Very Bad at Math

First off, this book is another I checked out from my local library. Local libraries rule! Very Bad at Math is about Verity "Very" Nelson, who is a real go-getter. She is a three-term class president, excellent English and social studies student, top debater, first-chair clarinetist, and can do more push-ups than anyone in gym class. 

See?

On the surface, it looks like there is nothing she can't do, but secretly she is failing math. She is ashamed of it and hides this fact from everyone, including her friends and parents. When she learns that failing a class would disqualify her from student government, she is offered the chance to participate in a "math pod" with a doctoral student who is working at the school where eventually she learns that she has dyscalculia.

Before this revelation, however, all of the secrecy does some damage. Her miscalculations seem to ruin a fundraiser for a class trip that was her main campaign promise. Even worse, her friends do not know what is going on with her and jump to some conclusions that she is being aloof, snobby, and/or uncaring. It also does not help that a middle school podcaster is snooping, secretly recording her, and creating misinformation. In the end, I found this a very compelling and realistic book in how it dealt with the current realities with social media, friendships, and learning disabilities. Also, the characters are also well defined and interesting. I like how they are drawn, how they interact, and how surprising some turn out to be.

This book's author, multiple Eisner Award winner Hope Larson is very good at comics. She practically invented YA graphic novels with her book Chiggers, adapted the graphic novel version of A Wrinkle in Time, wrote the Four Points series and Salt Magic drawn by Rebecca Mock, and created a trilogy of books starting with All Summer Long. She speaks about her work on Very Bad at Math in this interview.

All of the reviews I have read of this book have been positive. In a starred review from School Library Journal, Amy Ribakove wrote, "With captivating characters and a thoughtful exploration of dyscalculia, this book is a wonderful addition to any library." Kirkus Reviews summed it up as "a buoyant misadventure with some lessons along the way." Crystal Wilder concluded, "This graphic novel does a beautiful job of portraying the anxieties that may surround learning disabilities and the many ways family, friends, and learning professionals can be supportive."

Very Bad at Math was published by HarperAlley, and they have a preview and more available here. 

Hoops

I loved reading Hoops, a fictional account of the first Indiana high school girl's basketball tournament in 1976. The books follows the Wilkins Regional High School girls’ basketball team through their bumpy inaugural season. The boy's Bears team is a perennial state power that gets lots of accolades and attention, but the start-up girl's squad suffers in comparison. Those players have to practice in the elementary school gym, deal with tension from peers who think they should stick to cheerleading, and struggle to find funds for basic things they need to run the team, like uniforms, equipment, and buses.

I will try not to spoil much, but they have trials and successes, and luckily they find someone who helps them not only advocate for the team but also find ways to pay for uniforms, travel, and everything they need to compete. This is historical fiction, but it is based firmly on real events, and it is a great way to revisit the recent past and see how it differs from our current realities, and why things are more equitable after Title IX was more fully realized. 

However, this book is not a dry history lesson. It is full of great character moments as well, and it's easy to root for the upstart team, mostly seen through the eyes of Judi. The game and action sequences are exciting and vivid, and the artwork is very clear and inviting. Fans of history, sports, and sports stories will find much to entertain them here.

Hoops is the debut graphic novel by Matt Tavares. He is a long-time children books' writer and illustrator, with more than 20 titles to his name. He speaks about his work on his graphic novel in this interview.

All of the reviews I have read about this book have been positive. Kirkus Reviews summed it up as "a winning tale, all the more exhilarating for its links to history." Beth Kanell called it "a page-turner where determination and hope fill every page." Ofama Umesi opined that it is "delightful and informative on a historical level."

Hoops was published by Candlewick Press, and they offer a preview and more information here. 

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.

Tales of a Seventh-Grade Lizard Boy

 

I caught a lot of teasing about my name throughout my schooling, and I cannot imagine what it would have been if I had been called Booger Lizk’t. On top of that name, Booger is a lizard person from Elberon, an underground civilization that faced a natural disaster that drove his family to the surface. So he would stand out pretty starkly in a typical US middle school. Luckily for him, his people can shape their skin pretty much as they please, which makes it possible for them to pass as human. However, Booger also has to fit in socially, which is why he goes by the name of Tommy Tomkins while in Eagle Valley. But he is still having a very difficult time, especially when so many of his classmates watch a popular TV show about villainous alien lizard invaders who want to invade Earth (sort of like V).

From the informative back matter of the book, I learned that many of these feelings and situations are based on the author's Vietnamese heritage, and much of the book reflects commonplace immigrant experiences. This aspect gets highlighted by Tommy's friendship with Dung Tran, a Vietnamese immigrant and kindred spirit. The two gravitate toward each other and take solace in each other's company. Like Dung, Tommy has to figure out how to find friends, speak the language, eat strange food, deal with bullies, and navigate academics on top of passing as a human being, so they are both under a lot of pressure and stress. 

