The Shadow Hero

 In the 1940s a superhero named The Green Turtle was created by unknown cartoonist named Chu Hing. The Green Turtle didn't have notable superpowers but he seemed to be able to avoid bullets. He was an superhero, defending China in the World War II against the invading Japanese army. The story goes that Hing wanted his superhero to be Chinese but the publisher didn't agree and asked him to make his character white. Seemingly Hing was not happy about it which might explain why Green Turtle's face is never to been seen in original works, always covered with something; mask, his own arm, weapons etc. 
  Unfortunately, Green Turtle never made it in the market which left the legacy containing only few volumes of the superhero adventures. However, there remained unanswered questions about the Green Turtle: why and how did he become a superhero? Gene Luen Yang and Sonny Liew recreate the origin story of the Green Turtle in The Shadow Hero. Many thanks to First Second and Netgalley for allowing me to read an advanced reader's copy of the book.

Description: In this origin story for the classic comic book hero the Green Turtle, Hank, the nineteen-year-old son of Chinese immigrants, resists his mother's attempts to make him a superhero at first, but when tragedy strikes he assumes the role of a caped crusader. Aided by one of the four spirits of Chinese mythology, Hank becomes the Green Turtle and sets out to rid Chinatown of the gangsters who have intimidated everyone for years and murdered his father.

Review: The Shadow Hero is a creative take on the superhero genre. Instead of a science experiment gone wrong which leads to incredible powers, we are given elements of magic, Chinese history, and mythology. Yang and Liew tackle and create the origin story of a lesser known superhero named the Green Turtle. In this graphic novel The Green Turtle is cast as an unlikely 19-year-old young man, Hank, the son of Chinese immigrants who own a grocery store in 1940s America. When his mother is rescued by a superhero, the loving but overbearing woman decides that it's Hank's fate to become a hero himself, and she does everything in her power to push her son in that direction. Though Hank initially shies away from assuming the role of caped crusader, when tragedy strikes, he's eventually inspired to call himself the Green Turtle, and fight back against gangsters who have been intimidating his family and many others in Chinatown.
  The action packed illustrations have a nostalgic feel to them and sets up the gritty/hard boiled setting of Chinatown. The text plays expertly with cliches and stereotypes about Chinese culture without ever becoming heavy-handed or obvious and actually gave the graphic novel some depth. I really liked the inclusion of the immigrant experience along with learning new things about the Chinese mythology such as the four spirits of China, one of whom allies himself with Hank's father and then aides Hank in help fighting the bad guys. The Shadow Hero is an enjoyable read and perfect for those to pick up while they wait for their favorite superhero movie to hit the movie screens.

Rating: 4 stars

Words of Caution: There is some minor language and some violence. Recommended for Grades 8 and up.


If you like this book try: Secret identities: the Asian American superhero anthology edited by Jeff Yang

Who is AC?

 I really enjoyed reading Hope Larson's Mercury and was really looking forward to her take on the female superhero. Unfortunately, Who is AC? is as intriguing as Mercury, but it does have strong female characters which can be hard to find in superhero comic books.

Description: Meet Lin, a formerly average teenage girl whose cell phone zaps her with magical powers. But just as superpowers can travel through the ether, so can evil. As Lin starts to get a handle on her new abilities (while still observing her curfew!), she realizes she has to go head-to-head with a nefarious villain who spreads his influence through binary code. And as if that weren't enough, a teen blogger has dubbed her an "anonymous coward!" Can Lin detect the cyber-criminal's vulnerability, save the day, and restore her reputation?

Review: Hope Larson is known for her magical realism graphic novels, but with Who is AC?, she adds superhero into her list. Lin is a teen, an aspiring author who has just moved to a small town. She becomes a superhero,  activated by mysterious cellphone messages and visited by a "dispatcher" who nags her until she suits up. Her nemesis is a shadowy villain who possesses a glamorous rich girl in order to snare a boy named Trace.
  Readers of superhero comics will find lot of familiar things in Lin's story, however, there are many subplots that are left unexplored and gives the book an unfinished feeling. Larson's dialogue is also a bit uneven, veering into cliche superhero lingo, but also clever and comical such as Lin disguised as her alter ego asking for a performance review after she deflected a robbery.
  Pantoja's heavily inked lines hew closely to manga conventions with action-packed panel sequences, big eyes, and outsize expressions. Oddly, it's the teens' relationships with their parents that are most nuanced and memorable rather than the action sequences. Who is AC? is brimming with strong, independent girl characters, but it leaves much to be desired. I think the book could really benefit from a sequel to get deeper into the story and the characters. As a standalone, however, it doesn't really stick in the reader's mind.

Rating: 3 stars

Words of Caution: There is some minor language including crude humor as well as violence found in a PG movie. Recommended for Grades 6 and up.

If you like this book try: Foiled by Jane Yolen

Lunch Lady and the the League of Librarians (Lunch Lady #2)

 

Description: Serving justice . . . and lunch!Lunch Lady can sniff out something rotten like no one else—and there's definitely something rotten going on in the library. The usually friendly librarians have become cold and secretive. Even Dee can't seem to crack a smile out of them. What darkness may lurk in the hearts of librarians? Lunch Lady is on the case! And Hector, Terrence, and Dee are along for a wild ride!

