This Fall: A New Graphic Novel from Matt Phelan

 

 

Bluffton: My Summers with Buster by Matt Phelan

As with his two previous books, Phelan bases Bluffton on actual events. In this case, the childhood summers of actor, filmmaker, and comedian Buster Keaton. Keaton and his family summered by a lake in Michigan, where he and his fellow vaudevillians pulled pranks, told rousing stories, and played lots of baseball. Through the eyes of Henry, a normal turn-of-the-century boy, readers are introduced to Buster's early life and the magic of summers in which the circus came right to one's door. Phelan's sprightly line and fluid watercolor captures the exuberant movements of his characters and the glowing light of summer. Those who enjoy Phelan's past work or historical fiction and teachers shifting to the Common Core will want to snag a copy! 

*Unfortunately, the digital review copy was in black and white and the final print version will be in full-color. I'll have to pick up a copy when it pubs! 

From Sarah Stewart & David Small

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The Quiet Place by Sarah Stewart, illustrated by David Small
We all remember our first refrigerator box. The one that become a space ship, house, or train. In The Quiet Place, Isabel uses the boxes left over from birthday presents to build a quiet place all her own, one that provides security and a way to capture her old home in Mexico. The text is comprised of Isabel's letters to her Aunt Lupita back in Mexico. She uses these letters to practice her English and share the interesting new words she collects. David Small's illustrations add much to the text and his colors and energetic lines capture movement and emotion. As Isabel learns English and gains friends, growing more secure in her new environment, her quiet place mirrors the change, accepting friends and neighbors and their joyous singing. Young children will recognize Isabel's need to create her own space while older children will glimpse the larger implications of being a new immigrant in the 1950s. Like many of Sarah Stewart & David Small's books, The Quiet Place is sure to garner attention and awards.

Remember how great Grave Mercy was?

Dark Triumph by Robin LaFevers
I devoured Gravy Mercy, the first in Robin LaFever's His Fair Assassin Series. Dark Triumph is even better and you don't have to read Grave Mercy to plunge in. At the convent for the daughters of Death, Sybella not only learned an assassin's skills, but healed from her life. When her training was complete, the nuns sent Sybella back to the house she grew up in-- back to her terrifying father and conniving brothers. At home, there's no one she can trust and her only enjoyment comes from delivering justice-- that is until her fate is changed by the only good person in her father's house, his most prized prisoner. Sybella's story is dark and thrilling and fans of Tamora Pierce or Melina Marchetta's Finnikin of the Rock will not be disappointed.

New Terry Pratchett

 
Dodger by Terry Pratchett
Terry Pratchett weaves together mystery, fantasy, and history into a dark and humorous novel set in an alternative Victorian London. This rags to riches story features Dodger, a tosher who makes his living finding things in the sewers. Out one night, Dodger hears men beating a young woman and intervenes, rescuing her. The act will change his life forever and is the first in a series of events that bring Dodger to the attention of a Mr. Charles Dickens, newspaper man. Mr. Dickens is one of many borrowed characters to appear in Dodger, and I found myself greeting each one with delight. Readers intimidated by Pratchett's Discworld novels may find Dodger is the perfect introduction to Pratchett's many books.

Incredible.

 
Sailor Twain or The Mermaid in the Hudson by Mark Siegel
First Second, Macmillan
Siegal has an incredible ability to combine realistic drawings with stylized characters, yet make them feel of the same world. Twain captains the riverboat Lorelei, owned by the Frenchman Lafayette, who never leaves the boat. Lafayette's brother went missing not long ago and ever since Lafayette has been pursuing women and corresponding with the author of "Secrets and Mysteries of the River Hudson." Lafayette's particular interest is mermaids. When Twain finds a wounded mermaid, he doesn't know whom to trust, or who's already involved. The story shifts between past and present, mythology mixing with life on a riverboat. Siegal crafts a complex story with twists, turns and revelations you won't see coming. The result is nothing short of a masterpiece.

Splendors & Glooms by Laura Amy Schlitz
Clara's four siblings died when she was little and their deaths still consume her family's house. Cassandra holds a powerful stone containing a magic fire that consumes her. Clara and Cassandra are drawn together by Grisini, whose skill at manipulating puppet strings carries over into manipulating people. Grisini's apprentices, Parsefall and Lizzie Rose, are pulled into the dark web as well, and the three children must find a way of manipulating their own strings before they find themselves completely tied up. Newbery Medal-winning Laura Amy Schlitz has crafted an intricate tale that will keep readers frantically turning pages as they try to discover what splendors and glooms await each character.