What I liked about this book was how human and organic it was. The plot takes all sorts of twists and turns, and this is not a simple tale of a kid learning to fit in or find his people. Tommy is not perfect, and he makes mistakes, pulls some ill-advised pranks, and hurts some of the feelings of his few friends. I found a lot to relate to as well as laugh and marvel at.

This book was created by Jonathan Hill, who also wrote and drew a fantastic apocalyptic graphic novel Odessa. He also drew Americus, a book I reviewed some years ago. He speaks about his work on Tales of the Seventh-Grade Lizard Boy in this interview.

The reviews I have read about this book have been positive. Kirkus Reviews summed it up as "engaging and thought-provoking." Publishers Weekly wrote, "Employing a bright and energetic palette, uncomplicated paneling, and a cast comprising varying skin tones and body types, Hill keenly portrays the effects this othering has on Tommy and Dung, and how connection, mutual support, and earnest understanding can bridge even significant differences." April Spisak opined, "Vivid colors, wry humor, and playful ignoring of traditional panel structure lighten the heaviest moments, firmly focusing this story on working toward better things."

Tales of a Seventh-Grade Lizard Boy was published by Walker Books US, and they offer a preview and more info about it here.

Swim Team

Swim Team focuses on Bree, an African-American middle school student who recently moved to Florida from New York with her father. 

She is anxious about starting life in a new place and in a new school, and she really does not want to do anything that involves swimming. However, she ends up having to face her fears and learn to swim because it is literally the only elective that fits her schedule. It turns out, she's got of lot of potential and even makes her swim team, the Mighty Manatees.

The middle school she attends is under-funded and in danger of losing its swimming facilities, but the community values competitive swimming highly, which opens a year-long competition with the dominant private school in order to save their pool and program. Not just a typical underdog story, though it does have many of the positive components of the genre, this book also touches on friendship, family relationships, as well as the history of race and class relations in the community. It is a multi-faceted, complex story that I found both moving and touching. It also features a lot of heart and a good sense of humor. This is a superlative graphic novel for middle school students.

This book is the creation of Johnnie Christmas, who has created a number of other graphic novels for both adults as well as younger readers, including Firebug and the Angel Catbird series. He spoke about his work on Swim Team in this interview.

A Coretta Scott King Honor Title and a National Book Award Finalist, Swim Team has received many glowing reviews. In their starred review Kirkus Reviews called it "deeply smart and inspiring story." In another starred review Publishers Weekly wrote, "Challenging the idea that 'Black people aren’t good at swimming,' this middle grade debut from Christmas (the Angel Catbird series, for adults) details segregation’s generational impact through a warmhearted story of community, Black diasporic identity, and learning, all portrayed in kinetic contemporary art." Esther Keller opined, "The bright artwork with vivid sunny colors and fine details in each panel, brings the story to life."

Swim Team was published by Harper Alley, and they offer a preview and more here.

Piece By Piece: The Story of Nisrin's Hijab

Piece By Piece: The Story of Nisrin's Hijab is a complex, harrowing, and compelling graphic novel that tackles some difficult subject matter, namely prejudice and violence directed toward Muslims in the United States. This book is set in 2002 in Portland, Oregon, and it stars Nisrin, a young woman who embraces Islam and traditional garb, despite her parents' views. They still recall the violence in Bangladesh becoming independent from Pakistan in 1971, and their scars color their views differently.

Her wearing a head scarf marks Nisrin as an outsider in school and her community, and one day she and an African-American friend find themselves targeted by a crazed individual spewing anti-Muslim hate. Both girls are beaten badly, and face long recoveries. Nisrin in particular suffers from instances of PTSD, and she finds it difficult to deal with her new surroundings in high school, where she finds herself bullied by some students and shunned by some teachers. She finds it hard to make friends, though eventually she does hit it off with a girl named Veronica.

Reading this book is bracing, because it depicts serious subject matter in a frank manner. However, I appreciated the experience of reading it, because it is engrossing, and I feel that I learned much more about Bangladeshi culture and history. Also, the vivid painted imagery is powerful and atmospheric, drawing the reader into this work in direct and impactful fashion. Its imagery and narrative are both haunting and enlightening, showing the horrors that victims of hate crimes suffer as well as how some immigrants experience life in the US.

This book's creator Priya Huq is a Bangladeshi artist, and this is her debut graphic novel. She publishes work with Radiator Comics, and she speaks more about her life and how it affected the making of this book in this interview.

