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.