Dawn and the Impossible Three

Fun fact: This is the first Babysitters Club graphic novel I have ever read, which is weird considering how popular they are and how instrumental they were in also launching Raina Telgemeier's career. Going further, I don't think I've ever read a Babysitters Club novel either, even though they were ubiquitous when I was growing up. I always felt that they must be formulaic crap, but boy was I shocked by how much I liked Dawn and the Impossible Three.

This book, which is also a finalist in the Middle Grades category for the Excellence in Graphic Literature Awards, follows the exploits of Dawn, the newest member of the eponymous club. She is new in town, having just moved from California. She has difficulty adjusting to the New England locale, dealing with her mom's dating, and also juggling the interpersonal relationships of the club. To top things off, she ends up babysitting frequently for the Barrett family, an undertaking that gets complicated by the mom who is struggling to be a single parent in terms of managing her children and a household. There are many serious, real-life issues at play here, and they offer real stakes that propel the narrative in strong directions.

Over the course of the book, Dawn learns much about personal boundaries, how to communicate with others, and in general about being a mature person. What is more, I felt that the characters and situations were complex and all treated with dignity and care. I definitely went into this graphic novel expecting some generic claptrap but instead I found myself reading a very evocative and affecting book. I will definitely be checking out some of the other books in this series.

This book is Gale Galligan's debut graphic novel, but she has experience as a production assistant on a number of other books like Teen Boat!, Astronaut Academy: Re-Entry, and Drama! She speaks about her work on this book in this interview.

All of the reviews I have read about this book have been positive. Kirkus Reviews called it "A worthy addition to the series, albeit a bit more somber than its forerunners." Johanna Draper Carlson wrote that Galligan has "got a good sense of storytelling." Kathryn White summed it up, "Great fun for BSC fans new and old. Highly recommended."

Dawn and the Impossible Three was published by Scholastic, and they offer more info about it here. Galligan is working on the next entry in this series, Kristy's Big Day, which is expected to be published later this year.

Hippopotamister

Hippopotamister straddles the line between being a picture book and a graphic novel, and it contains a wonderfully drawn, funny tale with a positive and meaningful message. If you or a young reader you know is looking for a book starring adorable animals who frequently find themselves in silly circumstances, this is it. I found the artwork to be absolutely charming and some scenes really made me chuckle.

The story revolves around a hippo living in a run-down zoo. His friend and neighbor red panda decides to go and live among the humans and returns with tales of great success. So, the hippo decides to join him out there. However, hippo quickly learns that red panda's tales of success are clearly exaggerated.

Hippo, though, turns out to be pretty versatile and skilled. Still, the duo bounces from job to job, with humorous and disastrous results, and over time they learn both what they are good at and what they struggle with. I don't want to spoil the ending, but I will say that finally both find a situation that plays to both of their strengths and they find themselves gainfully employed.

Hippopotamister is John Patrick Green's first graphic novel. He has drawn a number of other books for children as well as the mini-comic Teen Boat! written by Dave Roman (Astronaut Academy). He speaks at good length about his creative process on this book in this interview.

All of the reviews I have read about this book have been glowing. Publishers Weekly gave it a starred review and stated that "Green's characters burst with personality, his comedic sense shines, and his visual storytelling skills are solid." Johanna Draper Carlson elaborated, "although the story is aimed at younger readers, this is something I can certainly relate to, from needing to find a new occupation to a past-its-prime business making its “employees” unhappy to the way that Hippopotamister learns something valuable from everything he tries." Kirkus Reviews summed up by calling it "A charming book with a solid message about changing one’s life through hard work, imagination, and openness to new experiences."

Hippopotamister was published by First Second. They have a preview and much more available here.

Thanks, Gina, for the review copy!