All the reviews I have read about this book have sung its praises. Kirkus Reviews concluded, "Remarkable storytelling presents a multilayered struggle around identity and power in an anti-Muslim climate." Amanda MacGregor wrote, "This is a very emotional and powerful read, with the assault and resulting trauma coloring much of the story." Mahasin A. Aleem called it "A solid addition to collections of all types and a welcome exploration of what it means to navigate the complexities of Muslim identity in the United States."

Piece By Piece: The Story of Nisrin's Hijab was published by Amulet Books, and they offer more information about it here.

The Fifth Quarter: Hard Court

The Fifth Quarter: Hard Court is one of those sequels that I feel is better than its predecessor, which is saying something because I very much enjoyed book 1. In this book, Lori finds herself facing some new situations. Now in sixth grade, she and her friends are getting older and some are developing new interests and spending more time apart. Her dad is going to go back to work for the first time since she was born, and her mom is going to coach her rec league basketball team. Plus, she and her friend Elyse are growing their skills at basketball camp. There, their coach calls them the "Dream Team," with Lori being more offense-minded and Elyse more a defensive specialist. They still predominantly play during the fifth quarter for their middle school team, but Elyse gets more chances to get into actual games. This situation causes Lori to have some hurt feelings and jealousy. 

What I think pushes this book beyond the first one is the way it shows the dynamics between various relationships in very detailed and realistic fashion, warts and all. Lori's parents have their arguments over money, work, and their parenting roles. Lori has issues with her friends, parents, and little siblings. Also, a good portion of the book involves flashbacks to Lori's mom's childhood, so we learn about her own highly competitive nature as well as her strained relationship with her father and step-sister. 

Looking back, I gained insight into how she pushes Lori and herself to succeed. Getting to see a family reunion at the Passover Seder brings things full circle, as we get to see the aftermath of her childhood and how relationships turned out over the decades.

And I have not even mentioned the game-play, which is also a major aspect of the book. The various scenes of basketball are well paced, exciting, and dramatic. I really appreciate that there is no magical transformation, that Lori still has her struggles , even with extra coaching and attention from her mother. Some of her struggles even come from that very same coaching and her mother, which is both ironic and apt. Her mother pushes her to succeed and have a killer instinct, but she also might be pushing a bit too hard and also rehashing trauma from her childhood. This seemingly simple tale is actually pretty complex and imbued with nuances.

I love a good scrappy underdog tale, and this graphic novel is that as well. It shows that with effort and practice that there can be some success and growth, even if it's still not all sunshine and roses. Plus, as a parent, I really appreciate the vivid portraits of the adults as well as the children. There was so much I could relate to, and I desperately hope that this series will continue. It is simply superb.

I have this same exchange at least three times a day with my own kids.

Mike Dawson created this book. He has written and drawn more than a few graphic novels over the years, including Freddie & Me, Angie Bongiolatti, and Troop 142. He also has done a lot of  graphic nonfiction and essay work, including the collection Rules for Dating My Daughter and plenty of comics for The Nib. He speaks about his work on this book as well as other topics in this interview.

The reviews I have seen about this book have been largely positive.  Kirkus Reviews summed it up as "Buoyant and breathless, scoring on several levels."It currently has a 4.4 (out of 5) star rating on Goodreads.

The Fifth Quarter: Hard Court was published by First Second, and they offer a preview and more information here. 

I read an advance digital copy of the book, and it will published in July.

Twins

Twins is about Maureen and Francine Carter, identical twins who struggle with the transitions in their lives in unique ways. As they start middle school,  they have different academic schedules for the first time ever. 

Maurine especially feels anxious without her sister around, and she also struggles to perform well in the youth cadet corps (An ROTC-type program at her school). Francine starts wanted to be called Fran, and she is becoming more invested in school chorus activities. Also, as the more outspoken and extroverted sister, she is going to run for class president. Maureen, partly in order to get some extra credit for YCC, also decides to run not only for a class office, but for president as well. The two sisters' lives get consumed with their competition, which tests their relationship with each other, their mutual friendships, and their family.

The clear, colorful, and vibrant artwork excels in telling the story and setting tones, depicting the characters as distinct while also highlighting their various emotional states.  Where this book excels is in capturing the tenor of family relationships. Francine and Maureen love each other, but they are frequently at odds and argue. As a sibling from a large family and a parent who has multiple children, I have found that interpersonal dynamics can be mercurial, volatile, and/or comforting. I saw much here I could empathize with, from both twins. It is refreshing to see a book that explores just how messy family relationships can be while also showing how they can lead to growth and self-actualization. I also admire how much the parents are involved in their daughters' lives, trying to make choices to help both, even if their overtures are not always welcome.

I think that it would have been very easy for this book to be formulaic, but the character work elevates the enterprise. It takes its genre conventions and spins them in a way that makes it unique and human, relatable but also surprising. I loved reading this book.