Review: The Lunch Ladies graphic novel series is so much fun to read! When not serving up lunches to students, Lunch Lady escapes to her secret kitchen crime lab to lead the life of a crime fighter. Using an assortment of lunch-themed gadgets (created by her lunch serving sidekick Betty), she is definitely a quirky superhero and one you would have not picked to be a superhero, which makes this series fun. Tipped off by the "Breakfast Bunch" (three students who discovered Lunch Lady's crime-fighting alter ego and work as team with her in Book 1), she attempts to foil the plans of the evil "League of Librarians," who seek to destroy all video games. Gasp! The black-and-white pen-and-ink illustrations have splashes of yellow in nearly every panel. The clean layout, featuring lots of open space, is well suited for young readers and those who are new to the graphic novel format. We get to see and know more about the Breakfast Bunch in this second volume, especially Dee, who asserts herself as the strong-willed leader of the group. There are plenty of winking references to book fairs, read-a-thon enrollment, and librarians all in good fun and they fit nicely in with the storyline. With its appealing mix of action and humor, Lunch Lady is a clever, entertaining series that should have wide appeal.

Rating: 4 stars

Words of Caution: None. Recommended for strong Grades 2 readers and up.

If you like this book try:  Lunch Lady and the Author Vendetta (Lunch Lady #3), Knights of the Lunch Table series by Frank Cammuso

The Dodgeball Chronicles (Knights of the Lunch Table #1)

  There are many great graphic novels for younger children. Cammuso's Knights of the Lunch Table series has been highly recommended by readers and I thought to give the series a shot. I really enjoyed the first book in the series.

Description: Artie King's hopes for easing into life at Camelot Middle School are dashed when he opens mysterious locker filled with useful, wonderful items and is pulled into a do-or-die dodgeball game that pits Artie and his friends against the school's toughest kids.

Review: Cammuso's Knights of the Lunch Table is a fun graphic novel series that I think many young readers would enjoy. Artie King’s first day at his new middle school is terrible: his nasty older sister ensures he misses the bus; a couple of geeky kids are friendly and become his new friends, but the school bullies smell a new victim. Not to mention that the principal is evil and is just looking for ways to hand out detentions and dire warnings left and right behind her horn-rimmed glasses.
 The action and humor starts rolling when Artie boasts that he’s a dodgeball pro and can beat the "Horde" the school's nastiest bullies and undefeated dodgeball team—except Artie stinks at dodgeball.
  Kids familiar with King Arthur legends will like finding all the clues nicely sprinkled in the graphic novel such as the mysterious locker, a helpful stranger named Merlyn (who turns out to be Artie’s science teacher and guidance counselor). Kids unfamiliar with the Arthurian legend will also enjoy the classic tale of the underdog achieving the impossible. Cammuso’s text is witty and his illustrated panels are energetic and attention grabbing. I also appreciated that that his cast of characters are multi-ethnic. I will definitely be reading more of this series.

Rating: 4 stars

Words of Caution: None. Recommended for Grades 2-4.

If you like this book try: Big Nate series by Lincoln Peirce, the Amelia Rules series by Jimmy Gownley

Siri and Me: A Love Story

 One of the movies that I can't wait to see is Spike Jonze's Her starring Joaquin Phoenix, Amy Adams and Scarlett Johansson which has graced many movie critics best movies of 2013 lists. The plot of a lonely writer who falls in love with his newly purchased operating system that's designed to meet his every need is bizarre but is it really that far from reality as we become more and more attached and obsessed with technology? I'm not entirely sure. Siri and Me, a comic graphic novel, by David Milgrim was published in 2012 and also has the same tone as the movie Her, except it loses its charm very quickly.

Description: Dave's never met anyone like Siri. She's helpful, smart, and easier to talk to than any girl he's ever known. She really gets him. Siri and Me is a love story for our times. A must read for all of us in a codependent relationship with our gadgets. An instant classic in a world of instant everything.

Review: When I picked up Siri & Me, I was hoping for a quick fun read that would have some depth and interesting conversations on how humans use technology. While the book was fun and a very short read, it move beyond the gimicky story of an ordinary man named Dave who displaces his fundamental relationships with living humans for Siri, the operating system of his iPhone.

  When the iPhone 4 came out there was a plethora of comments and jokes about Siri and her limitations. There are even websites that range from ridiculous to crude questions that you can ask Siri in order to get fun responses from her, but in Siri and Me, Siri demonstrates a very high intelligence you would see in a Asimovian book. There are moments where I was chuckling while reading Siri and Me. Dave is an amiable doofus, too self-absorbed to notice the way his actions hurt other people around him; the machines in his life in contrast demonstrate a humanity the humans seem bent on abandoning.
  The format of Siri and Me is very stripped-down and the illustrations are like cartoons, and the premise of the story is very catchy. Just don't expect a lot from it. I'm really hoping that the movie Her will fill in what was lacking in this graphic novel.

Rating: 3 stars

Words of Caution: There is some crude humor. Recommended for teens and adults only.

If you like this book try: Goodnight Ipad by Ann Droyd

Saga: Vol. 1

    I've read nothing but rave reviews for Saga, the latest graphic novel series by Brian K Vaughan. I was interested to see if all the hype of what many call "Star Wars meets Romeo and Juliet meets Games of Thrones" upholds for the novel. While I can't officially say if these statements are true, I do see how the connections are made. I enjoyed the first volume of Saga and I'm curious to see where this series goes.

Description: When two soldiers from opposite sides of a never-ending galactic war fall in love, they risk everything to bring a fragile new life into a dangerous old universe. 

