This week I will be looking at graphic novels. They have a tendency to be pretty controversial for some, most adult readers.

Annable, Graham. Peter & Ernesto:  A Tale of Two Sloths. First edition. New York, NY, First Second, 2018.

The first graphic novel for the week is Peter & Ernesto. This is a graphic novel geared toward those beginning readers. It is almost like a level one graphic novel. The tale is adorable and easy to follow. The illustrations are very effective in capturing the attention of those young readers. They are cute and often silly. The sloth’s large eyes convey emotion in each illustration. 

The pictures tell a story and there are not an overwhelming amount of words. The words are large enough to read and follow. Children will definitely understand the simple plot of adventure and friendship. There is a second installation in the series, so readers can keep the adventure going. 

Brown, Jeffrey. Jedi Academy. Edition statements vary on different printings of this edition. New York, NY, Scholastic Inc, 2013.

The next graphic novel is Star Wars Jedi Academy. This is a great series for comfortable readers. There are definitely far more words than Peter and Ernesto, though there are still ample images. The images are cartoonish and look like they could be made by children. What makes this series interesting is that it plays with the graphic novel format, adding in different lists, homework assignments, etc.

There is far more reading involved in this series than Peter & Ernesto, but the storyline is still accessible for young readers. This series is especially great for those Star Wars fans out there. Jedi Academy is a 4 part series, so interested readers will have several books to read. 

King, Thomas and Natasha Donovan. Borders. First U.S. Trade paperback edition. New York, Little, Brown and Company, 2022

The next graphic novel is definitely more mature than the previous two. Borders is beautifully written and illustrated. The story is not terribly difficult to follow, but I believe this would be better suited for a middle school or above reader. At first glance, the story looks to be about the US/Mexico border, but it is actually about a Native American that neither identifies with the US or Canada. This is a great subject to write a graphic novel about, as we need to have more conversations about this in our society. I enjoyed this one the most of my reading for the week and think it’s a valuable addition to a library collection for a more mature reader.

The use of color throughout the graphic novel also conveys so much information. Here is a somber scene, in monotone. 

Brown, Don. In the Shadow of the Fallen Towers. Etch/Clarion Books. 2021, August 10. 

The final graphic novel gets even more mature. This one  is actually an informational graphic novel and takes readers through the day of and the days following 911. The pictures tell a harrowing tale and are rendered in a chaotic, dark style. There is often smoke and fire depicted throughout the scenes designed to represent the rescuing efforts that took place in the days after 911. It really gets the reader to think about how hot the ashes must have been. The pages seem to smolder.

The storyline  is not difficult to read in skill, but difficult to read in content. I would say this is a young adult book, or YA. I believe the details presented in the writing are for an older audience. 

The graphic novels discussed all offer distinct benefits to readers of all ages. I believe if every adult chose to read a graphic novel in a subject that interested them, the great graphic novel debate would die down. 

This week, I will be looking at beginning and transitional readers. This is a fun genre, helping readers transition to chapter books.

Keller, Laurie. "We are growing!." New York : Hyperion Books for Children, an imprint of Disney Book Group, 2016.

We Are Growing fits nicely into the category of a level one book, as outlined by Horning. It follows the standard rules of font and number of lines. The words are mainly sight words. The illustrations definitely add to the book. It’s almost as though the words compliment the pictures in this case.  This is a very fine step over the line of picture book and chapter book, but in a good way. This is also a great book for read-alouds. It is engaging and fun. This would be a great suggestion for a beginning reader. The pictures are exciting and the word size plays off of that excitement, enticing those transitional readers all the way through. 

Shannon Hale & Dean Hale (text) & illus. by LeUyen Pham, Princess in Black, Candlewick. Princess in Black, Feb. 2022

The Princess in Black fits mostly within the transitional parameters. The typeface is relatively large. The margins are large and there is plenty of white space. There are short, episodic chapters. The sentences are not broken up, but are quite short.  

Some aspects of the book fit into the level three parameters. The pictures mostly appear on every other page, but there are a few small illustrations peppered throughout. 

I would say this is a level three, transitional book. Many of the pages are 3/4th text like a level three book, but there are also several pages that have 15-25 lines like in the transitional guidelines. 

Faruqi, Saadia, and Hatem Aly. Yasmin the Explorer Picture Window Books, a Capstone imprint, 2019.

Yasmin The Explorer is a level two book. The sentences are a bit more complex and contain sight words. There are generally 5-7 words per line and less than 14 lines per page. The pictures take up about half of the space of the book, providing lots of breaks for the reader. What’s really great about this series is that there are questions in the back to prompt readers and even a glossary full of Urdu words. There are also facts and recipes to learn more about Pakistan. I am a big fan of books that introduce young readers to new words, ideas and cultures. This series really checks all of those boxes and is an excellent step up from picture books for beginning readers. 