Twins was a collaboration between writer Varian Johnson and artist Shannon Wright. Johnson has received many accolades and honors for his books, the most recent of which is Playing the Card You're Dealt. Wright is an illustrator and cartoonist who has worked with several prominent publishers and platforms. Johnson and Wright both speak about their work on Twins in this interview.

All of the reviews I have read of this book have been stellar. In a starred entry, Kirkus Reviews summed it up as "a touching, relatable story of identity, sisterhood, and friendship." Avery Kaplan called it "a comic that you’ll want to start over from the beginning as soon as you’ve reached the last page." Renée Watson wrote that it is "a page-turner with moments that make you laugh out loud. Anyone with a sibling will appreciate the sarcastic and witty banter of these sisters."

Twins was published by Scholastic, and they offer more about it here. This book is titled Twins #1 in various places, though I have not seen a sequel solicited at this time. I very much hope to see more stories about these characters.

Delicates

Sheets, the book that precedes this sequel, was an unexpected delight for me, a tale about a loner who not learns that ghosts exist but teams up with them in order to deal with some pretty bleak life circumstances, was full of heartfelt characterizations and intense storytelling. It's a beautifully personal book, and I wondered how a sequel to it would work. Turns out, that sequel Delicates is as fantastic as the first book. Marjorie Glatt is still the main character, and her life has taken an upswing, as she is surprisingly now in the "cool kid" clique at school and not the outsider she once was. Still, this position brings with it complications. She does not have so much time to spend with her ghost friend Wendell, who is beginning to feel abandoned. And she has to navigate new social situations and mitigate the bullying done by her frenemy Sasha. 

Most of Sasha's venom is aimed at Eliza Duncan, a young African-American woman who has been held back a year at school. I think the classic way to describe her would be as a young woman who is "not applying herself" to the best of her abilities. Her dad is one of Marjorie's teachers at their school, and even he cannot get his daughter to stop obsessing over photography. Specifically, she wants to capture an image that proves the ghosts exist, and because of her highly visible ambition she is an easy target for ridicule. This bullying weighs heavily and begins to affect her demeanor and will to live.

Ironically, Marjorie of course knows that ghosts exist and could set up a photography session quite easily, but she is reluctant to let anyone know what she knows for a couple reasons. One, she is afraid to be exposed as some sort of "freak" because of her association with the undead. Two, she is unsure of Eliza's intentions and the societal impact of publicly proving an afterlife exists. Still, she can see what Eliza is suffering and she experiences lots of turmoil over deciding what to do.

Worlds are colliding!

By now you have gathered that there is a lot going on in this book in terms of its plot and narrative, but where I think it excels especially is in its characterizations. All of the characters, not just Marjorie and Eliza, but also even ones like Sasha and Wendell are shown to be nuanced, complex beings. They are not always nice or lovable, but they are shown to be quite human (even the ghosts!). The ways that these characters interact with each other is depicted in incredibly artful and lifelike manner, both in terms of the story and the artwork. The muted color scheme in particular helps highlight the emotional and tonal aspects of the narrative. The characters may be fictional creations but they seem very real, and this is as moving a book as I have ever read about friendship.

As a final plus, I think this book stands well on its own. Although I feel it would be more rewarding to read it after Sheets, a new reader would not be lost reading it as it has been written in a way that (re)introduces this world and its characters in very accessible fashion.

In addition to the aforementioned Sheets, this book's creator Brenna Thummler also collaborated on an adaptation of Anne of Green Gables. She speaks about her work on Delicates in this interview.

The reviews I have read about this book have been very positive. Kirkus Reviews summed it up as "an original exploration of what it means to be seen and accepted." Lauren from Northern Plunder called it "a very emotional read that I highly recommend." There is also an in-depth discussion of the book (spoilers abound) in this discussion with the Comix Experience Graphic Novel Club.

Delicates was published by ONI Press, and they offer more information about it here. It is also available to read right now on Comixology Unlimited.

Anti/Hero

I think this is the first book in what began as the DC Ink imprint I've read that features totally original characters. The two protagonists of this book are a study of opposites, both in their civilian and super-powered guises.

Piper Parajo, aka the Hummingbird, is a newbie superhero with super-strength. She is learning how to use her powers and her exploits bring her into conflict with the local police who are unsure of her motivations. Sloan MacBrute, aka The Grey, is more calculating, and she uses her talents to steal items around Gotham City (yes, that one). Eventually, these two come into contact, and a la Freaky Friday, their minds are transferred into each other's body, so they have to learn to cooperate in order to not blow each other's cover.

This series of events leads each to consider their own lots in life and also to appreciate the perspective of the other. Piper is upbeat and popular at school, but she misses her absent parents. Sloan is a loner, straight-A student by day and thief by night. Over the course of the book though (slight spoiler), it is revealed that she is not nefarious but beholden to a dark force in order to provide medical care for her single mother. 

