Minor Arcana, Volume One: The Fool

I am a big fan of Jeff Lemire since I read The Essex County Trilogy  almost two decades ago. He is one of the most prolific comics creators in the field today, with a huge list of comics credits and having won a slew of major awards along the way. He has written a number of series for DC Comics and Marvel as well as his own creator-owned works like Black Hammer, and Sweet Tooth. I was very excited to read his newest ongoing series, his first solo one since 2012, Minor Arcana, and this book collects the first five issues.

Theresa St. Pierre is the protagonist of the series, and she's been called back to the small town of Limberlost to care for her mother, who has cancer. Theresa hated growing up there and is very reluctant to return, but she has had a bad run of her own and really has nowhere else to be. She is also a recovering alcoholic and generally seems to hate people. Her mother works as a psychic, and Theresa always thought she was just running an extended con on people, but then something happens that makes her realize that these abilities might be real. 

What makes this book so compelling to me are the hallmarks of Lemire's work. He is able to created strong characters with whom the reader is drawn to care about. Theresa is surly, unpleasant, and imperfect but also gives people credit when it's due, and she is a surprisingly relatable person. Also, the small town setting and family drama are fertile ground for delving into the past, unearthing secrets and revealing events that have profoundly shaped the present day. I loved how suspense builds through the plotting and pacing and how revelations in singular moments really pay off in terms of both story and imagery. All of Lemire's storytelling tools are in full effect here. I was instantly drawn into this world, and I cannot wait to see what else happens here.

I had a difficult time finding reviews of this trade paperback, but Jared Bird called this collection "tremendous work" that "feels special." There are a range of reviews available from The League of Comic Geeks, where it has been rated 4.3 (out of 5) stars as of this post.

Minor Arcana, Volume One was published by Boom! Studios, and they offer more info and a video preview of the series here. Lemire also speaks extensively about the influences on the series in this interview.

Big Jim and the White Boy: An American Classic Reimagined

The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn has been called "the best book we've had" (by Ernest Hemingway) and also been widely banned because of its copious use of the N-word. Here, this American classic is recast in a way where Jim becomes the central figure and Huck is more of a sidekick instead of vice versa. A big impetus for the switch is to bring dignity and humanity to a figure who is not given proper treatment in the original novel, but it is also made to explain some weirdness to the narrative, namely revealing why an escaped enslaved person would travel south instead of north to safety. Also, this book explains why Jim is so attached to Huck in the first place.

One major addition to this story is the revelation that Jim's family, who are referred to in the original but never named, have been illegally sold down the river by Huck's reprobate father Joe. So, Jim embarks on his odyssey to be reunited with them. Along the way, he is hunted, becomes a sort of racist bogeyman, assists with the Underground Railroad, joins the Union army, and has all sorts of adventures. He meets many people, telling all of them his story, and he becomes an almost mythic figure, an adventurer and beacon for freedom. 

What makes this narrative work is the fact that it is told across three different timelines. Some of the book focuses on the adventures from the book set in the 1850s, other portions show Jim and Huck as old men in the 1930s, telling tales of their adventures to Jim's grandchildren. The third storyline is set in 2022 and follows Jim's great-great-great-great-granddaughter Almena who is a history professor researching his life. The various viewpoints make for a rich, complex narrative, and the result is a grand epic. I cannot say enough good things about this book.

Big Jim and the White Boy was a collaboration between writer David F. Walker and artist Marcus Kwame Anderson, who previously produced the Eisner Award-winning graphic novel The Black Panther Party. Walker is a prolific author and is best known in comics for his work on the series Bitter Root, runs on Marvel Comics series such as Luke Cage and Power Man & Iron Fist, and the DC Comics series Naomi. He also wrote another nonfiction graphic biography of Frederick Douglass. Anderson also worked on his creator owned series Snow Daze. Walker and Anderson speak about their work on this book in this interview.

All of the reviews I have read about this book have been glowing. In a starred review, Publishers Weekly called it "a vital reconsideration of an American classic." Mike Rhode wrote that Walker and Anderson achieved what they "set out to do, providing readers with a work that strips away the minstrel mask that Twain placed on Jim and reveals reality." Carla Riemer declared that "this well-researched, well-written book belongs in all library collections."

Big Jim and the White Boy: An American Classic Reimagined was published by Ten Speed Graphic, and they offer a preview and more information about it here. There is also this 11-page preview available from Publishers Weekly.

Sunshine

Hey Kiddo is one of my favorite graphic novels, and Sunshine is its follow-up but it stands by itself. This book chronicles a week that Krosoczka spent at a camp for children with life-threatening conditions. He was one of six high school students chosen at random (and they are a motley bunch)

At Camp Sunshine, he is charged with helping out Diego, a 13-year-old who has a brain tumor and travels via wheelchair, and his family. He also meets a bunch of other children, notably young Eric, who is a bundle of energy and obsessed with Power Rangers. Instead of spending this time in sadness, instead he finds that this week is one of the rare and special times that these kids fit in, can relate to each other, and take time to enjoy themselves.