Review: The first volume of Brian K. Vaughan's award winning, Saga, clever combination of science fiction and traditional fantasy. Filled with witty dialogue, action, suspense, and amazing art Saga is a graphic novel that I haven't encountered before. Saga has a very simple story: Marko and Alana, a pair of star-crossed lovers who have abandoned their own warring planets and just want to settle down to peacefully raise their newly born daughter, Hazel.
Within a few panels we  have come to understand where are characters are coming from and care for them. Alana is from the planet Landfall, a place of great technological advancement, and their planet is in constant conflict with the magic-wielders of that planet's moon Wreath, where Marko is from. Despite being from opposite sides of the war, Marko and Alana have a lot in common as both were disgraced in their military services. Several months have gone by and a pregnant Alana is giving birth to their child, Hazel, the actual narrator of the series. The moment is intimate, funny, and fragile as their happy moment quickly vanishes as all three lives are put in danger since they are being pursued from both sides of this galaxy-wide conflict. 
  While trying to escape from their pursuers, Marko and Alana are in search of a legendary Rocketship Forest so that they might get off the planet with their new baby, we are introduced to all sorts of new, strange, frightening and wonderfully rich characters. We meet Prince Robot IV, a humanoid being with what appears to be an old-fashioned TV set for a head, who is the one primarily tasked with the elimination of Marko and Alana. Prince, just like Marko and Alana, want the war over so he too can start a family. We also meet two of the bounty hunters and ex-lovers that have are in a bidding war to get the fugitives, The Will and The Stalk. The Stalk is a terrifying looking spider-like alien- an armless, naked woman on top and spider on the bottom- who carries weapons in all of her additional appendages, and The Will is humanoid, but has with him a very helpful sidekick named the Lying Cat, a talking cat that can tell when someone is lying. Also characters in their own right are a legendary group of terrifying killers called The Horrors, which, like all characters in this book aren't quite what they seem. All of our secondary characters are fully realized and they each have their own motives, which is what makes them interesting. As the volume progresses, we learn about the character's frailty and their limits that will not cross as they are put to the test in many ways. 
  Vaughan's writing is as strong and despite the characters being alien, there is quite a lot of English speaking slang and idioms used which actually feels natural. I am guessing though as we delve deeper into the other planets Vaughan has created will see see many other languages spoken by a wide range of races. The pace of the graphic novel moves along quickly, allowing for the character to flex its muscles as well as allowing for moments of great suspense and violence. Fiona Staples' art is brilliant and excellent balance of extreme detail to abstract lines and shading. I don't think Saga would be as great without her wonderful and detailed illustrations.   

  Readers unfamiliar with science fiction or fantasy graphic novels may be a bit disorientated with Saga at first glance, but I think the overall plot arc has a wide appeal. Saga is written for adults and contains adult content.

Rating: 4 stars

Words of Caution: Strong sexual content, nudity, graphic violence, and language. Rated M for Mature. Recommended for mature teens (Grades 11 and 12) and adults only.

If you like this book try: Saga Vol. 2 by Brian K. Vaughan and Fiona Staples, Sandman graphic novel series by Neil Gaiman

Lunch Lady and the Cyborg Substitutes (Lunch Lady #1)

  I attended a graphic novel panel featuring Jarrett Krosoczka, Raina Telegeimer, and Doug TenNapel at the 2013 ALA Annual Conference this past July. I loved hearing how graphic novelists create their works, which in many ways isn't very different than writing your traditional book. While at the panel, I suddenly realized that I've read Telegeimer and TenNapel before but I haven't read anything by Krosoczka yet though I did have his Lunch Lady series on my to be read pile for quite sometime. I decided that I needed to fix that right away. There are currently 10 volumes of the Lunch Lady out.

Description: Serving justice . . . and lunch!
Hector, Terrence, and Dee have always wondered about their school lunch lady. What does she do when she isn't dishing out the daily special? Where does she live? Does she have a lot of cats at home? Little do they know, Lunch Lady doesn't just serve sloppy joes—she serves justice! Whatever danger lies ahead, it’s no match for Lunch Lady!

Review: Superheroes have been all the rage. The idea of what seem to be ordinary people with extraordinary powers is what appeals to most about superheroes. Krosoczka picks the most unlikely person to be a superhero/undercover agent: a lunch lady. You're probably thinking "Really? Out of everyone that he could have possibly picked, he picked her?" but trust me it works and it works very well. If I may grab a quote from one of my all time favorite movies, The Breakfast Club, the Lunch Lady is "the eyes and hears of the institution" and picks up on any weirdness that surrounds the school, especially when one of the most popular math teachers who is always present is suddenly had a serious sickness and had to call in for a substitute who acts a lot like a robot.
  With her gadgets of a lunch tray laptop and her helicopter spork, the Lunch Lady uncovers a conspiracy and saves the school children from evil cyborg substitutes. I had a blast reading the first volume of this graphic novel series. The Lunch Lady's gadgets were so creative and I couldn't stop chuckling throughout the book. The panels and texts are large enough and easy to read. I finished it very quickly and immediately wanted to pick up the next volumes in the series. This series can easily attract both male and female readers. It has plenty of actions, punchlines, and above all characters that you can easily root for and want to see again and again. I definitely recommended picking up this series if you're interested in children graphic novels.

Rating: 4 stars

Words of Caution: None. Recommended for Grades 1-3

If you like this book try: Lunch Lady and the League of Librarians (Lunch Lady #2), Knights of the Lunch Table series by Frank Cammuso

What are you reading for Halloween?

I usually try to fit in some spooky reads for Halloween to get me in the spirit of the holiday. Below are some of the books that I thought about reading next month. Have you read any of these books? Are they Halloween worthy?

Adult Picks

I'm not a big fan of the horror genre, especially where is there lots of blood, guts, and gore so I thought I would read some of the classic books that I haven't had a chance to read yet. 

First published in 1959, Shirley Jackson's The Haunting of Hill House has been hailed as a perfect work of unnerving terror. It is the story of four seekers who arrive at a notoriously unfriendly pile called Hill House: Dr. Montague, an occult scholar looking for solid evidence of a "haunting"; Theodora, his lighthearted assistant; Eleanor, a friendless, fragile young woman well acquainted with poltergeists; and Luke, the future heir of Hill House. At first, their stay seems destined to be merely a spooky encounter with inexplicable phenomena. But Hill House is gathering its powers—and soon it will choose one of them to make its own.