I know that much of this plot may sound a bit "afterschool special," but I think that the drama is pulled off very well here. All the characters seem very real, and their plights are moving. What is more, I really liked the action and suspense woven throughout the narrative. Although the ending came a bit too quickly for me, this book is compelling because of its strong characterizations. I would love to see more adventures with these characters by these creators.

This book was written by Kate Karyus Quinn and Demitria Lunetta and drawn by Maca Gil. Quinn and Lunetta have written all sorts of works, in young adult as well as other categories. I think they have written a very good plot that was imbued with dynamism and life by Gil, who is a storyboard artist and illustrator. Her artwork is one of the highlights of the book, adding much energy and emotion to the story. All three creators speak about their work on this book in this interview. This other interview with them all is also quite good.

All of the reviews I have read about this book have been positive. Ray Goldfield called it "one of the most charming and original superhero stories to come out of DC in a long time." Krysta wrote, "It deals with important issues without ever getting too dark and, perhaps more importantly, never feels too childish." Publishers Weekly stated, "Gil’s expressive characterization and thoughtful use of color create a distinctly cinematic feel, akin to that of an animated series."

Anti/Hero was published by DC Comics, and they offer more info about it here.

Best Friends

Best Friends is the follow-up to Real Friends, a very well-received, well-reviewed graphic memoir about the ups and downs of elementary school friendships. In this book, things get even more complicated when Shannon gets to sixth grade, the final grade of elementary school. Her friendships seem to carry higher stakes, as the oldest girls in school become the most popular and also have the most power to level at outliers and less social children. 

Being in the popular group brings its own pressures, and things get weird when some of her friends start doing things to purposely test Shannon's loyalty and trustworthiness. Also, she does not seem to watch the same TV shows or listen to the same music they do, which makes her feel out of touch and uncool. And on top of everything else, some of the friends start hitting puberty and turning their attentions to boys in complicated, often confusing ways.

Not only is Shannon dealing with a lot of moving parts in terms of school, friends, and gender politics, she also has to deal with her own struggles with anxiety. These manifest in stomachaches, very dark thoughts (about loved ones dying or her house burning down), and OCD tendencies, and they also hinder her confidence. One of her coping mechanisms is to channel her feelings into her creative writing, here a story of Princess Alexandra who finds a magic jewel with mysterious powers. She is quite imaginatively playful in general, an aspect of her personality that the popular girls just don't seem to get.

By the end of the book, and the onset of middle school, she learns more about what works for her and what satisfies her in terms of friendships and future aspirations. Not everything ends in tidy fashion, and I appreciated the attention paid to a realistic portrait of a young person's emotional life. I think that there is much here for younger (and even older) readers to relate to and even find solace in.

This book is another collaboration between author Shannon Hale and artist LeUyen Pham. The back pages of the book feature a lot of information about them and how they collaborate, and they seem like they are having a blast working together. Hale is a prolific children's book and YA author, and she has a few graphic novels under her belt, too, including Rapunzel's Revenge and Calamity Jack. Pham has drawn a good number of children's books, including The Bear Who Wasn't There, and has worked with Hale before on a series of The Princess in Black books. Both creators speak about their work on Best Friends in this interview.

All of the reviews I have read about this book have been positive. In a starred review, Kirkus Reviews called the book "insightful, introspective, and important." Sam Wildman opined, "I can relate to almost every panel on every page and I know young readers will feel the same." Ayla Jaganjac wrote that it was "amazing."

Best Friends was published by First Second, and they offer a preview and more about it here. The third book in this series, Friends Forever, (about life in 8th grade) is due out in August.

Class Act

New Kid was a landmark book, the first graphic novel to win the Newbery Award. This follow-up is called a "companion" to that book, because it is not so much a sequel as it is a continuation of the story. It still follows the life of Jordan Banks, now in his second year at Riverdale Academy Day School, a very sheltered private school in the Bronx. Jordan still wants to be an artist and is struggling with his parents about applying to an arts-focused school. But this book also takes a larger focus on his classmate Drew Ellis, one of the the other African-American students at RAD, who has a different set of concerns.

Just like with New Kid, Drew deals with the subtle and overt sorts of racism that pervade life at RAD. He is more athletic and popular than Jordan, though he won't go out for the basketball team because he does not want to be seen as a stereotype. He also has relationship issues, as he gets a girlfriend named Ashley, who tries to impress him with a constant stream of baked goods. She keeps baking him sweet potato pies, which makes him uneasy because it's well intended but also racist. She, and other kids, insist on touching his hair, which really makes him uneasy when they totally ignore his telling them not to. 

