How to use this Page

Adventures in Oz (founded on and continuing the famous Oz stories by L. Frank Baum) by Eric Shanower.* Copy provided by publisher IDW Publishing. Graphic novel.

The Plot: Five stories continue the adventures of Dorothy & Co in Oz. And this is Baum's Oz, not Garland's. Fans of the movie may be both disappointed and puzzled; fans of the book will love it.

The Good: A beautiful book; I loved the feel of the pages, the vibrant colors.

I love the adventures, and that it is a continuation of the book Oz. While I love movies, one of the problems with movies of teen and kids books is that often it leaves a "younger" impression in people's minds; Oz is not a "baby" book or a little kid book.

The five stories: The Enchanted Apples of Oz; The Secret Island of Oz; The Ice King of Oz; The Forgotten Forest of Oz; The Blue Witch of Oz.

I have to say, it's been years and years since I read the original Oz books; but in 3rd to 5th grades, I adored them. (note to self: when you have time, reread the books.) So I cannot say for sure if the language is Baum-like. Regardless, here are some of the quotes I enjoyed:

"I don't think it's a good idea to wander around in a castle that just appeared from thin air."

Dorothy: "Are you sure this is safe?"
Cowardly Lion: "My dear, surely you know by now that nothing is completely safe."

*Yes, the same Eric Shanower of Age of Bronze. I know!

Other reviews:

The AmoXcalli review

Note: I read this last year, as part of last year's Cybils stuff. This is an example of the stuff I read, loved, but just didn't get around to reviewing; and now, I can. Yay!

The 9/11 Report: A Graphic Adaptation by Sid Jacobson & Ernie Colon. Based on the final report of the National Commission on Terrorist Attacks Upon the United States. Copy donated by publisher in support of the Cybils 2006.

About:

A graphic adaptation of the 9/11 Report, putting forth the time line of what happened on 9/11, then the results of the commission's investigation of what lead up to 9/11, including how it happened, why, failures, and recommendations.

The Good:

Hats off to the person who decided that the final report could be adapted into a GN format. When I heard about it, I thought it was crazy; then I read it, and realized it was a perfect match.
This turns a dense and complicated report into something much more accessible. I hesitate to say it's easy to read, because how can anything related to 9/11 be "easy"? But it is easy to follow, and to connect the pieces.

Why it works: sometimes, a picture is more effective than words on a page. This is one of those times. Also, often I understand something better from seeing an illustration, instead of having something described. This is one of those times.

Links:
Slate interview with the illustrators
AmoXcalli review

King Arthur: Excalibur Unsheathed: An English Legend by Jeff Limke and Thomas Yeates. Copy supplied by publisher, Graphic Universe, in support of last year's Cybils.

The Plot:

King Arthur; the focus is the younger years, and the take is grounding it in English history.

The Good:

It seems like most of the Arthur (re)tellings I've read recently jump to the end, with the focus on old(er) Arthur, Lancelot, Guinevere, Mordred. So it's nice to see one that focuses on the early years and Arthur building his kingdom and his power base; to learn of his early adventures and victories and Arthur becoming king, in name, and in power. Kingship starts with the sword and the stone but is made real with battles, kidnappings and quests.

It's always a little sad to read early Arthur, knowing the darkness which will come.

Age: good for younger readers. As with any tale originally told for adults, as well as a tale that has so many variations, the author doing the retelling has to decide what to include and what to exclude. Here, the details of Arthur's birth are omitted.

Included are websites and books for further reading, including The World of King Arthur by Kevin Crossley Holland; kingarthursknight.com/; and information on La Morte D'Arthur. The art is based on both historical and traditional sources.

Links:

The Comic Wire interview with Jeff Limke

Teens Read Too review

Kat and Mouse Vol 1: Teacher Torture. Storyby Alex de Campi; Art by Federica Manfredi. Copy supplied by publisher, Tokyo Pop, in support of Cybils. Cybils finalist.

The Plot:

Kat is the new kid at school and the teacher's daughter. Mouse is the "cool nerd" whose special power is "shield of apathy." (Hey, that's MY super power! No fair!) Together, they navigate 7th grade. And solve crimes.

The Good:

I like a good school story. And I also like that it's a solid detective story (someone is blackmailing Kat's father to make him give good grades.) Kat & Mouse's friendship is real, and their actions believable.

Kat's nice; she doesn't like being picked on and bullied (who does?), but she isn't yearning to be friends with the cool, popular crowd.

True confession: I'm the type of person who even in school liked having a small group of good friends, got along with most people, and had no interest in being "popular." Couldn't understand it then, and so have a hard time now with books where that (being popular!) drives the character. I much prefer a book like this which is about having friends, having fun, but not sacrificing self.

Age: this is perfect for younger readers. I can see the Babymouse readers liking these a few years down the road. A must-get for school libraries and libraries adding graphic novels to their children's collection.

Links:

Chicken Spaghetti: Manga! A Guest Column by TangognaT (includes reviews)
The Edge of the Forest review
The Shady Glade review.
A Year of Reading review.

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.

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

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)