher: Random House
Original Publication Date: December 26, 2006
Pages: 96
Age Range: 7-11
Source of Book: Review copy from the authors. (Full disclosure, they also sent me a stuffed toy Babymouse - you can see a picture if you scroll back a couple of days.)
Other Blog Reviews: A review by A Fuse #8 Production and a mention at Big A little a. Please also note that Babymouse: Beach Babe is a Cybils shortlist title for Graphic Novels, Age 12 and Under. See also my review of Babymouse: Beach Babe

Akiko Pocket Size, volumes 1-5, by Mark Crilley. In the first book, 4th grader Akiko goes to the Planet Smoo and helps King Froptoppit rescue his son, the prince. She is joined in her adventures by Poog, a floating alien, Mr. Beeba, a bookish sort, Spuckler Boach, an Indiana Jones type, and Spuckler's robot, Gax. Although these are done in black and white, Crilley is very creative in his use of panels, points of view, and cliffhangers.

Alison Dare: Little Miss Adventures, volumes 1-2, by J. Torres and J. Bone. Alison Dare's mother is an archaeologist (female Indiana Jones), her father is the masked hero the Blue Scarab, and her uncle is an international super spy. No surprise, then, that even though she goes to a Catholic boarding school, she drags her friends Wendy and Dot into all kind of adventures.

Hikaru No Go, by Yumi Hotta. 6th grader Hikaru is possessed by the ghost of an ancient Go master. Even though Hikaru has never played Go, he is drawn into the game by Sai, the ghost. She plays through him at first, but it is clear that Hikaru has talents of his own. This book reads right to left in the Native Manga style, which is probably more of a challenge for adults than kids. The reader doesn't need to know how to play Go to enjoy this book, but it seems likely that anyone who gets into the series will wind up giving Go a go.

Bone: Rock Jaw, Master of the Eastern Border, volume 5, by Jeff Smith. This is potentially the hottest book in my classroom right now. A student in my classroom beat me to owning Volume 5. I haven't read it yet. I plan to hold it, and all these other new graphic novels, hostage until some of the other newish GNs come back home to the classroom. It's been weeks since I've seen any of the three volumes of Amelia, or The 12 Labors of Hercules. I love it that graphic novels are popular and responsible for turning some of my students on to reading, but that will all fall apart if every GN that enters my classroom winds up being nicked!

Hercules: The Twelve Labors. A Greek Myth by Paul Storrie, illustrated by Steve Kurth. Copy donated by Graphic Universe, in support of the Cybils. Graphic Novel. Cybils long list.

The Plot: Ancient Greece, Hercules, twelve labors.

The Good: Hercules is one of those people who are "in" the common knowledge, but really, how much do you really know? Seriously, can you name even half of the twelve labors? Without peeking over at Wikipedia, of course. This Graphic Novel is a great introduction for younger readers.

Storrie tells this part of the Hercules saga with lots of action and humor. During one labor, there is the boast that "my club will strike you down!" followed by a "perhaps not" when the club does not in fact slay the beast.

The illustrations are colorful; and since this is a classic retelling, using original sources, Kurth illustrates the book to reflect Ancient Greece, in the architecture and dress.

Also good: a map to help the reader understand Hercules' travels as he performed his twelve labors. I love maps, what can I say! Plus, there are websites for those who want to learn more.

Myths and legends can be a tricky thing for kids; while kids like to read about them, and schools like to teach them, they weren't originally for children. Which means the question arises: how much to include? What to exclude? For example, this version of the Twelve Labors is told without any mention of Hercules killing his wife and children.

Mom's Cancer by Brian Fies. Image, an Imprint of Harry N. Abrams, Inc. Copy supplied by publisher in support of the Cybils. Graphic Novel. Cybils long list.

The Plot: An nonfiction book about the experience of the author and his sisters as their mother battles cancer.

The Good: This was begun as an anonymous web comic; something personal that touched many people with its universal story; what happens to a family when one member is sick. How do the family members deal with it?

This isn't a Hallmark Made for TV version of illness, where by golly we all pull together and are better because of cancer! Cancer sucks. Cancer kills. And stress is hard and difficulty and can bring out the ugly.

Brian and his siblings fill roles that are familiar to anyone who has had a family member suffer thru a long illness: there is Nurse Sis (who knows it all, being the nurse); Kid Sis (the caretaker), and Brian.

Brian's role? Research Guy. "I was a ninety-ninth percentile child. In school, I read entire textbooks and retained it all. I spent months doodling. I majored in physics, worked as a chemist, journalist, and science writer. Sot there was only one thing to do when Mom got ill: read the books . . . find the resources . . . flip on the scary smart switch I was too lazy to use most of the time . . . and cure cancer."