I've read The Lottery by Shirley Jackson which was extremely disturbing and creepy, but I always wanted to read her full length novel. I know the book has been adapted into films many times. 

Danny was only five years old but in the words of old Mr Halloran he was a 'shiner', aglow with psychic voltage. When his father became caretaker of the Overlook Hotel his visions grew frighteningly out of control. 
  As winter closed in and blizzards cut them off, the hotel seemed to develop a life of its own. It was meant to be empty, but who was the lady in Room 217, and who were the masked guests going up and down in the elevator? And why did the hedges shaped like animals seem so alive? 
Somewhere, somehow there was an evil force in the hotel - and that too had begun to shine.

The only book I read by Stephen King was Carrie and I wasn't really impressed by it, but I'm willing to give the master of contemporary horror another shot. I thought the Shining would be a good pick considering I can only watch the first 30 min of the movie that starrs Jack Nicholson. I'm also curious as how King wrote the sequel to this book with Doctor Sleep. 

YA Picks

Nothing much exciting rolls through Violet White’s sleepy, seaside town… until River West comes along. River rents the guest house behind Violet’s crumbling estate, and as eerie, grim things start to happen, Violet begins to wonder about the boy living in her backyard. Is River just a crooked-smiling liar with pretty eyes and a mysterious past? Or could he be something more?
  Violet’s grandmother always warned her about the Devil, but she never said he could be a dark-haired boy who takes naps in the sun, who likes coffee, who kisses you in a cemetery... who makes you want to kiss back. Violet’s already so knee-deep in love, she can’t see straight. And that’s just how River likes it.

I've been saving my ARC of this book for Halloween. It's got the perfect ambiance along with a really catchy description. I really hope it doesn't disappoint!

Evie O’Neill has been exiled from her boring old hometown and shipped off to the bustling streets of New York City—and she is pos-i-tute-ly ecstatic. It’s 1926, and New York is filled with speakeasies, Ziegfeld girls, and rakish pickpockets. The only catch is that she has to live with her uncle Will and his unhealthy obsession with the occult.
  Evie worries he’ll discover her darkest secret: a supernatural power that has only brought her trouble so far. But when the police find a murdered girl branded with a cryptic symbol and Will is called to the scene, Evie realizes her gift could help catch a serial killer.
  As Evie jumps headlong into a dance with a murderer, other stories unfold in the city that never sleeps. A young man named Memphis is caught between two worlds. A chorus girl named Theta is running from her past. A student named Jericho hides a shocking secret. And unknown to all, something dark and evil has awakened.

I've bought The Diviners the day it came out, went to an author event, and still have not managed to read this book yet. I just haven't had time, but I'm determined to read this one for October! I've loved everything that I've read by Libba Bray so far so I'm sure I'm going to love this one as well. 

Children Picks

Beware of Long Lankin, that lives in the moss. . . .When Cora and her younger sister, Mimi, are sent to stay with their elderly aunt in the isolated village of Byers Guerdon, they receive a less than warm welcome. Auntie Ida is eccentric and rigid, and the girls are desperate to go back to London. But what they don't know is that their aunt's life was devastated the last time two young sisters were at Guerdon Hall, and she is determined to protect her nieces from an evil that has lain hidden for years. Along with Roger and Peter, two village boys, Cora must uncover the horrifying truth that has held Bryers Guerdon in its dark grip for centuries -- before it's too late for little Mimi.

Horror stories from Britain? I'm in! After watching this chilling book trailer, I may just have to read this one with the lights on.

Neither artistic, dreamy Jenna nor surly, delinquent Lucas expected to find themselves at an invitation-only summer camp that turns problem children into prodigies. And yet, here they both are at Camp Fielding, settling in with all the other losers and misfits who’ve been shipped off by their parents in a last-ditch effort to produce a child worth bragging about.

 But strange disappearances, spooky lights in the woods, and a chilling alteration that turns the dimmest, rowdiest campers into docile zombie Einsteins have Jenna and Lucas feeling more than a little suspicious . . . and a lot afraid.

This graphic novel has gotten some great reviews and has been listed on different libraries' Halloween reading lists. It looks like a fun read.

What are you reading for Halloween?

Be sure to check out the huge and fabulous Something This Way Comes blogging event featuring loads of book reviews, giveaways, author events, and so much more! Something This Way Comes is hosted by awesome bloggers, Heidi@Rainy Day Ramblings.  Candace@Candace's Book Blog,Maja@The Nocturnal Library and Ali@My Guilty Obsession.

Agent Gates and the Secret Adventures of Devonton Abbey: A Parody of Downton Abbey

  I'm a big fan of Downton Abbey, a British drama series that details the lives of the people that live and work in the manor called Downton Abbey. With counting down the days (102 and counting!) until the premiere of Season 4, I thought I give a graphic novel parody of the show a try.

Description: While the Granville family dutifully entertain their guests at Devonton Abbey, an ace team of Secret Service agents camp out as unsuspecting household staff, protecting the Royal Crown and her citizens from impending world war.
   Who is aware of the international intrigue concealed below stairs? Will Agent Gates save Britain from her enemies while ensuring Devonton Abbey’s reputation is upheld? Will Lady Margaret secure a proposal from Martin Crawhill, the heir to the estate? Will Thompson and O’Malley ever get lung cancer? 
Review: Agent Gates tries to be a parody and a spy story, but doesn't quite succeed in both. I think readers who aren't aware of the series and don't really know anything about the characters might at a loss to see what all the hoopla is about. While the writers manage to make fun of the daily routine of the servants below the stairs and the histrionics of the upper-class, the spy story unfolds awkwardly in the middle of the book which doesn't really add to the graphic novel. As a result, I only chuckled a few times, especially when the Dowanger with an acid tongue and a stony glare appeared on the page, throughout the graphic novel but it got old fast.
  The illustrations of the graphic novel were a bit inconsistent. Some of the characters mirror the actors in some of the panels but don't look anything recognizable in the next. Beyond tackling the major events of Season 1, Agent Gates is a parody in the same vein as the Scary Movies and reads like fan fiction rather than being something truly remarkable. Still I would recommend it if you need a laugh and a quick read.

