Deadendia: The Watcher's Test

Deadendia is a tough book to describe, but an utterly enjoyable one to read. It is about Barney, who has left home and seeks refuge (and a job) as a janitor in a horror-themed amusement park called Dead End. His boss (and friend) Norma is ornery but caring, and he is also accompanied by his faithful dog Pugsley. The beginning parts of this book read sort of like a work-centric sitcom, with petty squabbles and personal drama where Barney and Logs (the guy who runs the log flume ride) may or may not start dating. Then, things take a Buffy the Vampire Slayer type turn, and they learn that the park is actually a portal to hell.

From here, things get really weird with ghosts, demons, time-travelers, and glimpses of an apocalyptic future. I loved the twists and turns of the plot, even when things get a bit hairy and complicated. This book was a delight, because of its various fantasy adventures balanced well with strong characters and emotive moments. In particular, the sections where we learn about Barney's gender identity as well as why he is currently homeless because of his relationship with his family ground everything emotionally and in reality.

I brought up BTVS earlier, and it is one of my favorite shows ever. The highest compliment I can pay this book is that it brought up similar sensations as a read it. I liked how the trip of main characters interact, and I thought that there adventures were well balanced in terms of being entertaining but also raising real stakes. This book was an enchanting amusement, full of bold characters, vibrant artwork, fun plotting, and well designed demons and monsters.

Deadendia is the creation of Hamish Steele who first got on my radar for his hilarious and profane debut graphic novel Pantheon. He is a freelance animation director and illustrator from London, UK, and this book began as a pitch for an animated series (you can see the episode here). You can read more about his early visions of this series in this interview.

All of the reviews I have read about this book have been positive. Amanda MacGregor described it as "sweet, funny, and enjoyably, delightfully weird. " Publishers Weekly wrote, "A Steven Universe–like aesthetic and a full palette of bold, contrasting colors grace a diverse cast of characters (attendant pronouns specified), from trans haunted-house janitor Barney to hijabi carnival-attraction operator Badyah." Kirkus Reviews summed it up as "a wild ride."

Deadendia was published by NoBrow Press, and they offer a preview and more here. Those who like to read online can find the original and updated webcomics here.

Also, the second book in this series just came out. I am excited to check it out!

The Crossover

This book is an adaptation of the 2015 Newbery Award-winning novel, and it relies heavily on text language. Most likely this is due to preserving the verse from the source material, but I still feel it is a very engaging and moving book. Its main character is 12-year-old Josh Bell, the star basketball player on his junior high basketball team. He is very confident and flashy, wearing his hair in dreads. He revels in the attention he gets from his athletic prowess. He is also influenced heavily by hip-hop culture, and his voice is full of flavor and verve, as you can see from how he introduces himself in this book.

Josh plays along with his twin brother Jordan (JB), and the two of them are very close until a new student (whom he calls "Miss Sweet Tea") complicates their relationship. He seeks advice on how to deal from his dad, a former professional basketball player, and less so from his mom, who is the vice-principal at their school. All of these relationships have there own tensions, which make for all sorts of drama and intrigue that get heaped on top of the ups and downs of individual games and the competitive season.

I found this book to be very engrossing and affecting. The artwork was very expressive, and I loved its interplay with text. The expressions and actions are very clear, and the storytelling is able to go between the bombastic aspects of athletic competition as well as more quiet moments of reflection or emotional responses. Sometimes adaptations of novels can be done in a loose or quick fashion, but I this one is very thoughtful and successful. I have not read the source material, but this book really left an impression on me as I could not put it down.

This book was written by Kwame Alexander and illustrated by Dawud Anyabwile. Alexander is a best-selling author of over 30 books, including Booked and Out of Wonder. Anyabwile is a veteran artist who is best known for the Brotherman series of graphic novels.

All of the reviews I have read of this book have been positive. Marissa Moss concluded, "This is a graphic novel for people who don't like graphic novels, a sports book for readers who don't like sports books. It's a strong story that breaks through genres, well told through a magical combination of words and pictures." In a starred entry, Kirkus Reviews summed up, "Flashy and engaging with emotional depth—a slam-dunk thrill." Esther Keller wrote, "I think that visual learners will absolutely love this adaptation, and I will be highly recommending it to students — even if I can’t categorize it as standard."

The Crossover was published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, and they offer a video preview and more info about it here.

For those interested in hearing more of the novel, author Kwame Alexander read the book aloud during this time of self-quarantine and "shelter in place," and you can find each update on his Twitter feed.

Benny and Penny in Just Pretend

Just Pretend is the first book in the Benny and Penny book series, aimed at younger readers. They are young mice, with Benny being the older brother to little sister Penny. In this book Benny tries to avoid playing with Penny, because he wants to play pirate by himself. He keeps telling her that she's too little and afraid to hang out with him, but over the course of this book (spoiler) he turns out to be a fraidy cat who needs his little sister to rescue him.