Drew also gets singled out to lead a tour of students from their new "sister school" Cardinal De Bard Junior High School in the south Bronx, because he "looks more" like the students there. This makes him pause because it's a place close by Jordan's house, so he would seem to be a better choice, but the teacher organizing this relationship (a white man) thinks that the visitors will be more comfortable with the darker-skinned Drew. 

This theme of exchange runs throughout the book, first in the school visit, but later when Jordan and Drew visit the home of their ultra-rich classmate Liam over the Thanksgiving break. Liam's house is huge, he owns all the video games, and his family insists on eating weird, overly-crunchy flatbread pizza, so the two boys feel like they are in a different world. They also wonder if they could ever truly be friends with someone whose life is so different from their own. Later still, Liam visits Jordan's house, eats a variety of different sorts of food, and gets to hang out with other kids at the local rec center. Although all the boys live in the same borough, it seems like they live in different worlds, though they start to learn to appreciate where the other is from. 

What is impressive about this book is how well it brings out issues of race in relatable and moving ways that are not utterly overt or didactic. Part of this characteristic lays in the artwork, which is colorful and inviting. It also rewards fans of comics and graphic novels, with chapter breaks that reference popular books like This Was Our Pact, Hey Kiddo, and Real Friends as well as other popular media. This book is fun, full of visual puns (especially with local businesses and signage) and witty repartee that make the book feel human and realistic. I particularly like Jordan and Drew's game of calling each other by different, inventive names, a playful way of addressing the fact that many of the teachers at the school constantly confuse them or forget their names. And the supporting cast is very strong, from the frequently misguided teachers at RAD to the pesky Andy, who tries too hard to fit in, to the fantastic Alexandra, a strange and wise girl who definitely walks to the beat of her own drummer. Dispensing wisdom from a hand puppet, she is the Yoda/Silent Bob of this book, and one of my favorites because she appears so comfortable with who she is.

In many ways, this is a book about experiences in middle school, full of big questions and the unease of finding one's way in the world. Certainly, today that also includes navigating systems of institutionalized inequality and racism. And it is not utterly dismissive about what it satirizes, even the consistently tone-deaf attempts by the RAD administration to address racism. It offers no pat answers, but it does put human faces to this very important conversation.

Jerry Craft wrote and drew this book. In addition to New Kid, he has drawn multiple children's books and graphic novels, mostly based on his comic strip Mama's Boyz. He speaks extensively about his work on Class Act in this interview.

All of the reviews I have read of this book have been positive. Esther Keller advised, "Librarians should stock up on as many copies as they can." Kirkus Reviews gave it a starred review that concluded (with a pun even!), "A well-Crafted, visually rich, truth-telling tale for our troubled times that affirms the eternal importance of friends." In another starred review, Publishers Weekly wrote, "Deftly weaving discussions of race, socioeconomics, colorism, and solidarity into an accessible narrative, Craft offers a charming cast journeying through the complicated landscapes of puberty, self-definition, and changing friendships, all while grappling with the tensions of attending an institution that structurally and culturally neglects students of color."

Class Act was published by Quill Tree Books, and they offer a teachers guide and more info about it here.

Isle of Elsi, Book 1: The Dragon's Librarian

I am going to be brief: The Isle of Elsi was a delight to read. I have not read such a fun book in a while. It features puns, clever word play, a weird wizard, a feisty dragon, and a plucky protagonist who just won my heart. Even the two young Mulch brothers who bully him and steal his lunch (when he remembers to bring it to school) turn out to be interestingly nuanced characters. I am so glad that I heeded whomever's Tweet I read that suggested this book. It was so much fun. Go buy it now. Or go check out the webcomic version and then go buy this volume. It's totally worth it.

The plot revolves around a boy named Rex Jargon, Jr. or R.J., Jr., as he likes to be called (palindromes are a common theme in this book - just check out the title). He has a penchant for puns that gets him in trouble at school and also gets him fired from a job he really needs. Ten years ago, his father left on a quest to stop a dragon from destroying their town. He was apparently successful, but mysteriously never returned. In his absence, the town declared him a hero. However, when this book begins, the dragon returns, and R. J., Jr. takes it upon himself to vanquish it and also learn what happened to his dad. His quest takes him to all sorts of strange places, and the way that he eventually solves these mysteries is clever and wonderfully fulfilling.

The artwork in this book is clear and colorful. Characters' emotions and reactions are fantastically rendered, and the action is well paced and suspenseful. I also appreciated the preponderance of wordplay that complements the artwork and makes the whole enterprise joyful and entertaining. I am looking forward to following R. J., Jr.'s further adventures as well as future volumes in this series.

This book was created by Alec Longstreth, an Ignatz Award winning artist. He's created a few series and comics, most notably the autobiographical Phase Seven Comics. He speaks about his works and career, including the beginnings of the Isle of Elsi in this interview.