Wordless picturebook

Unspoken: A Story from the Underground Railroad by Henry Cole

Scholastic, November

Set during the Civil War, Unspoken follows a young girl as she discovers the secrets of her family's farm. Though we never see who is hiding in the hen house, the illustrations carry the protagonist's urgency to protect and care for whomever is using this stop on the underground railroad. Henry Cole's graphite illustrations capture details and carry powerful emotions. Though wordless, Henry has included an author's note at the end that tells his story and encourages readers to "write the words and make this story your own-- filling in all that has been unspoken." A wordless masterpiece on the underground railroad, Unspoken will appeal to those who pour over Brian Selznick's work.

Even though I'm not an animal person...

Kizzy Ann Stamps by Jeri Watts

Candlewick, August 14, 2012

Kizzy Ann Stamps speaks her mind. So when she's asked to send a letter to her new teacher at the formerly white school, Kizzy expresses her concerns at being one of the students integrating the school. But what starts as letters evolves into an extensive journal when school begins. With her teacher's encouragement, Kizzy pours her thoughts, problems, and puzzles onto the page. In addition to navigating the shifting social order at school, Kizzy worries about the glances her scar attracts, the neighbor boy who hangs around, and her collie, Shag. While writing gives her a chance to process the changes in her life, training Shag to be a herder gives her a purpose and the chance to make new friends. Jeri Watts has created a strong protagonist whose questions about race and friendship will inspire readers to consider the world around them. When you finish, you'll wish you had your own Shag to walk with you through life.

A Small Gem

The Vanishing Act by Mette Jakobsen

W.W. Norton, September 2012

This is a gem of a novel. Gorgeous imagery, philosophy, and art combine to make a novel that may be enjoyed by adults, teens, or precocious twelve year-olds. Minou lives on a small island, one that can be walked around in under an hour. In addition to Minou and her lighthouse, there is her father, a priest in the church, Boxman and his dog, No Name, in the barn, and, before she vanished, Minou's mother. One year ago Minou's mother disappeared. Though it is believed that she died, Minou knows she didn't- and can rationally prove it. Her father's devotion to philosophy and her mother's love of art and imagination combine in Minou. When a dead boy washes up on the shore, he brings with him the smell of oranges and questions both physical and philosophical. It will take both her understanding of philosophy and her mother's love of art and imagination for Minou to process the visitor.

Like Erin Morgenstern's The Night Circus, reading the The Vanishing Act is like peering into a snow globe. Though I can imagine what characters are thinking, I am removed from them, observing their strange, miniature world, my nose pressed right up against the glass. And like an intricate miniature, I want to carry this gem around, to peer into the world Mette Jakobsen has created whenever the mood strikes. The Vanishing Act doesn't disappear with the turn of the final page, but has stayed with me, alternately haunting and niggling my mind.

In the end, I wanted a little more information about the experiences Minou's parents had during the war and about where her mother might have gone. I think the postcard was a wonderful suggestion that Minou has found her philosophy, but I wanted it to (at least momentarily) enlighten her father, too. But despite these desires, I still adore the book and want a copy to carry in my pocket.

The Sequel to A Discovery of Witches (finally!)

Shadow of Night by Deborah Harkness

Viking (Penguin) July 10, 2012

Waiting for this book was excruciating- but after reading it, every moment spent waiting was worth it. When Diana and Matthew time-walk to Elizabethan London, Matthew thinks he has everything under control. But time has changed him, and surprises (and secrets) lurk. Harkness has woven history and magic together, complete with accurate portrayals of historical figures, artwork, and sciences. The result is a book as much for those who love historical fiction as fantasy or romance. As with A Discovery of Witches, Deborah Harkness's loving descriptions of manuscripts and magic are just as appealing as her descriptions of Matthew. Her knowledge of history and an ability to craft intricate plot makes Harkness the perfect writer for educated women looking for an escapist read (and the book makes a perfect post-finals gift).

Natalie Babbitt

The Moon Over High Street by Natalie Babbitt
Scholastic, March 2012 When his grandmother hurts herself, Joe is sent to stay with his aunt for the summer. Though he won't admit it, living with his aunt is pretty perfect, from pancakes for breakfast to the girl who lives across the street. But when an a local millionaire decides he wants to adopt Joe and make him the heir to his fortune, Joe will have to make a life-changing decision. The Moon over High Street, though a slender novel, holds within it some of the important lessons and realizations everyone faces. A great companion to Pie for readers interested in fun, 50s & 60s set summer vacation reads.

Beautiful picturebook using panels....

Laundry Day by Maurie J. Manning
Clarion, Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, April 2012

When a little shoe-shine boy finds a red scarf, he tries to return it to its' owner, climbing higher and higher up the fire escape of an apartment building in his search. On his way he meets immigrants from all over the world, and receives a friendly "hello" from each. Manning's use of graphic novel panels perfectly captures the movement of her busy story while dynamic angles allow readers to take in every aspect of the overwhelming city. Young reader's will be charmed by Manning's characters while a helpful "laundry List of Words" in the back of the book will introduce them to words from seven languages. Laundry Day is a wonderful exploration of American people and a celebration of a neighborhood.

