About a year and a half ago, I was walking through the exhibit hall at Book Expo America and noticed a publisher I wasn’t all that familiar with and a title that had just become the hottest thing in my middle school library. I’m talking about Andrews McMeel Publishing. The series was Big Nate, the [...]
About Esther Keller
Common Core Comics
By on November 1, 2012
It’s hard to believe that November is knocking on the door and the school year is well underway. (If it wasn’t for Hurricane Sandy, I’d be thinking about elections, Thanksgiving, and yes… the Winter Holidays!) Of course, what my thoughts are constantly busy with are the buzzwords “Common Core” that are being chirped up and [...]
Review: Hereville 2
By on October 29, 2012
Readers who missed the first volume of Hereville should run out and find a copy, but even so, it won’t be a problem picking up this sequel and jumping right into Mirka’s latest adventure. This volume gives readers enough background knowledge of the first story so that they don’t feel lost, and it will make [...]
Review: Drama
By on September 17, 2012
This afternoon, a sixth grader came into the library and spotted a poster that was drawn by Raina Telgemeir for Scholastic’s Read Every Day Lead a Better Life Campaign. “Do you have it?” she asked breathlessly? “Do you have it?”
“What?” I asked.
“My favorite book in the whole world,” she answered breathlessly. (I promise! True story!)
“Which book?”
“Smile.”
Unfortunately, all my copies were checked out. But I kept thinking if only I had done my book order already, I know she’ll fall equally in love with Drama, Telgemeier’s latest release.
Review: Graphic Spin: Rudyard Kipling Stories
By on August 29, 2012
I admit, I never read Kipling’s Just So Stories, but as soon as I read the first page of How the Leopard Got His Spots, I put down the comic and went Online to find a full text version. (Thank you Project Gutenberg.) And my instincts were correct… making me like these adaptations even more.
Review: Tall
By on August 15, 2012
We all grew up on stories of Paul Bunyan and Johnny Appleseed. This anthology brings together four fabulous comic renderings of some well-known stories, told by some better known artists and authors and some who are up and coming.
Review: Graphical Mythical Creatures
By on August 8, 2012
With werewolves, vampires, and dragons so steeped in YA literature these days, it’s no wonder that publishers aimed at the School & Library market are jumping on the bandwagon. This series, aimed at young elementary school readers, gives you a good introduction to the topic.
Review: Ali Baba and the Forty Thieves
By on August 2, 2012
This retelling of Ali Baba and the Forty Thieves is one of the 4 titles in the Graphic Revolve: Arabian Nights series put out by Stone Arch (an imprint of Capstone), aimed at young readers, reluctant readers, and ESL students.
Review: The Secret of the Stone Frog
By on July 31, 2012
Review: The Clockwork Girl
By on July 18, 2012
The Clockwork Girl, a fantasy-adventure for middle school readers, originally ran as a six-issue comic. Arcana Studios collected those issues into a single volume in 2008, which is now being reprinted through HarperCollins. As its publishing history suggests, The Clockwork Girl continues to find new audiences among readers looking for a fanciful yet heartwarming tale.
The [...]
Review: Take What You Can Carry
By on July 17, 2012
Take What You Can Carry is the story of two boys. The first is Ken, a Japanese American boy. During World War II, Ken is sent to live in a relocation camp while his father is in government custody. In order to help his mother and sister survive, Ken turns to stealing. [...]
