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.

Lunar New Year Love Story

The 2025 Eisner Award winner for Best Publication for Teens, Lunar New Year Love Story is a book that I approached much differently than I usually do when I read a graphic novel. Typically, I read through one in as close to one sitting as I can. I tend to read voraciously and at a fast clip, but this one I took my time with, reading each chapter individually and taking time over a few days to complete the book. It worked really well, because this book's narrative is set over the space of a year and is divided into chapters that each had so much going on in terms of plot, revelations, and emotions that the extra time helped me develop my thoughts and get ready for what was to come. So, I treated it like a serial comic, even though I had the entire graphic novel.

I have to say that the payoff for me was a great one, as this was one of the most satisfying books I have read this year and the ending gave me the tingles. It is a love story of sorts, but it is based strongly in family and community relationships. The plot revolves around Valentina, a Vietnamese-American teen whose mother died when she was young and is being raised by her father. They tend to be a self-contained unit, not even having much interaction with her paternal grandmother, who is a vivacious character who loves cooking and poker. She learns that her family is cursed to be unlucky in love while also developing a strange imaginary relationship with St. Valentine. Eventually, she enters into a dire bargain with Saint V., vowing to abandon love and give her heart away to him if she cannot find true love in one calendar year.

Over the course of the book, Valentina learns that she has been lied to by multiple people her entire life, and the revelations rock her world and cause her to look for community beyond her best friend, Bernice. She joins a lion dance troupe and meets a boy named Les, who is sort of a flirt and attention hog, but somehow they click. She begins to question her destiny and also goes on a surprising path of discovery, which includes her getting more familiar with her heritage, the local Vietnamese-American community, and Les's sullen cousin Jae.

I feel I am not doing this book justice with my descriptions, and I am trying not to give too much of it away, but it is simply fantastic. The artwork and narrative meld to make a very moving and impactful story, and it deserves the many accolades it has received.

Lunar New Year Love Story was created by powerhouse graphic novelists Gene Luen Yang and LeUyen Pham. Yang is one of the premier comics creators working today and a former National Ambassador for Young People's Literature. Additionally, he was awarded a MacArthur Fellowship and has also won the Printz Award for his graphic novel American Born Chinese. He has won multiple Eisner Awards. He has explored themes of immigration, belief, identity, and growing up in his many works. Pham is one of the premier children's book illustrators working today, the winner of the Caldecott Medal for her work on the Bear Came Along. She is known for her collaborations on the popular Friends series of graphic novels and The Princess in Black picture books with Shannon Hale. And she also drew the Vampirina Ballerina series of picture books that were adapted into a Disney cartoon. Both creators speak about the book and romance in this interview.

All of the reviews I have read about this book have sung its praises. Thúy Đinh wrote of its use of lion imagery and how "this dual, transcontinental symbol of life and death, truth and mystery, reason and emotion, male and female, gracefully captures the complicated heritage of characters impacted by their parents' diasporic experiences." Kirkus Reviews concluded their starred entry, "A sparkling romance anchored by a poignant coming-of-age story." Zack Quaintance commented on the "stellar" artwork, adding that "the character acting is strong yet distinct, making for an immersive reading experience."

Lunar New Year Love Story was published by First Second, and they offer a preview and more information about it here.

Mujirushi: The Sign of Dreams

Being contacted by the Louvre, one of the most well known and prestigious museums in the world, to collaborate on a comic seems a highly unlikely proposition, but then again most artists are not as renowned as Naoki Urasawa. Among his many manga credits are contemporary classics such as 20th Century Boys, Monster, Pluto, as well as the ongoing Asadora! Urasawa has won numerous awards, including the Shogakukan Manga Award three times, the Tezuka Osamu Cultural Prize twice, and the Kodansha Manga Award. He has also been recognized internationally, with honors from the Angoulême International Comics Festival and the Eisner Awards.

Mujirushi is exceptional among Urasawa's works in two ways: first, because it is based on holdings and input from the Louvre, it features a lot of the architecture, artworks, and behind-the-scenes schematics from the buildings. Second, it is a serial story that can be contained in one graphic novel-seized volume and not a multi-volume epic that takes years to be published. Still, it features the grand craftsmanship, pacing, and vivid characters that are a hallmark of his past work. 

The plot focuses on a father Kamoda and his young daughter Kasumi. Kamoda stops paying taxes and gets mixed up in some get-rich schemes, which end up with him destitute, desperate, and stuck with a factory full of unwanted rubber novelty masks. Also, his wife leaves him. Through a convoluted series of events he and Kasumi end up involved with a Francophile con man ("the Director") who has a scheme to "borrow" a Vermeer painting from the Louvre. What they do not know is that they have all become people of interest in an investigation of an international art smuggling ring, and the detective is determined to catch them in the act.

What makes this book work is its incredible artwork, strongly defined characters, and a plot that takes many twists and turns as the complicated backstory of the Director is slowly untangled. There are many revelations and twists in these nine chapters, maybe too many coincidences, and the ending is a clever weaving together of seemingly unrelated plot threads. If you would like to get a taste of what makes Urasawa's work so appealing and do not want to invest the time to read multiple volumes of a manga serial, this book is for you. If you are already a fan of his, this book is another gem to be enjoyed. 

The reviews I have read of this book have been mixed. Morgan Santilli wrote, "Though perhaps not as engrossing or complex as some of Urasawa’s other offerings, Mujirushi does leave the reader with that familiar feeling of awe at a master’s manipulation of line, panel, and story." Irina found it "to be both entertaining and endearing in many ways." In a long critique of this book and Urasawa, Austin Price calls the story "cute" but also "contrived and overblown."

Mujirushi was published by Viz Media, and they offer more information about it here.

Karate Prom

Karate Prom was written and drawn by Kyle Starks and colored by Chris Schweizer, two of my favorite comics creators who have collaborated before on the series like Rock Candy Mountain, Mars Attacks!, and Six Sidekicks of Trigger Keaton. Their storytelling and artistic chops complement each other very well, and they are expert at conveying action and atmosphere. 

In Karate Prom they are abetted by Liz Trice Schweizer (on color assists) as they spin the tale of Don Jones. He is participating in the All-City Karate Tournament, but he has been training so much that he almost arrives late for his match, where he meets Sam (short for Samantha) Steadman. He is instantly smitten, then she knocks him out with one kick. 

After he comes to, they get snow cones, they get to know each other, and she asks him to prom. What follows is an escalating series of high school dramas involving exes, ninjas, crime cartels, and a battle royale to end battle royales. However, this book is not just a fight-fest, it is also hilariously funny. There are witty banter, fun nicknames, and clever plot twists that subvert stereotypes. Karate Prom is a lot of fun to read, and I hope that it opens up opportunities for more YA-focused work from Starks and Schweizer.

These two creators have a bevy of other graphic novel and comics work available as well, including Starks's Kill Them All, Sexcastle, The Legend of Ricky Thunder, Old Head, and Assassin Nation. Among my favorite works of Schweizer are his series The Crogan Adventures and The Creeps as well as his contributions to the History Comics and Makers Comics graphic novels. Starks speaks about making Karate Prom in this interview.

All of the reviews I have read of this book have been positive. Kirkus Reviews called it "mercurial and cartoonishly violent but enjoyable thanks to its exuberance." Jordan Jennings wrote that it is "a delightful graphic novel that is full of action and romance," featuring "a strong cast of characters that you will come to love by the end of the story." In a starred review, Adam Fisher summed it up as "a joy-filled story about two teens who want to be together so badly, they are willing to fight for it."

Karate Prom was published by First Second, and they offer a preview and more information here.