Insight into the burden of the caretaker: "What matters is that Kid Sis lives with everything. Nurse Sis and I can go home to escape. She hears the hacking cough in the night. Listens for the sound of bone shattering on the floor. Sometimes I need to remember that."

Why does this work so well in a graphic novel format? Part of it is that the changes in the mother are more drastic because we see it; words can create a distance, as they describe; especially as they try to describe something to someone who doesn't know. It's a greater impact to see Mom in her hospital chair, hooked up to medicine, than to read about it. It's a greater impact to not realize that Mom has lost weight, lost her hair, until you see the sixth or so panel and then to flip back and notice the small changes, panel by panel.

There is humor here; the father changed from physician to hippy man with ponytail man: "Some note how easy it is to reject materialism when you have your own compound and a sizable inheritance in the bank."

Links: Kid Sis is living in Hollywood and is very, very funny.
Finding Wonderland: The Writing YA Weblog GN Awards, winner "Best True Story"
AmoxCalli review
Reading YA: Readers Rants review

I'll put all the graphic novel and comic info in one neat little posting so that those of you who pooh-pooh such offerings may look for entertainment elsewhere.

My logic runs the following course...

1. Children's books belong in the library
2. Children's graphic novels can be considered "books" when bound properly.
3. There are plenty of classic Superman comics bound in hardcover and found in children's rooms nationwide.

Ipso facto, my dear readers...

4. Superman belongs in the library AND can be considered a children's book.

All the justification is just a lead up to this fabulous post on the Comedy Prop Stylings of Superman. Trust me on this one. It's a gas and it comes from a fellow female. I knew I wasn't alone. Thanks to Dan for the tip.

In other news, it's Peanuts by way of Zits, I guess. The Sandbox offered up a scoop when it revealed the publication of this collection of teen Charles Schultz. Not that Schultz was a teen when he created them. No no, he made them about teenagers. The Sandbox also mentioned recently a 456-page graphic novel called Castle Waiting that has a binding that bears a striking similarity to that found on A Series of Unfortunate Events. I'm not righteously indignant quite yet. Just casually curious.

And finally, Oz and Ends brings us a great piece on a collection of little known old-timey classic comics. Entitled Art Out of Time: Unknown Comics Visionaries, 1900-1969. Mr. Bell offers us this selling point:

Some of these comics bear out the rule that when there is seemingly unquenchable demand (“too many customers”), publishers expand their offerings. This can produce great innovation as well as mediocre and even horrendous work. Thus, in the early 1940s, when publishers couldn't print comics fast enough, there was a market even for Fletcher Hanks's Stardust the Super Wizard. It's crappy on so many levels--storytelling, dialogue, draftsmanship--yet impossible to get out of your mind.

Emma Volume 1 by Kaoru Mori. Copy donated by publisher, CMX, in support of Cybils. Cybils long list.

The Plot: Set in Victorian England. Emma is a maid; she meets a gentleman, William Jones. As the book copy says, "an upstairs gentleman and a downstairs servant share a secret love."

The Good: Ah, romance, as Emma and William exchange glances and William does things like leaves a glove behind to ensure a second meeting.

There is a lot of quiet in this book. Emma says little; she is quiet, shy, almost to the point of being a shadow. Because so much is not said, the illustrations become very important; it's how the reader knows what is going on in Emma's head. They are full of details; reading the dialogue and skimming the pictures means you'll miss parts of the story.

Along with the quiet there is a sense of slowness; a leisurely pace, almost, as the characters navigate the structure of their world. William may like Emma, and she him, but there is no rush. There is hesitancy.

What else? There are hints that there is something more going on, with both Emma's own background as well as that of her employer/mentor, Mrs. Stowner; despite Emma's reticence, or perhaps because of it, she has quite the few men falling for her. Yet at all times she is the proper young maid.

The final test for me: do I want to read more? Do I want to learn more about Emma and to find out whether Emma and William get together despite their class and money differences? Yes, yes, yes!

At this wikipedia entry on the series, I found out that not only has the book inspired such things as an Emma cafe, but also that Mori is very sensitive to the question of historical accuracy, to the point of hiring a historical consultant.

Rating: most manga is rated for the entire series; this one is T+, Teen Plus Suggestive Situations. While I didn't see anything really in this one, I'm assuming that the rating is earned in future volumes.

Links: the TangognaT review
The official website
The Comics Journal review
Publisher website (includes interior art)

Ever since I was a kid, a good comic book would always cheer me up. So imagine my happiness to discover two graphic events taking place right underneath my nose...