All of the reviews I've read of this book have been full of praise. Sean and Derek called the webcomic "one of the most best place to order levitra online impressive that they’ve discussed on the show," and added, "Not only are the art and storytelling top-notch, but the design of the website is a big draw, as well." Heidi MacDonald wrote, "The writing is a bit sharper than the art, but it all goes together in a delightful way."There are more reviews at Goodreads, where the book has a 4.70 (out of 5) star rating as of this writing.

The Dragon's Librarian was published by Phase Seven Comics, and there is a preview and more info about it here. Current episodes of the webcomic can be found here. And you can also check out his Patreon page and give him some support.

Invisible Emmie

Invisible Emmie is a book I missed when it came out a few years ago, and I've noticed a few folks reading it so I decided to check it out. It is a look at a couple of disparate 13-year-olds whose lives intersect due to a misplaced note. Emmie is quiet and stressed, going through her school day trying not to be noticed or draw attention to herself. She tends to express herself by drawing. Personally, I found her a very relatable protagonist.

This is the beginning of Emmie's story.

Katie is confident and popular, and she seems to get along with everyone in very positive ways. She is athletic, gets good grades, and finds success with whatever she sets out to do. She is very kind, too, and I found it refreshing that she was not portrayed as a mean girl.

Meet Katie!

As you can see, the ways their stories were told puts them even more in contrast, with Emmie's more introspective, text-heavy in the style of illustrated books like Diary of a Wimpy Kid and Katie's side of things depicted colorfully in comics format.

Both girls are in many classes together, both like the same boy named Tyler, but they do not have many interactions. Tyler asks Katie to be his girlfriend, which puts more of a damper on Emmie. One day, Emmie and the one friend she can be herself with, Brianna, write silly, over-the-top love notes to their crushes to entertain themselves. Somehow, Emmie's note to Tyler falls out of her binder and gets picked up by the class prankster, Joe, who makes sure that lots of people see it. Katie actually jumps in to check in on Emmie, and from there the two young women's lives go through some rapid twists and changes. I won't spoil things, but I found what happened to be quite compelling and interesting, a fun twist on teenage drama.

This book was created by Terri Libenson, a Reuben Award winning cartoonist honored in 2016 for her ongoing strip The Pajama Diaries. In addition to collections of that strip, she has also published two books spinning off from Invisible Emmie, Positively Izzy and Just Jaime, which are also best-sellers. She speaks more about her inspirations for the Emmie books in this interview.

The reviews I have read about this book have been positive. Publishers Weekly wrote, "A well-executed twist will have readers flipping back to see what they missed while cheering the strides made by Libenson’s no-longer-invisible heroine." School Library Journal's verdict was "A highly relatable middle grade drama. Recommended for most collections." Kirkus Reviews was more lukewarm on the book, summing up, "Classic middle school themes come alive, but they fail to really go anywhere."

Invisible Emmie was published by Balzer + Bray, and they offer a sample and more about it here.

Red Panda & Moon Bear

Red Panda & Moon Bear is a delightful book. It features a unique Latinx sister/brother superhero team. Both wear hoodies, Red Panda's giving her the strength of ten red pandas. Moon Bear possesses a magic crystal that he wields in a special gauntlet. Together, they defend their neighborhood from various menaces and solve mysteries. They face evil dogs, a ghost in a library, ice cream monsters, a nightmare, shape-shifting monsters from another galaxy, disappearing buildings, and scary trees.

Their adventures are fun and inventive, and I appreciate how they get through various situations not only by using their wits and sometimes their fists, but also by being empathetic and talking things through. They show that kindness and understanding can be effective for dealing with others and finding solutions to various dilemmas.

This book is fantastical in the best kind of way, with cool sci-fi, fantasy, and superhero elements woven throughout 11 chapters. And I love RP and MB's sense of adventure and cleverness. I think that perhaps the highest praise I have for the book is that I read it with my three-year-old, and he did not want to put it down. He not only insisted I keep reading each chapter, he even took it with him in his wagon when we went for a walk around our neighborhood. This book is enchanting!

When I asked him what he liked about it, he told me, "There's a mystery." "It's a little bit scary." And "I like Red Panda and Moon Bear (the characters)." So, there's something for everyone!

This book's creator Jarod Roselló is an artist, researcher, and educator who teaches creative writing at the University of South Florida. Although this book is his first for younger readers, he has published the graphic novel The Well-Dressed Bear Will (Never) Be Found as well as a bunch of shorter pieces. He has another graphic novel called Those Bears in the works for publication. He speaks about his work in this interview.

I was not able to locate many reviews of this book, but the ones I found were very positive. Cassie at Teachers Who Read called it "a perfect addition to the graphic novels in my classroom." It currently has a 4.71 (out of 5) star rating at Goodreads.