Many of these memories were captured by the video camera Jarrett brought with him, and the characters really come to life in their stories and the artwork. This book is very affecting, and the weighty subject matter comes off more as a celebration of life and a window into how individuals and their families deal with difficult life situations. There is much to smile at and cry about in this book, and I feel it does an excellent job of shedding light into areas that most people, especially those not involved, tend to shy away from. 

Jarrett Krosoczka is best known for his series of Lunch Lady graphic novels for younger readers, and he has also contributed to the Star Wars Jedi Academy series. His prior memoir Hey Kiddo won the 2019 Harvey Award for Best Book of the Year and also was a finalist for the National Book Award for Young People's Literature. He speaks about his work on Sunshine in this interview.

Most of the reviews I have read about this book have been positive. In a starred review, Publishers Weekly concluded, "Though the creator is unsparing in his raw depictions of the campers’ situations and his reverence when recalling these memories is palpable, he never condescends, always faithfully documenting the warmth and life-changing potential of confronting grief head-on and participating in communal care." Tahneer Oksman wrote, "Krosoczka has a talent for uncovering the bountifulness and grace that can emerge from harsh, and otherwise quotidian, realities." Kirkus Reviews summed up, "Loving and true but doesn’t always avoid cliché."

Sunshine was published by Scholastic Graphix, and they offer a preview and more information about it here. 

I Survived the Shark Attacks of 1916

This book has been super-popular in my house of late, with two of my kids reading and re-reading it and asking for more books in the series. So, naturally, I read it to see what the hubbub was about. I Survived the Shark Attacks of 1916 is an adaptation of Lauren Tarshis's novel written for elementary and middle school readers. It is a fictionalized version of the actual Jersey Shore shark attacks of 1916. Before then, people largely believed that sharks were harmless, skittish creatures, but that summer between July 1st and 12th, five people were attacked and 4 died of their wounds. This story became national news and kicked off the widespread fear and even hatred people have toward sharks today.

You should always listen to the grizzled sea captain in these stories...

Making history come alive, this story is told through the eyes of Chet, a young teenager whose parents have left him to live (and work) with his diner-running Uncle Jerry for a summer while they chase their own fortunes. As a new kid in town, Chet has a hard time making friends, and the ones he does make are into pranks, which leads to lots of drama surrounding the local creek they swim in. The recent shark attacks have some people on edge, and the kids take the chance to test their friends' bravery through hijinks. Little do they know what is coming upstream.

I really enjoyed reading this book, and I can see why it is such a crowd-pleaser. The artwork is clear and expressive, and the first-person narrative makes for some great eyewitness storytelling. That there is the added element of shark attacks and blood puts things over the top. This book will be popular with younger readers looking for some compelling historical fiction that teaches about disasters both natural and man-made, with backmatter that explains more about sharks and the actual events. It also, mercifully, includes helpful tips for avoiding shark attacks.

Translating Tarshis's novel into graphic novel format are writer Georgia Ball and the art collective Haus Studio, a group of self-publishers from Argentina. Ball has published more than 30 books, many of them of the licensed property variety, including ones about Strawberry Shortcake and My Little Pony, and has also written more in the I Survived graphic novel series. This book was penciled by Gervasio, inked by Jok and Carlos Aón, colored by Lara Lee, and includes an art assist by Dario Brabo. 

The reviews I have read about this book have been positive. Pharaoh Miles summed it up as "a great book that melds slice of life with history." BlackRaven called it "fun and educational."

I Survived the Shark Attacks of 1916 was published by Scholastic Graphix, and they offer a preview and more info about it here. 

Huda F Cares?

I try to vary where and how I get graphic novels to read, and I was pleasantly surprised to find another book by Huda Fahmy in a little free library in my neighborhood. It's the follow-up to Huda F Are You?, which I finally read earlier this year, and it may be even more excellent. It continues the fictionalized memoir, following Huda into the summer after her freshman year of high school as she and her family embark on a road trip to Disney World for a family vacation.

I can say without hyperbole, I LOVED THIS BOOK. It is hilarious and human, a great look at family life as well as the dynamics of planning a trip and then traveling with siblings. They bicker during the long car ride. They have to split up in pairs and keep a strict timetable, otherwise they are grounded and have to spend all their time with their parents. Some help keep secrets, while others are complete tattletales. I found so much to relate to, cringe over, and laugh about, both recalling my own childhood travels and more recent happenings as a parent traveling with three children. 