*Note: This is not the exact Yasmin book on the syllabus, but the series is set up the same. 

Butler, Dori Hillestad. and Kevin R Free. King & Kayla and the Case of Found Fred. Unabridged. [United States], Recorded Books, Inc, 2019.

I would also categorize King & Kaylan and the Case of Found Fred as a level two book. The typeface is a bit smaller than the Yasmin series, but it follows the other guidelines. The illustrations are peppered throughout, leaving about half the page for the story. There are not many lines per page. The average is about 10 lines per page. The amount of illustrations in this book would entice an early reader, especially picture book lovers as there is an illustration on every page. 

*Note: This is not the exact Yasmin book on the syllabus, but the series is set up the same. 

 

 

 Sorell, Traci, and Frané Lessac. We Are Still Here!: Native American Truths Everyone Should Know. Watertown, MA, Charlesbridge, 2021.

 

We Are Still Here! is a sort of overview of Native American history after Europeans arrived.  The book is set up as if students are teaching about different events in Native history. The organization of the book is unique and lends itself well to further exploration in the classroom. There are also many ‘extras’ in this book. There’s a timeline, glossary of terms, a guide to the Cherokee alphabet and sources. The author’s note explains that the author is a dual citizen of the Cherokee Nation and the United States, giving her the proper credentials to be an expert voice on the subject. The use of illustrations support the information and organization of the book and are appealing to students. 

Chin, Jason. Grand Canyon. First edition. New York, New York, Roaring Brook Press, 2017.

Grand Canyon is an interesting information book, as the author is also the illustrator. This book was made with love and gratitude for the Grand Canyon and it shows. The illustrations are unique and layered. Each page is a unique melding of information, both pictorial and written. 

This book is a love letter to the explorer in all of us, whether adult or child. There are cutouts and fold outs and diagrams throughout, which all sounds like it might be too much, but it works. There are brief descriptions of human history and ecology of the canyon. There are cross sections of the canyon, beautifully illustrated. This book is a complete work of art. This would be a great addition to any collection. 

Weatherford, Carole Boston, and Floyd Cooper. Unspeakable: The Tulsa Race Massacre Carolrhoda Books, 2021.

Unspeakable is difficult to read, especially with the state of the world right now. However, it is important, as I would say the vast majority of Americans do not know about the Tulsa Race Massacre and they most certainly should. I believe this is an important book to have in a library collection for that reason, though it is difficult to read. The illustrator does a good job of not making the pictures too graphic, but does allow them to add to the anguish. There are both author and illustrator notes in the back, but I believe there could have been even more extras in this one. I would have liked to see further readings provided, or perhaps more photographs. Overall, an important read, but all readers could benefit from even more information. 

Paeff, Colleen,, and Nancy Carpenter. The Great Stink: How Joseph Bazalgette Solved London's Poop Pollution Problem First edition., Margaret K. McElderry Books, 2021.

The Great Stink is a fun read about a stinky subject: poop. The lighthearted poop jokes throughout make learning about London’s sewer system a delight. The illustrations are  a great addition, as the reader can almost smell the noxious fumes on some of the pages. The ‘extras’ in this book are great, with great tips on preventing modern day water pollution. There is a detailed timeline of the London events, along with a list of further reading and author’s note describing the inspiration behind the book. This could be a really fun kick start to a research project for students. 

This week’s post will explore the unique world of children’s poetry. I will discuss four selections, all of which contain illustrations. 

Nikki Grimes, illustrated by Javaka Steptoe, A Pocketful of Poems, Clarion Books, 2001; ISBN: 978-0-395-93868-3; Paperback, December 2018; ISBN: 978-1328497963

Nikki Grimes explores the art of the Haiku in this collection. Each page is made up of 17 syllables and explores the life of a child in Harlem. Loosely, the poems follow the seasons/holidays of a typical year in childhood. Grimes celebrates the joy of holidays and seasonal changes, all in Haiku. The illustrations in this book are strange. They are mixed media and they don’t make a whole lot of sense to this reader. In this case, I believe they even distract from the poetry. The author’s note in the back explains the Haiku form and structure of the book, but I believe that would be better placed as an introduction. That way the reader is aware of the form from the beginning. This is especially important for the audience, as the book is geared toward children and many may not know what a Haikus is.  I enjoyed exploring these Haikus, but I feel the illustrations could really use an update. 

Selected by Paul B. Janeczko ; illustrated by Melissa Sweet. (2014). Firefly July : a year of very short poems. Somerville, Massachusetts :Candlewick Press,

Firefly July is a collection of seasonal poetry, written by various authors. The title boasts that it is a collection of very short poems, and indeed they are.  Each season has several corresponding poems and images that represent both the words and the seasons. I believe, in this case, the images do add to the overall meaning and quality of the poems. They paint a picture and the imagery is pretty accurately representational. The purpose of this collection seems to be that there don’t need to be many words used to describe things. Few words can tell a great story. I believe a child would like this little collection and have a piqued interest in poetry upon seeing this book. 