Red Panda & Moon Bear was published by Top Shelf Productions, and they offer a preview and much more here.

Making Friends

I am taking this month to highlight some of the titles I read for the Excellence in Graphic Literature Awards presented earlier this month at the Denver Pop Culture Con. Making Friends was a book I was excited to read because I had read a couple of titles by its author Kristen Gudsnuk in recent years. It takes its title literally, because it is about a teenage girl named Danielle who inherits a sketchbook from her great-aunt. Normally, this is not out of the ordinary, but it turns out the sketchbook is magical and can bring to life anything drawn in its pages. Danielle (Dany for short) is into anime, which takes an unfortunate turn as one of the first things she draws is the head of Prince Neptune, an evil alien overlord. Luckily, it only being a head makes it concealable, but (spoiler) it eventually figures out a way to wreak havoc.

Where this book really takes an intriguing turn is when the isolated Dany uses it to create a popular newcomer to her school, Madison Fontaine, to be her best friend and change her social status. Dany's plan has lots of unexpected wrinkles, biggest of which is that Madison becomes cognizant of being a fictional creation with no real family or home. Also, her being under Dany's control brings on some dark overtones. On top of this bunch of strange social dynamics, Dany also has to contend with and foil the evil plans of Prince Neptune, which brings a huge, unexplained catastrophe to town.

I found Making Friends to be a fun book that turned my plot expectations on their heads. It features interesting characters and a good amount of suspense. I was also impressed by how it made this magical premise work with "real world" repercussions. My only gripe would be that I felt that ending seemed a bit rushed in terms of the whole narrative, but overall I felt the book was exceptionally good.

Like I noted before, it is the creation of Kristen Gudsnuk, who has also created a couple of titles Henchgirl and Modern Fantasy I have enjoyed. Her artwork is expressive and features lots of little gags peppered throughout, which I found to be a funny and rewarding bonus. She speaks about her various works in this interview.

Making Friends was published by Scholastic Graphix, and they offer more info about it here. And good news for those who like me who like this book: it's getting a sequel.

The publisher provided a review copy.

New Kid

New Kid was recommended to me by fellow graphic novel aficionado Zach Barnes, and I am glad he turned me onto it. It is a rare book, in its view of a scholarship student going to a private school. Riverdale Academy Day School is a launching pad for success, and Jordan Banks's parents decide it is the best way for him to go. He's African-American, which puts in him in the minority at that new school, and he's really unsure if he belongs for many reasons. First, he wants to be an artist, and he feels that art school might be a better path for him. Second, he's from a family with modest means, and most of the students at RADS are super-rich patricians, some of whom have legacies there.

What really stood out to me about this book was how it depicted Jordan's various plights with humor, heart, and nuance. His parents want what is best for him, although they also have their disagreements about this situation. Jordan has to navigate a new space while dealing with racial and class issues. People often do not speak to him, and when they do they call him by the wrong name. Furthermore, he has to make new friends while also maintaining his relationships at home and making sense of both worlds. In part this struggle is embodied by the subtle transformations he makes each day as his dress and demeanor change over the course of the long bus ride to school. He has to assume several identities and navigate multiple realities, which this book shows in a way that drives home what many young people have to do in order to get by on a daily basis.

The book is laid out in multiple chapters, episodes that follow him across the school year. There are multiple plot threads, and overall I'd say the narrative is more observational than dramatic. But those observations are sharp, astute, and often heartfelt. I also very much enjoyed the sequences where we get to see Jordan's artwork and its humorous commentary on his life in and out of school. All of the characters are interesting and well portrayed as individuals who I enjoyed getting to know the over the course of the book, and I'd love to have another opportunity to revisit them in a sequel. I feel that this book has much to offer as food for thought and also as a keen and emotional look at teen life. It is excellent for reading and re-reading, and I cannot recommend it enough.

Jerry Craft wrote and drew this book. He has drawn multiple children's books and graphic novels in the past, and he is known for his work on Mama's Boyz, both as a comic strip and in four books. This article sheds light on his work on New Kid, as does this interview.

Every review I have read about this book has been glowing. Elizabeth Bird summed up, "More than just the sum of its parts, Craft has created a book with guts, that kids will want to read multiple times. Funny, whip smart stuff." Victoria Jamieson called it "tender and tough, funny and heartbreaking." Kirkus Reviews gave it a starred review that concluded, "An engrossing, humorous, and vitally important graphic novel that should be required reading in every middle school in America." Publishers Weekly also gave it a starred review that ended, "This engaging story offers an authentic secondary cast and captures the high jinks of middle schoolers and the tensions that come with being a person of color in a traditionally white space."

New Kid was published by HarperCollins, and they offer an audio excerpt, teacher guide, and more info here.