Rating: 3 stars

Words of Caution: There is some minor language. Recommended for teens and adults who enjoy watching Downton Abbey.

If you like this book try: Hunger Pains by The Harvard Lampoon, Fifty Shames of Earl Grey by Fanny Merkin

Will and Whit

  I absolutely loved Laura Lee Gulledges debut and Eisner Award nominee graphic novel Page by Paige and was so excited to see that she had a new graphic novel being released this year. Many thanks to Amulet Books, an imprint of Abrams, for giving me an advanced copy of the graphic novel to read.

Description (from the Publisher): Wilhelmina “Will" Huxstep is a creative soul struggling to come to terms with a family tragedy. She crafts whimsical lamps, in part to deal with her fear of the dark. As she wraps up another summer in her mountain town, she longs for unplugged adventures with her fellow creative friends, Autumn, Noel, and Reese. Little does she know that she will get her wish in the form of an arts carnival and a blackout, courtesy of a hurricane named Whitney, which forces Will to face her fear of darkness.


Review: Willhemena, Will to her friends and family, is planning on spending a perfectly quiet summer working at her aunt's antiques shop, making lamps and spending time with her friends. She openly admits that she is afraid of the dark though we don't know the reason behind her fear. Is it a phobia or has some big event triggered her panic? Readers don't know for sure until Will slowly starts to break down her walls which is catalyzed by two fateful events quickly steer her plans off course: a chance meeting with a group of teens who are putting together an eclectic carnival and a savage summer storm named Whitney that will plunge her town into a prolonged blackout in its wake.
  Forced to confront her fears of the dark, both literal and figurative, Will finds herself stronger and happier than she could have imagined. Peppered with pop-culture references from Doctor Who to The Hunger Games and supported by Gulledge's stylish and life-like black-and-white illustrations, this sophomore graphic novel is upbeat despite Will's tragedy. The chapters are short and pack a lot of visual metaphors and foreshadowing of the tragedy that haunts Will. Will is an intensely likable character, as are her funky group of friends. I love how this book focuses on trauma and creativity, strength in community, and insightful truths that don't come off sounding too preachy. Quirky, intelligent, and fresh, Will and Whit is another winner from Laura Lee Gulledge and I can't wait to see what she has lined up next.

Rating: 4 stars

Words of Caution: There is some PG-13 language. Recommended for Grades 7 and up.

If you like this book try: Page by Paige by Gulledge, Laura Lee, Drama by Raina Telgeimer

Amelia Rules! Volume 7: The Meaning of Life... and Other Stuff

   With one book left in the Amelia Rules! series, I'm sad to say good bye to these fantastic and realistic characters. I wish I had these great graphic novels when I was a kid. Each volume is satisfying and gets better as the series goes on. If you read and enjoyed Raina Telgeimer's Smile, be sure to pick up this series.

Description (from the book's back cover): Amelia McBride may be growing up, but she's feeling down. If there's one theme to her life, it's that nothing lasts: not her parents' marriage, not Aunt Tanner's support, not the clubhouse for the Gathering of Awesome Super Pals (G.A.S.P.), not even her new spot on the stupid cheerleading squad. And while she's learning all kinds of things about foot fungus, cheerwitches, and Reggie--who thinks Rhonda is CUTE?!--there's still one thing Amelia can't figure out, and that's the meaning of life. It takes a grownup sort of tragedy for Amelia and her friends to realize that even when the world is scary, and life is as mystifying as ever, some things--like friendship--do last. In Jimmy Gownley's touching seventh installment of Amelia Rules!, Amelia may not find all the answers--but she does know how to ask the right questions. Who needs answers, anyway?

Review: A good sign of a strong graphic-novel series is that the characters and plot developments grow and never get stale. Amelia is growing up and beginning to take on the bumpy ride through adolescence and middle school. She is about to graduate from elementary school and officially become a preteen. In this seventh volume, precocious Amelia McBride encounters her first major crisis. She feels her time dressing up as Princess Powerful hanging with her superhero friends, G.A.S.P. (the Gathering of Awesome Super Pals) and being a care-free kid slipping away. She is now straddling the line between angst-ridden adolescence and her fading carefree childhood. For the first time in her young life, she realizes that nothing is permanent, and not everything is fair. She finally has come to terms that her parents' marriage has dissolved into divorce and they won't be together as a whole family. Her friend's father is fighting abroad (most likely in Afghanistan), which he may or may not return safely. Her school's principal treats her unjustly and even her beloved rock-star Aunt Tanner, whom she counted on for support, has left her and is now on tour.
  Though the seventh volume is a slender compared to its previous volumes, Gownley does not shy away from tough topics, presenting them in a way that is both approachable and understandable to kids. With all of the tribulations Amelia must deal with, she paints an accurate portrait of what preteens must deal with and how fast they sometimes have to grow up.

Rating: 4 stars

Words of Caution: None. Recommended for Grades 4-6.

If you like this book try: Ariol: Just a Donkey Like You and Me by Emmanuel Guibert, Big Nate by Lincoln Peirce, Her Permanent Record by Jim Gownley

Amelia Rules! Volume 6: True Things Adults Don't Want Kids to Know

  True Things Adult Don't Want Kids to Know is my second favorite Amelia Rules! graphic novel. This volume focuses on the hard transition from a kid to a young adult. In this volume Amelia learns that growing-up isn't very easy. Sometimes promises are broken and sometimes they are kept. Hard work is required in order to achieving your goals. And love...well, love is complicated at any age.