This book was a joy to read, and both of my sons (ages 2 and 4) have wanted to read it multiple times. The illustrations bring to mind classic children's book characters; they are adorable and full of expression and life. The situations, like a brother trying to trick his sister to take or nap or get her to play hide and seek, then "forgetting" to seek her, are relatable and familiar. I've not read other books in the series, but now I just may have to.

This book's author, Geoffrey Hayes wrote over 50 books for children over his career. His first love was comics, though, and he published six Benny and Penny books toward the end of his life. He spoke about his career and work on Benny and Penny in this interview.

All the reviews I have read of this book have sung its praises. In a starred review, Publishers Weekly wrote, "Jazzy, multipanel layouts add a contemporary dimension to simply worded episodes about an eager younger sister and standoffish brother who relish their rivalry more than they admit." Greg McElhatton praised the artwork, "His colored pencils are just gorgeous to look at, rich in detail and shading, and his mice are nothing short of adorable." Usha Reynolds concluded, " Hayes has created a thoroughly charming and witty book that begs to be read over and over again."

Just Pretend was published by TOON Books, and they offer a preview and more info here.

Guts

For YA graphic novel fans, Raina Telgemeier is a superstar author. Her books like Smile and Drama are omnipresent in schools, bookstores, libraries, and book club catalogs. She is also a multiple award winner, and her works are consistently at the top of sales charts. Her two prior memoirs dealt with her relationships, mainly with friends and family. They have been some of her strongest and most well received books, and this third one Guts gets even more personal and insightful as she tackles a personal demon that many avoid discussing: dealing with anxiety.

It starts with a seeming bout of illness and nausea, but over time Raina gradually learns that her gastrointestinal and mental states have profound effects on each other. This manifests in bouts of self-doubt, confusion, and isolating herself, all of which form a negative feedback loop. Increasingly unsure of how to deal, and with some support from her parents, she eventually starts seeing a therapist who helps her recognize and deal with the circumstances,

Much of what makes this book successful is just how frank and candid it is about the issues, and it certainly benefits from Telgemeier's time getting perspective on her own life. Additionally, the clean and vibrant illustrations help convey the whole enterprise in a powerful and direct way. This is a book of powerful emotions and feelings, and it conveys them all seamlessly. Perhaps the best comparison I have seen for her style is with Lynn Johnston, the creator of the long-running comic strip For Better, For Worse. That strip could transition from drama to humor to poignant moments and still pack a wallop, just like Telgemeier's works can. Part of what I think makes Telgemeier's work so popular, in my opinion, is that she flat out makes high-octane comics.

All of the reviews I have seen about this book have been positive. Kirkus Reviews concluded, "With young readers diagnosed with anxiety in ever increasing numbers, this book offers a necessary mirror to many." Michael Cavna remarked that one of the big positives about this book was that it "should prove to be a conversation-starter between children and adults." Scott Stossel stated that "this book’s warmth, humanity and humor — it ends with a sonorous and well-earned fart — provides a balm more soul-soothing than any pill." Irene Velentzas wrote, "It is Telgemeier’s mastery of the comics form that lends work like Guts its universal appeal, its widespread popularity, and makes her work highly deserving of sustained attention and further critical inquiry."

Guts was published by Scholastic, and they offer a PDF preview and more here.

Astronauts: Women on the FInal Frontier

Jim Ottaviani and Maris Wicks are two of the best graphic novel creators who work in the arena of science. They collaborated years ago on Primates, which is one of my favorite books about biology, and here they combine forces again to chronicle the history of women and space flight. They chose to do it through the eyes of Mary Cleave, a veteran of two Space Shuttle flights, which I think gives the whole enterprise a specific and detailed account that makes everything more personal and engaging, even funny at times.

Cleave was involved for a good while with NASA, and so she had all sorts of information about the prerequisites for being an astronaut, the laborious application process, and the intense training program. Along the way, we are privy to info about how astronauts go to the bathroom in space, how they eat, and how they learn to live together in the confinements of their vehicles. I really like how the science here is well balanced with mundane features of space travel. And I got a good look into the workings of the Space Shuttle program as well.

Those looking for general information about women astronauts will also not be disappointed. Even with all the specificity, this book is chock full of other information, including a look at the Soviet space program and Valentina Tereshkova, the first woman to go to space (in 1963!). It took a long while for the US to involve women as astronauts in the space program, mainly due to sexism and relatively few women trained as pilots or engineers. And we get insight into this era also.

The artwork is very attractive and colorful. This book features strongly rendered characters as well as lots of technical details. Emotions shine through well, and we also get to see all the buttons, gadgets, and other doo-dads in clear fashion. It is a substantive and entertaining book that I could see being used for lots of purposes, in a classroom as well as for a free reading choice for the science-curious.