Adult YA Crossover

The Scrapbook of Frankie Pratt by Caroline Preston
Ecco, HarperCollins,

This "novel in pictures" combines text with vintage photographs, advertisements, articles, and illustrations. It's a fun format, likely to appeal to those nostalgic for their own college days as well as current students at womens' colleges. Romance, fashion, and hints of more newsworthy history fill the pages of this colorful "grown-up" journal.

The year is 1920, the place New Hampshire, and Frankie Pratt is voted "Smartest Girl" of her senior class and offered a scholarship to Vassar. As a poor girl constantly observing those of money and influence, Frankie experiences her share of difficulties. However, her determination always comes through, bringing her to Greenwich Village and Paris on her journey to become an author and find love.

For those of us accustomed to selling children's books, an illustrated journal book is nothing new. However, Preston has created something for adults and teens while putting a new twist on the journal-book by collaging rather than drawing her imagery. A fun and fast read, The Scrapbook of Frankie Preston is an enjoyable romp through the flapper age.

Dead End in Norvelt

by Jack Gantos
MacMillian, September 13, 2011
Ages: 10-14
When Jack is grounded for the entire summer, it seems as though life is entirely ruined. His mother will only let him out of the house to help old Miss Volker, who writes the obituaries of original Norvelters and the "This Day in History" column for the local paper. This means no baseball, no rides in the plane his dad is fixing up, and no drive-in movies. But something fishy is going on in Norvelt; there's a surprising number of deaths (even for old ladies), someone is moving the houses to another town, and the Hells Angels have been spotted. History and mystery combine in this funny, sharp, narrative. Jack Gantos himself reads the audio and his Pennsylvania accent transports the listener directly to Norvelt. With it's historical content and perfect wit, Dead End in Norvelt would be a wonderful choice for classrooms and bookclubs, or a surprising and enjoyable read.

Around the World
by Matt Phelan
Candlewick, October 11, 2011
Many local teachers have been using graphic novelizations of classic stories in their classrooms. Phelan's Around the World, though fiction, is grounded in historical fact and quotes from primary sources, proving an exciting base for history lessons or a path to the exploration of non-fiction. Phelan's book presents three famous individuals who each circumnavigated in the world in his or own way: Thomas Steves by bicycle, Nellie Bly by ship and rail, and Joshua Slocum by sail boat. The pacing and speed of each journey are captured by the graphic novel lay-out, which serves to combine writing, image, maps, and other materials, each adding a layer to the reader's understanding of the journey. Sprightly line drawings and colorful washes capture the emotion and drive of each character, bringing a rush of thrilling speed to each adventure.

From the creator of Hugo Cabret....

comes pure and utter brilliance.
Wonderstruck
by Brian Selznick
Scholastic, September 13, 2011 (Pre-order from your favorite indie. Really, these will fly.)

Selznick expertly weaves together two stories, one told in pictures, and other in words. Ben's textual story begins in 1977, in Minnesota. An orphan living with his relatives, Ben collects interesting objects in a special box and dreams of wolves. Rose lives in New Jersey in 1927. She collects articles about actress Lillian Mayhew and crafts paper buildings. Lillian is deaf and takes joy in silent films, Ben is deaf in one ear and teased by his cousin.

Right from the beginning there are connections between the two. A drawing of a lightning bolt strikes through both stories, hitting Ben's textual story and Rose's visual one. A sign proclaiming "New York" breaks in as both characters, decades apart, enter the overwhelming city, both deaf it to its sounds, but not its striking visuals and pushing people. Selznick continually draws Rose and Ben together, their lives overlapping and passing--separated only by time. And then, at the height of Ben's adventure, he breaks from the written narrative into the drawn one in a stunning portrait, and the stories finally merge.

Like Rose and Ben, readers are pulled into a purely visual world, a story created exclusively through written and drawn imagery. Selznick's detailed illustrations possess secrets, references, and odes to visual and Deaf culture. Wonderstruck is not a book that should simply be read, rather poured over, considered, discussed, and shared.

A true masterpiece that will have readers, jumping, crying, signing, cheering, and writing, in an attempt to express the wonder that has stuck them.

Gut reaction to Okay for Now

Okay for Now by Gary Schmidt will be released by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt on April 5th, 2011. It follows Doug's life during the Vietnam war. Doug's oldest brother is in the army, his next oldest brother is a bully, and his father is the biggest bully of them all. When Doug's family moves to the Catskills, he seeks refuge in the library where he discovers a book of Audubon's birds. Though he protests that he is no artist, Doug itches to start drawing. Between Audubon's book and a delivery job for the local deli, Doug manages to have a life - an escape- from his family and it becomes his mission to retrieve the missing Audubon pages that the city has been selling off.