Along the way, Huda learns a bunch about herself and her relationships with her sisters in organic ways. She sometimes tries to hide her Muslim prayer rituals, gets embarrassed by family picnics when her parents are trying to economize, makes a friend, tries to boss around her younger siblings, and has to deal with rude strangers as well as handsy jerks. She suffers many different consequences for her actions, the biggest one being detained by security for sticking up for herself, and the stakes for that offense make for some compelling reading. But really what bears emphasizing is that with all of this introspection, learning, and drama, the whole book is frequently HILARIOUS. I dare anyone to read it and not at least crack a smile or chuckle.

A National Book Award Finalist, this book has been very well reviewed. Islamic School Librarian wrote that "the entire book reads like time spent with friends who can keep you laughing, comfort you when needed, and who are willing to share their very real relatable world with you." Andy Oliver commented that "Fahmy’s great skill as a storyteller is to combine very funny character pieces with those more touching observations about contemporary perceptions of Islam." Kirkus Reviews summed up, "Delightfully heartwarming."

Huda F Cares? was published by Dial Books, and they provide more information about it here. 

Constitution Illustrated

Up until now, the US Constitution has proven to be a sturdy and adaptable document that has guided the country through troubled times by describing the rule of law as well as the basic rights afforded to Americans. Portions of it have been hotly contested and reinterpreted over centuries, and it has slowly been transformed through amendments. In Constitution Illustrated it gets further transformed with the addition of comics art to communicate the big ideas, making this landmark document more accessible in a time when folks should brush up on their rights.

I teach social studies teachers, and they seek ways to make difficult texts more approachable, and I love the way that the Constitution is parsed into manageable chunks in this book. Additionally, another scaffold is provided with the artwork, which can act as imagery to help recall the text or also extend it by adding another aspect for analysis and examination. These images run the gamut from classic works like Krazy Kat, Little Lulu, and superhero fare to more contemporary ones like Captain Underpants and Rick and Morty.

What I like about this book are the many ways you can approach reading it. A long-time comics reader, like me, can play "guess the pastiche" as I peruse the pages. One could also think of rationales for the pairings between sections and amendments and the comics style/artist/characters. Alternatively, a reader could also just be amused to see the juxtaposition of the governmental policies and comics artwork or, if nothing else, laugh at how the characters are rendered in colonial dress. I like the combination of humor and politics in this book, and I think it is an excellent way to get introduced to or just review the founding  document of the US government.

This book's creator, R. Sikoryak, teaches in the illustration department at Parsons The New School for Design. He has been making comics for decades, appearing in books such as Masterpiece Comics, in prominent publications like The New Yorker, and in anthologies like Raw. He speaks about his work adapting the Constitution in this interview.

All of the reviews I have read about this book have been positive. Ryan Carey called it "the most grand, ambitious, and relevant application of his unique skill set to date." Publishers Weekly wrote, "This pastiche of comics and politics is a cleverly educational and irresistible way to engage with this foundational text." Paul Buhle opines, "Wake up, reader. Look at the constitution with new eyes. Or else."

Constitution Illustrated was published by Drawn & Quarterly, and they offer more information about it here.

Know your rights!

 

The Cartoonists Club

 

Today's graphic novel is also one from a powerhouse duo of creators: Raina Telgemeier has done hugely successful work on The Babysitters Club series as well as Smile and several other books while Scott McCloud literally wrote the book on how to read comics, Understanding Comics, and has been publishing comics works since the 1990s. Here they put their talents together to make a wonderful, and much-needed, book The Cartoonists Club. 

The story here brings together four middle schoolers: Makayla, who loves to write stories, Howard, who is a prolific artist but whose dad frowns upon art as a serious enterprise, Lynda, who is constantly drawing but also critiquing her own work harshly, and Art, who is a creative type looking to try pretty much anything. Together, with the guidance of school librarian Ms. Fatima, they form a club and being making comics. They even get the chance to exhibit their work at a local library comics convention. 

All these questions, and more, answered!

This story is told in a very charming way, and it is easy to fall in love with the characters, who are vibrant and relatable. But what I feel is most helpful is how much information is folded into the narrative in an organic way that speaks to what goes into designing and making comics. This book is a lot of fun and not at all didactic in tone. I have worked with many different groups of people over the years, from elementary students all the way up to graduate students, teaching them how to make their own comics, and this book especially fills a vacuum for explaining the rudimentary mechanics of comics-making for younger readers. That it does so in an engaging and highly readable way is simply amazing, and I plan to use this book with students I work with as soon as possible.

All of the reviews I have read about this book have been glowing, and I would be surprised if it did not clean up come awards season. In a starred entry, Kirkus Reviews called it "highly imaginative and cleverly conceived." Sean Kleefeld wrote that the book "is simply the best bits of both creators, fused together in about as seamless a manner as possible." In another starred entry, Publishers Weekly opined, "Creative prompts, tips, instructions, and definitions feature throughout, delivered in a cheeky tone that seamlessly integrates heartfelt narrative with approachable how-to guides."

The Cartoonists Club was published by Scholastic Graphix, and they offer more info about it here. They also offer the first two chapters as a free preview here.