Description (from the Publisher): Meet Amelia Louise McBride. She was forced to move out of Manhattan after her parents decided to get divorced, and is now living in a small town. She’s survived being the new kid, multiple trips to the principal’s office, and even her first kiss. But it remains to be seen if she’ll survive turning eleven!
   The sixth volume starts with a bang: a huge birthday party featuring surprise guests and a special song from Aunt Tanner! It all seems too good to be true, until it turns out . . . it is. Suddenly, Amelia’s friends are fighting all the time. She gets the worst report card of her life. And when she finally musters the guts to tell a certain boy how she feels about him, she brutally learns why it’s called a “crush.” Aunt Tanner would know just what to do—if she were around. But with her new album and maybe a new boyfriend, she doesn’t seem to have time for Amelia anymore.
  There are some tough lessons to learn when you’re eleven, and things may not always turn out as planned. But who says that has to be a bad thing?

Review: In this volume, Amelia McBride has to face some sad goodbyes, some difficult decisions, and her 11th birthday. Luckily she has an amazing cast of friends and family by her side through all the hilarious and heartwarming trials of life. Compared to the other graphic novels in this series, this one is more mature.
  One of the main subplots in this volume involves Amelia's popular and fun Aunt Tanner. Tanner was a rising musician who suddenly stopped making music. When Aunt Tanner writes and sings a special song for Amelia's birthday, her passion for music rekindles. Unfortunately, Tanner also realizes that music companies aren't really interested in her anymore and it breaks her heart. Having faith and confidence in her aunt, Amelia with some help of her techie friends start spreading the news about Tanner and releasing her songs on the Internet. The news and Tanner's popularity spreads and also a music tour is very likely to occur.
  In addition to Tanner's music endeavors  there is also a budding romance between her beloved teacher and her Aunt Tanner, causing her aunt to be a bit absent just when Amelia needs her help in dealing with her own painful and sometime embarrassing first real crush. You can see Amelia's frustration and stress rising as she desperately seeks to get advice from somewhere. Luckily, she lets her aunt and mom know she needs help rather than dealing with her problems on her own.
  Amelia is growing up and it is evident in how she is becoming more self-aware and responsible while still maintaining her tween personality. Amelia is starting to realize that while she can have several people support her, she is ultimately responsible for making her own decisions.  Even her playtime is changing, transitioning from clubhouses and dressing up as superheroes to Truth or Dare and trips to the mall. Gownley gets this transition and it feels natural. The art maintains the simple bright charm of the previous volumes of the graphic-novel series, and the cartoon-style drawings with strong child appeal are a perfect match for the humor and emotion of the story lines. With some parts laugh-out-loud funny and some heart-wrenching, this book has something for everyone.

Rating: 4 stars

Words of Caution: None. Recommended for Grades 4-6

If you like this book try: Ariol: Just a Donkey Like You and Me by Emmanuel Guibert, Big Nate by Lincoln Peirce, Amelia Rules! Her Permanent Record by Jim Gownley

Amelia Rules! When the Past is a Present (Amelia Rules #4)

  Now that the Amelia Rules! series by Jimmy Gownley has completed, I'm working my way to finish the series. I didn't start from the beginning, but skipped around in sequential order. Normally, I would be worried to start a series in any other place than book 1, but I didn't find myself lost or out of the loop with the Amelia Rules series. Today I'll be reviewing the fourth Amelia Rules! graphic novel, When the Past is a Present.

Description: Amelia McBride is going to her first dance (with a boy no less), but she's not the only one with a date. Yikes Is Amelia's mom seeing someone too? Perhaps Reggie (a.k.a. Captain Amazing) can shed some light on the situation. But it's not all fun for the 10-year-old spitfire. A good friend reveals that her father will be sent to a dangerous country with his job in the military, and it gets Amelia thinking about her own family, her past, and what it means for the present.

Review: I love the Amelia Rules! graphic novel series. They are so fun and quick to read. The series can be enjoyed by younger readers as well as adults who can look back at their own adolescence. Gownley does a fine job balancing the sweet light moments such as Amelia having her first crush to the more serious ones in which Amelia is struggling with seeing her mom Mom is dating and having to support her friend when her friend's father, who is in the army, is being deployed. As always, Amelia's spectrum of feelings fill the panels and there is never a lull in the pacing. Of course there are plenty of great laugh-out-loud moments. The narrative of the graphic novel is conversational, as if Amelia has jumped from the pages and is talking to you in person and this style allowed me to instantly connect with her. Though the series's heroine is a girl, I think there are plenty of male characters that boys would enjoy reading about. I'd definitely recommend this series to readers who are fans of Beverly Cleary's Ramona Quimby and Megan McDonald's Judy Moody series.

Rating: 4 stars

Words of Caution: There is a scene of implied swearing but the word doesn't appear. Recommended for Ages 7 and up.

If you like this book try: Ariol: Just a Donkey Like You and Me by Emmanuel Guibert, Big Nate by Lincoln Peirce, Her Permanent Record by Jim Gownley

The Arrival

  Literacy has always been defined by scholars as having the ability to read and write. Now studies suggest that our definition of literacy is too narrow and that we should also include visual literacy, which allow us to use pictures like words to draw meaning. The critically acclaimed graphic novel, The Arrival by Shaun Tan, is a wordless graphic novel that challenges our way of thinking and reading.

Description: In this wordless graphic novel, a man leaves his homeland and sets off for a new country, where he must build a new life for himself and his family.