So I started Gary Schmidt's Okay for Now yesterday and finished it this morning. And it blew me away. Each aspect of the story was beautifully woven into the rest. Audubon's birds were incredibly effective at pulling together the story- effective due to the emotional descriptions paired with brief formal analysis (composition, balance, etc). I'm always interested to see how writers depict the visual arts; often they get it staggeringly wrong, but Schmidt manages to explain principals of design that can later be translated and expanded upon by Doug to explain other events in his life.

For the first half of the book I was a little worried that there would be too much depressing realism for me to deal with (the world has enough terrible things happening in it for me to constantly be reading about fictional ones as well) but I was intrigued by Mrs. Windermere (the eccentric playwright to who Doug delivers groceries) and honestly, I needed to know about the birds. Would the book be whole again? (Though I must say, having Doug create one of the pages was pretty obvious from early on.)

I like books with, if not a happy ending, at least a settled one. I love that Schmidt left the book so open-ended. Yes, he resolved aspects of Doug's life that need closure, but he also ended with hope tempered by the reality that sometimes, no matter what you want, things don't always turn out the way you want them. And no, I'm not giving you more information about the ending- I wouldn't want to ruin it for you, now would I?

Enola Holmes

Have I seriously neglected to mention Enola Holmes? Dear me, how utterly dreadful to have kept such wonders from you.

Last summer I went through a phase in which I listened to Sherlock Holmes as I worked. BBC radio dramas, the stories read aloud with and without supporting casts....if the library had it I grabbed it. When I exhausted my library's selection, I ventured into the middle grade section, hoping to catch up on middle grade novels published during my college years. I ran across an Enola Holmes mystery and was back the next day to grab all the audios they had. Katherine Kellgren reads for the audio versions and her voice is perfect- and that's not a word I generally like to use. The novels are written in the first person- we see the world through Enola's eyes. Kellgren's talents are wonderful and her voice as Enola's is captivating.

Enola Holmes (series)
by Nancy Springer
Enola Holmes is the younger sister of that most famous of detectives. Her name backwards is alone, which is important if you're the sort of person who believes in fate or destiny. When her mother mysteriously disappears, Mycroft and Sherlock descend upon the country house. Refusing to be sent to finishing school by Mycroft, Enola disguises herself and runs away to London where she solves her own cases while also managing to evade her brothers. Enola is a strong, intelligent character with sly sleuthing skills to rival Sherlock’s. A fast-paced period-perfect series of adventures. 12 & up.

On the Blue Comet

Rosemary Wells is known for her Max and Ruby picture books. However, come September she'll also be known as a middle grade author when Candlewick is releases On the Blue Comet.

Oscar Ogilvie lives with his father in Illinois. They lead a happy existence, working together on the model railroad set-up that overwhelms the basement. But the year is 1929 and when the stock market crashes and the Depression hits, Oscar's father is forced to sell the house and trains to travel to California to find work, leaving Oscar with his strict aunt and his younger cousin. Oscar manages to find some happiness when he visits his old trains at their new set-up in the bank. But when Oscar witnesses a robbery at the bank, the shock catapults him onto real versions of his beloved trains, and the beginning of his travels through time.

The historical backdrops of the novel may pass over the heads of some younger readers, but in the hands of the right teacher, the book could be used to examine an American child's life from the depression to WW II. And Wells has done her research. From period brand names to the mention of historical figures, On the Blue Comet is peppered with references to bygone times. Because of this, and the full-color illustrations by Bagram Ibatoulline (The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane), I think On the Blue Comet is a wonderful book for grandparents to gift their grandchildren. Hopefully, we will see it sparking inter-generational dialogue, bringing to light additional tales that need to be told.

Zora & Me

Zora and Me by Victoria Bond & T.R. Simon
to be published in October 2010 by Candlewick

Adventure, mystery, coming of age story, and historical fiction, not to mention wonderful writing and strong characters, make Zora and Me one of the best middle grade books I've read in a while. This is not a book I merely liked, Zora and Me deserves much more than that. It has a future in classrooms, being used to help children understand race in America in the early 20th century, while still being an enjoyable and compelling read. Zora and Me is endorsed by the Zora Neale Hurston Trust and a lot of indie booksellers are getting behind it - for good reason. I really wouldn't be surprised if Zora and Me received a number of award nominations.

Carrie, our narrator, is sweet and sure. Though she believes Zora's stories, she doesn't embroider what she observes to quite the extent that Zora does. The narrative begins with Zora's story of a man with a gator head. With the addition of events, from an old woman getting hurt by the swimming hole to a man found dead by the railroad tracks, all the events orbit around Zora's story of a gator man. But real world explanations are more complex than a gator man, and Zora, Carrie, and Teddy must find a way to understand the differences between white lies, truth, and fiction.