In addition to their collaboration on Primates, these creators have a sizable corpus of science-themed books. Ottaviani has written a number of great graphic novels about scientific inquiry including ones about the early days of paleontology, the space race, physicist Niels Bohr, women science pioneers, and the biographies Hawking and Feynman. Wicks tends to focus mainly on biological topics like Coral Reefs and Human Body Theater.

All of the reviews I have read of this book have been glowing. It received starred reviews from Kirkus Reviews and Publishers Weekly. KR summed it up, "Exhilarating—as well as hilarious, enraging, or both at once depending on the reader." PW remarked positively on Cleave's "colloquial storytelling, humorous observations, and asides are highlights—Wicks and Ottaviani skillfully capture Cleave’s infectious enthusiasm up to the last page." Corey S. Powell wrote, "Its only real shortcoming is that the book leaves you wanting more; fortunately, it ends with a helpful bibliography and list of resources."

Astronauts was published by First Second, and they a preview and much more here.

Noisemakers: 25 Women Who Raised Their Voices & Changed the World

Noisemakers is an impressive collection of stories, 25 mini-biographies of notable women who have left profound marks on the world. This project was accomplished by 25 different creators, who were all women or non-binary, which adds a unique take on these accounts as well. The book is divided into six sections (Grow, Tinker, Play, Create, Rally, and Explore) that cast a light on scientists, inventors, athletes, artists, activists, and explorers. Some of the figures, like Hedy Lamarr, Frida Kahlo, and Rosa Parks are well known, but there are others, like Emily Warren Roebling, Madam C.J. Walker, and Junko Tabei that I knew little or nothing about beforehand (and shame on me!). I think they did a great job of covering a wide array of people and nationalities, and even though this book is aimed at younger readers I feel it is also an informative introduction to older ones.

The artwork in this volume covers as wide a range of pallettes as it does subjects. Some, like Shauna Grant's take on Maya Angelou, are more manga-inspired and cartoonish. Others, like Rebecca Mock's account of Ida Lewis, hew a little more to reality. I think all of the stories are extremely well illustrated, and the worst thing I can say about this book is that some seem more fleeting and slight than others. 8 pages is not a lot of space to work with, and some of the entries are more dense, in terms of panels and information, than others. Still, this is a great book full of excellent stories. It's a wonderful introduction to these women and a jumping off point for those seeking out further reading.

The mix of creators in this book is admirable, with more seasoned creators as well as new faces. For me, the most notable entries were Emil Ferris's bio of Mary Shelley, Lucy Knisley's look at Julia Child, Molly Brooks's tale of Kate Warne, and Jackie Roche's account of Nellie Bly. But there is not a clunker in the bunch. More context about the book and the process of making it can be found in this interview with editor Erin Bried.

The reviews I have read of this book have been positive. Kate Sánchez called it "a great graphic novel with beautiful and important stories." Nicole Drum wrote that it "may be geared towards young readers, but anyone can pick this up and not only be entertained and inspired, but perhaps even learn something, too." Publishers Weekly called it a "tasting menu of short biographical comics...[that] serves up enticing bits of history for an array of readers with varying interests."

Noisemakers was published by Alfred A. Knopf, and they offer more info about it here.

Clyde

People looking for lessons learned or personal growth would need to look elsewhere, but if you are looking for an inventive book that will make you laugh Clyde is for you. Clyde is a bear from Cubville, and he fancies himself a bad guy. He wants to move to Grizzly City, where life is way tougher and more suited to a "bad guy," but he soon finds out that might not be the place for him.

Probably not the best way to fit in with the locals...

Along the way he makes friends with a surprisingly tough butterfly named Melissa Sue. He also runs afoul of some fish and has to spring his dear old grandmother from fish jail. Clyde goes from place to place without much purpose, but he keeps finding himself in interesting (and funny) situations. Part of what makes this book work is its sense of surreality.  It's got its own logic, with Clyde being a bear, his grandmother a turtle, and his brother an invertebrate. Also, the dialogue and situations are quite inventive, full of character, and snappy. There is also a heavy dose of gross-out humor, mostly fart and booger related, but I have to say I found most of those parts pretty funny, too. And I'm an adult.

As you can see from the excerpt, the artwork is pretty straightforward and uncluttered, with great expression and energy. This book, like its title character, is brash and bombastic. It has its edginess, but it's more on the side of good than bad.

This book was authored by Jim Benton, who is best known as the creator of Happy Bunny. He has published a variety of humor comics, which you can check out here, and also has a made a few series books, starring characters named Catwad and Victor Shmud. He speaks more about his work on Clyde in this interview.

All of the reviews I have read of this book have been positive. Stephen Thompson "was surprised at how genuinely funny Clyde and his friends could be, even for grown-ups." Jennie Frencham wrote in School Library Journal that it featured "mildly naughty humor, a sly wit, and bright, adorably crude artwork." Rachel wrote, "It was short and sweet, but such a page turner."

Clyde was published by Yoe Books, and they offer a preview and much more here.