Smith Magazine just released the first installment of Josh Neufeld's webcomic, A.D.: New Orleans After the Deluge.

It follows on the heels of Smith's first critically acclaimed comic, Shooting War. Without uttering a single word, A.D. drops us in the middle of a tropical tempest looming over Gulf Coast in 2005. The montage of tranquil, pre-hurricane images are heartbreaking. Go read it...

If you need more, the Reader’s Room at Mo Pitkin’s announced a night of visual art on next Monday, January 15th at 7pm.

"[We] will redefine the term ‘reading’ with the world debut of Heather Greer’s graphic novel, multi-media extravaganza, Splinters Mosaics and Shards…Greer’s work stands at the crossroads between literature, film, photography, the plastic and graphic arts.”

Several weeks ago I joined the Cybils (http://dadtalk.typepad.com/cybils/2006) nominating panel for graphic novels and it was a blast. I learned a lot, read books I normally wouldn’t have and found a new appreciation for the genre. It’s amazing how diverse and rich this form of storytelling is.

I got to know my fellow panelists and found their views fascinating, educational and thoughtful. We differed in opinion on some but, for the most part, agreed on our final list of five for each age range. It was such a pleasure working with them as well as the organizers of the Cybils.

We worked hard as did the other panels. I’m really excited to see what the judges pick as the winner in each category!

I encourage all La Bloga readers to head on over to the Cybils and check out the lists of nominated as well as finalist books. It’s a tremendous resource. I was extremely impressed with each of the books on our final list and there were some that are not on the finalist list that were such strong contenders and definitely worth reading.

Here is our list of finalists from the Cybils website.

Graphic Novels Finalists
Although a manageable 35 titles were nominated in this category, organizers decided to split it by age group to level the playing field for books pitched to little kids. So there are 10 finalists:

Ages 12 and under

Amelia Rules, vol. 3: Superheroes
by Jimmy Gownley
Renaissance Press
This book has a great cast of characters and bright, colorful art that uses the space on each page in creative ways. The issues dealt with by the kids in this book don't shirk from the hard stuff of kids' lives: divorce, moving, bullying, and a friend dying. But these tough issues are presented in very kid-friendly ways.





BabyMouse: Beach Babe
by Jennifer Holm and Matt Holm
Random House




This book is just right for this age group. Babymouse deals with typical problems of childhood. The illustrator uses of color in the art as a visual cue when Babymouse is dreaming.





The Baby-Sitters Club: Kristy's Great Idea
by Ann Martin, Rina Telgemeier
GRAPHIX/Scholastic




There are a variety of personalities in the characters, and the girls work well together, showing initiative and solving problems. The art is a nice blend of American Comics and Manga styles.





Kat and Mouse
by Alex De Campi; pictures by Federica Manfredi
TokyoPop

Two "less cool girls" in a clique-filled private school use their brains to solve a mystery and win out over the evil "cool" kids. A science experiment in the back gives the reader a chance to try the science the girls used to solve the mystery. The art is a good introduction to Manga style art.






To Dance: A Ballerina's Graphic Novel
by Siena Siegel and Mark Siegl
Aladdin / Simon & Schuster

This book is a graphic memoir. The story and the art work exceptionally well together. The book has a great message for anyone who must abandon his/her first passion: you can go back to it, in some form, later in life.







Ages 13 and up




American Born Chinese
by Gene Yang
First Second


The story in this book speaks to the universal experience of any teen who has just wanted to fit in. The blend of the three story strands is masterful.










Castle Waiting
by Linda Medley
Fantagraphics


In this 450+ page fairy tale, the art is very detailed and perfectly matched to the story. The author creates a believable world with unique and believable characters, weaving together well-known fairy tale fragments and allusions in her completely original story.








Dramacon Vol. 2
by Svetlana Chmakova
Tokyo Pop

This book give the reader an insider's view of the world of comic making: what it's like to go to a Con, how a young writer or artist breaks into the industry, even the debate between pure Manga and the new artistic styles that blend Manga and American Comics.








Flight Vol. 3
by Kazu Kibuishi & others
Ballantine

This is a great collection of stories and styles -- artistic styles as well as storytelling styles. Definitely a book to read again and again.












La Perdida
by Jessica Abel
Pantheon

The search for one's identity is rarely an easy thing. The character in this book is naiive, idealistic, and in Mexico without being able to speak fluent Spanish. The story is layered with art, politics, history, culture, and language.




Hasta la proxima,

Gina MarySol Ruiz