This particular page is very spot on in its artistic representation and truly paints a picture of the words. 

Ellis, Sarah. "Raczka, Bob: Wet Cement: A Mix of Concrete Poems." The Horn Book Guide, vol. 27, no. 2, fall 2016, p. 202. Gale Literature Resource Center, link.gale.com/apps/doc/A467261322/LitRC?u=rive58327&sid=bookmark-LitRC&xid=f7528b2e. Accessed 10 Oct. 2023. \

The next selection is a book of concrete poems or shape poems, called Wet Cement: A Mix of Concrete Poems. These short little poems are artistically designed to make different shapes with the words. This is a separate genre of poetry and borders on word art.  For example, there is a poem about a clock in the shape of a clock. The use of shape and line are very unique. The artist here creates words and shapes with words and I feel viewing these illustrations might be a unique experience for many readers.   

The purpose of this book is to have fun with the idea of poetry. I think this is an engaging way to get  children to think about poetry. It might be difficult for an adult to read aloud, so I would say it would be better for independent readers. This type of poetry has the ability to excite children, as it is unique and artistic. I could see this being used to guide a project based on this technique, either in the classroom or for a library program. 

Briceno, Y. (2019). Alma Flor Ada y F. Isabel Campoy, con ilustraciones de David Diaz, Yes! We Are Latinos (!Si! Somos Latinos): Poems and Prose about the Latino Experience. Chiricu, 3(2), 177+. https://link-gale-com.dom.idm.oclc.org/apps/doc/A619305785/LitRC?u=rive58327&sid=bookmark-LitRC&xid=e38b07f4

The next collection of poems is Yes! We Are Latinos. This collection is about the Latino/x experience in the United States. This collection is important, as it really defines and highlights the personal experiences of people through the use of poetry and verse. The poems are also written by individual people showcasing their unique experience as Latinos. There are also historical and cultural essays throughout the collection. I think this really humanizes the experience and this would be a great collection to share with children and adults alike. 

The illustrations throughout the book are sparse and they don’t exactly make sense all the time. The images appear to be inspired by Papel picados and are peppered throughout the text.  The  illustrations are pleasing to the eye, but they do not necessarily enrich the words of this collection. The stories and lessons throughout this book are capable of standing on their own. 

Each one of these four selections bring something unique to the world of children's poetry. I believe each would make a great addition to any library collection. 

 Hamilton, Virginia, 1934-2002. The People Could Fly : the Book of Black Folktales. New York :Knopf, 1985.

The purpose of The People Could Fly is to retell the tales created by slaves brought to America by other countries. These folktales were a creative way for people to express themselves and also pass on stories from their homeland. The stories vary from animal tales to those of the supernatural and all use language that is relevant for the times, though it is clear that the language has been streamlined for storytelling over the years. Hamilton says as much in the introduction.

It is clear that Virginia Hamilton went to great lengths to ensure that this collection is as authentic as it could possibly be. The collection is divided into sections, representing the essential types of black folk tales. Each tale has a short explanation at the end to assist readers in following the plot. Each folktale has one pictorial representation and these illustrations are eerie and very dark. There are no color illustrations. Perhaps this represents the fact that the people telling these stories were forced to give up all of their heritage and adapt to a foreign land and way of life. 

I think this collection is incredibly important. I also think that it would be beneficial for a child to read this with an adult. The language is somewhat difficult at times and the message would be better relayed with a more mature reader. 

Selected by Lore Segal and Maurice Sendak. Translated by Lore Segal, with four tales translated by Randall Jarrell. Pictures by Maurice Sendak. (1973). The juniper tree, and other tales from Grimm. New York :Farrar, Straus and Giroux

This collection is an interesting one. Some of these tales I have never heard and others, heard a hundred times. The purpose of these retellings is not very well outlined, but it is clear in the introduction that contributors wanted to update some of the classics. The authority behind these tales has much to do with the translations. It is made clear that Sendak and Seagal both had been very faithful to the German texts, not straying from those old classics. It seems to be a translation mostly for children. Even the size of the book leads the viewer to believe that. The book is a small one, easily carried by a child. The illustrations, though not many in quantity, harken back to the times of the original texts. They have an old, dreamy quality to them. They conjure the imagination and seem perfectly in vogue for the 1970s. 

There is a real vintage feel about this whole collection and rightfully, it is vintage! I’m not sure how this would hold up for modern children. In fact, this was not readily available at my school/local libraries. I had to order it and it did take some time. That makes me wonder if it has lost its appeal over the years. Especially considering some of the flashier adaptations of some of these, namely Hansel and Gretel. It is quite interesting to think about these adaptations changing and growing throughout the years.