Astronaut Academy: Re-Entry

I called the first volume in this series "terrifically fun," and I am happy to report that the good times keep rolling in this second volume. From the outset, it is apparent something is off at the Academy at the beginning of the school year:

The problem is that there is a monster lurking in the school that can appear to a student to be the person they have a crush on, and when they give their hearts to it, it devours them. This is not figurative but literal because, like video game characters, the students at Astronaut Academy have and can earn multiple hearts. They need at least two to participate in team sports, so the loss of hearts threatens their participation in the annual Fireball tournament, but the loss of hearts also can bring more dire circumstances:

 

Luckily, the students are resilient and have methods for dealing with adversity:

Words of wisdom from a little boy in a spacesuit

Unfortunately, the administration takes a hardline stance to the situation, banning love at the school. Simple flirting results in detention, and the watchbears are vigilant about making sure the students do not become too chummy with each other. I cannot help but notice a sort of meta-commentary here with clueless adults over-reacting to situations and analogues to real-life issues such as a perceived need to protect students with armed guards. So there is also some veiled social commentary folded in with all the fun, frivolity, and fantastic elements of the school.

In all, these elements combine to make a very compelling and fulfilling reading experience. I thought the characters are all given their own moments, and their personalities are well-defined. Their interactions are hilariously familiar, with the ways that they speak to each other being both realistic and witty. If I were a kid again, I would totally want to attend this school.

Dave Roman created this second great romp, which was originally begun online as Astronaut Elementary. He has created a number of other webcomics, including the Harvey Award nominated Quicken Forbidden and Agnes Quill. He won the 2005 Web Cartoonists' Choice Award for Best New Character Design for his work on AE. Reportedly, he is also well on his way to planning a third book in this series.

There are many fun elements in this book, like I have said, and the reviews I have read comment positively about them, though some hedge that perhaps there is too much going on. Kirkus Reviews called the book "definitely goofy," and commented on how deceptively complex it is. Charlotte also commented that the book is potentially convoluted and may not be so accessible to those who have not read volume 1, but she also added that it would be difficult to dismiss the "combination of words that read themselves out loud in your head and pictures that make you smile like crazy."

There are previews, extras, and much, much more at the book's official site. This version was published by First Second.

Gina is an awesome person, and I must thank her for this review copy!

YALSA 2012 Nominees Announced

The Young Adult Library Services Association's 2012 Great Graphic Novels for Teens Nominations are out!

Among the nominees are Anya's Ghost, Thor: The Mighty Avenger, Return of the Dapper Men, and Astronaut Academy: Zero Gravity.

Congratulations to all!

Astronaut Academy: Zero Gravity

This is one terrifically fun graphic novel. Each chapter introduces or follows a character, so it is full of mini-narratives that add up to one big story. At Astronaut Academy you can take classes such as Advanced Heart Studies, Anti-Gravity Gymnastics, Wearing Cute Hats, Fire Throwing, Run-On Sentences, and Locker. And the classes are taught by an Elf, a bunny, and a Panda (who may be a double agent). This may just be the best school ever.

The students (full cast here) are a varied and motley bunch, and they are all effected when a cute, brooding new student enrolls. Hakata Soy is a former space hero who is being stalked by some old enemies. Aside from that, two rivals, Miyumi San and Maribelle Melonbelly, also are striving against each other for his attention.

Dave Roman created this great romp, which was originally published online as Astronaut Elementary. He has created a number of other webcomics, including the Harvey Award nominated Quicken Forbidden and Agnes Quill. He won the 2005 Web Cartoonists' Choice Award for Best New Character Design for his work on AE. Roman talks about working on this trade release in this interview with The Stumptown Press. This interview with the School Library Journal is also quite informative.

This book is silly in the best sense of the word, with multiple jokes on every page. Former teen librarian Snow Wildsmith wrote that "Astronaut Academy won’t appeal to everyone, but for the right reader it will speak volumes about the struggles with identity and place which middle school and early high school aged kids feel so keenly." Publishers Weekly called the book "zany and cute." Xaviar Xerexes found this a "wonderfully produced book" that mixes slapstick and sarcasm.

An excerpt, video preview, discussion guide, and more are available here from the book's publisher First Second. Much of this book is also available here as a webcomic.

A sequel, Astronaut Academy: Re-Entry is slated to appear, as detailed in this interview with John Hogan.

A big Thank You to Gina for the review copy!