Review: Tan expertly captures the displacement, fear, and awe with which immigrants respond to their new surroundings in this wordless graphic novel. The story is very simple, but the execution of it is very complex and multi-layered. The Arrival depicts the journey of one man, threatened by dark shapes that cast shadows on his family's life, to a new country. His native land is shown in ominous dark colors suggesting a cold and confining place. Some reviewers have suggested that the native land has a totalitarian government by focusing on some symbols, but in my opinion, I think that might be reading a little too in to the graphic novel.
  The unnamed man goes through the several motions like any immigrant who is preparing him/herself to go to another land. The only writing in The Arrival is an invented alphabet, which creates the sensation immigrants must feel when they encounter a strange new language and way of life. A wide variety of ethnicities is represented in Tan's hyper-realistic style, and the sense of warmth and caring for others, regardless of race, age, or background, is present on nearly every page.
  When I first read The Arrival I was taken aback on the strange illustrations, but once I started reading this graphic novel slowly to full embrace its narrative, everything started to click and I grew mesmerized by the  strange new world that Tan creates. The Arrival is a very quick read, but reading it quickly is a big disservice to the reader and to the graphic novel. Readers who take their time looking at the pictures will grasp the sense of strangeness and find themselves participating in the man's experiences. They will linger over the details in the beautiful sepia pictures and will likely read the book again as soon as they turn the last page.

Rating: 4 stars

Words of Caution: None. Though the reading level for this graphic novel can be as low as Grade 4, I would recommended this graphic novel for mature Grades 7 readers and up due to the complex understanding of the visual symbolism.

If you like this book try:  The Wall by Peter Sis, American Born Chinese by Gene Luen Yang

Curses! Foiled Again (Foiled #2)

  I thoroughly enjoyed Yolen's first graphic novel, Foiled, and really hoped there would be a sequel since the first volume leaves you with many questions after Aliera's real destiny is revealed. I was thrilled to find the advanced reader's copy of the sequel available on Netgalley thanks to the publishers. Please note that this review is based on the advanced reader's copy.

Description (from Goodreads): Aliera Carstairs is back. This time she's got her cousin—and best friend—Caroline in tow, and the stakes are higher than ever. The realm of Seelie, the fairy kingdom of which Aliera is the hereditary defender, is under attack, and only Aliera and Caroline can set things right. Caroline, fragile and wheelchair-bound, may seem like more of a liability than an asset, but Aliera knows there's more to her quiet cousin than meets the eye.

Review: Curses! Foiled Again is a follow up to the delightful graphic novel, Foiled. It starts right where the first book ended, but there is also a great recap of what previously happened in the introduction. This volume had a grown up vibe to it. Aliera is still a really enjoyable character. She is snarky, intelligent, but as this volume shows she doesn't have all the answers. Curses! Foiled Again goes a little deeper to the fantasy realm that it briefly touched upon in the first volume. We are introduced to new characters, some which are unexpectedly helpful while others deceived and betrayed our heroine.
  I also loved that we got a chance to see how the Aliera and Avery relationship steadily develop. There are some hurt feelings between the two after Avery's real identity came out and I'm glad that Aliera took the time to see if she could trust him again. The banter between these two characters were fantastic and had me grinning throughout the entire time they appeared on the page.
  For the most part, there is enough action and humor to keep the reader occupied but there is a small lull in the middle of the book which I thought could get shorten and tightened up. The panels are very easy to read and follow. The monochromatic art style with a few bursts of color that distinguishes between the fantasy and real world that Mike Cavallaro used in the first book is continued and well used.
  Though the bigger story arc is solved and wrapped nicely in this book, the ending is open to another volume which I would gladly read since it features Aliera's sweet and mysterious cousin Caroline. I'm curious to see what Caroline's story line is and I really hope the publishers will encourage Yolen to release a third volume. I would definitely recommend this graphic novel series for those readers who want to read a graphic novel but are a bit hesitant because of its format.

Rating: 4 stars

Words of Caution: There is minor language and some fantasy violence.  Recommended for Grades 7 and up.

If you like this book try: Legends of Zita the Spacegirl by Ben Hatke, Hereville: How Mirka Got Her Sword by Barry Deutsch, Ghostopolis by Doug TenNapel

Amelia Rules! The Whole World is Crazy and Superheroes

  The Amelia Rules series has been on several graphic novel recommendation lists for libraries and readers. The graphic novel series initially started as a self published piece and was later picked up by publishers as its popularity increased. Gownley announced last year that the series will come to an end. Like many readers, I was sad to hear the news but that only motivates me to read and complete the series.

Description: Meet Amelia Louise McBride. She's nine years old, a former New Yorker who's now living in a small town after her parents decided to get divorced, and dealing with everything from being the new kid in school to getting her first kiss. But you know what? She's got her mom and her aunt Tanner (who happens to be an ex-rock star) and her friends Reggie, Rhonda, and Pajamaman, and everything's going to be okay. Except, of course, when it isn't. In this first book of Amelia's adventures, Amelia and her friends take on bullies (and Santa!), barely survive gym class, and receive a disgustingly detailed explanation of the infamous Sneeze Barf.

Review: Amelia is going to be a third grader. She is also a child of recently divorced parents and has just moved from New York City to a small town, along with her mom and must stay with her mom's younger, hipper sister. This first volume of the series consists of five episodes from her first year, summer through Christmas, trying to figure out her new life with a new family situation and new friends. Gownley mixes realism, pathos, and humor remarkably well and conveys a lot with his Peanuts-ish illustrations.
  I started the Amelia Rules series out of order, which I never do but I was so excited to see this series at my local library that I just picked up whatever they had. I later realized that I was picking up the series midway through. Luckily, my mistake didn't cost my enjoyment of the series and I pretty much inferred what happened to Amelia's family and friends. In this first volume, Amelia deals with serious issues: divorce, moving, discovering new friends, and trying to make sense of her own world.
  I immediately loved all of the characters in this series. Amelia is your typical tween. She is moody, has great snarky lines, self absorbed but under all that bravado she has a good heart. The graphic novel is told from her perspective and almost like a confessional. Throughout the course of her first year at her new, small town she learns about her group of adorkable friends: Rhonda is her friend and sometimes arch-enemy, who has a massive third grade crush on Reggie, the superhero in the making. And then there is the silent but endearing Pajamaman.  
  Another huge plus for me is that the graphic novel series doesn't ignore the adult characters. Amelia's parents and her aunt have a substantial role in the series. They also have their own plot lines which aren't dumbed down for the younger reader. Charming and endearing, Amelia Rules is well worth the read for both girls and boys of all ages. The pace is energetic, the dialogue is humorous without being overly sweet, and Gownley has a keen sense of what life looks like from a kid's point of view. 

Rating: 4 stars

Words of Caution: None. Recommended for Grades 3 and up.

If you like this book try: Smile by Raina Telegeimer, Popularity Papers by Amy Ignatow, Dork Diaries by Rachel Renee Russell, Diary of a Wimpy Kid by Jeff Kinney


Description: Ten-year-old Amelia is getting used to living in a small town. Sure, it was hard to leave New York after her parents divorced. But now that she's got her friends, she's starting to feel like things just might be okay. That is, until her mom says they might be moving again--across town, to a new school district. Can things get any worse for Amelia? When Amelia meets her new friend Trish and learns about the terrible secret she's hiding, Amelia realizes that sometimes you just have to look adversity in the face and then give it a wedgie on its way out the door.

Review: Though constantly compared to the Peanuts comics, the Amelia Rules delivers more than punchlines and adorable illustrations. I think this series's greatest strength lines in its emotional content. Gownley's portrays situations with all the gravity they have to a tween. While from an adult's point of view it may be piddly, it is a huge deal to a kid. Grownley knows his audience and handles the problems of a younger reader with care.
   Superheroes is the third volume of the Amelia Rules series, and probably the most emotional by far. There are a wide range of emotions explored in this slim volume. Watching Amelia moving away from her friends, coping with a new friend moving away, a bike accident on a scary and dark road, and the projections of what happens to Amelia as she grows up are by turns heartbreaking and hopeful. Gownley balances the dark with the light in equal moments. After finishing the volume, you are comforted knowing that the characters have experienced something that you also went through and that yes, there will be times when life sucks and everything is dark and gloomy but it's only temporary.

Rating: 4 stars

Words of Caution: None. Recommended for Grades 3 and up.

If you like this book try: Smile by Raina Telegeimer, Popularity Papers by Amy Ignatow, Dork Diaries by Rachel Renee Russell, Diary of a Wimpy Kid by Jeff Kinney

Drama

 In 2011, I thoroughly enjoyed reading Smile by Raina Telgemier and have been recommending it to readers of all ages and genders. So when I saw the graphic novelist write another book, I jumped at the chance to read it. Though geared particularly to junior students with issues of crushes, friendship, and sexual identity, I think it would be welcomed with many readers just like Smile. 

Description: Callie rides an emotional roller coaster while serving on the stage crew for a middle school production of Moon over Mississippi as various relationships start and end, and others never quite get going.

Review: Callie is a middle schooler who loves the theater. Though she knows she can't participate as an actress since she doesn't have the vocal talent, Callie is fine being the set manager. When her school puts on one of her favorite musicals, Callie volunteers as part of the stage crew with a promise that she will wow everyone. She goes all out to make the most dramatic and memorable stage scenes. Not only is there a lot of drama onstage, there is even more backstage as Callie navigates her capricious, hormone driven heart. 
 Callie is an endearing protagonist. She reminds us of ourselves during the weird transition phase that is called middle school. She is neither the most popular nor the prettiest of her class, but an ordinary girl who is passionate about her favorite subject. Like her middle school status, her ever changing crushes is common. Telegeimer handles the complexities of young love with honesty, comedy, and warmth in equal measures. We see Callie go from from being so excited to be with her long-time crush to being very sad as she feels like a wet towel when her crush drops her and gets back with his girlfriend and his brother, who seems have a thing for Callie, all of sudden gives her the cold shoulder. Callie's attention is now drawn to two new students who happen to be twin brothers. Callie's feelings for the brothers as they become closer pin back and forth between friendship and crush. 
  Telegeimer ventures into the murky waters of young tweens trying to discover their own sexual identity and she swims it quite well. We find out certain characters are gay while others are still questioning or uncertain. Sexual identity while explored and pondered by the characters don't overtake the story and as a reader you are simply rooting for the characters to be themselves and hope that whatever choice they make they will be happy. I'm glad that tweens and teens have a graphic novel like Drama that not only have warm colors and stylish art work, but a story that is open and has a welcoming yet realistic, sympathetic story that shows how complicated relationships can be. There is no doubt that Telgemeier has a keen eye for young teen life.

Rating: 4 stars

Words of Caution: None. I think this graphic novel is geared towards to middle school and up where kids are discovering themselves including their sexual orientation. Recommended for Grades 6 and up.

If you like this book try: Friends with Boys by Faith Erin Hicks, Re-Gifters by Mike Carey

Mini-reviews of Middle Eastern Reads

 I recently read a slew of Middle Eastern books on a variety of topics. I like how this reading challenge pushes me to read about countries that are beyond the U.S. and Europe. I hope to continue to read from a broader spectrum next year. 

Description: Samir, a Palestinian boy, is sent for surgery to an Israeli hospital where he has two otherworldly experiences, making friends with an Israeli boy, Yonatan, and playing a computer game together about a trip to Mars, during which Samir finds peace about his brother's death in the war.

Review: Samir and Yonatan is a compelling read. It is written by an Israeli author who writes about the budding friendship between two boys, a Palestinian and an Israeli. There are no definite sides of right and wrong given to the Palestianian-Israeli conflict. In fact most of the plot takes place in a some what neutral territory of a hospital in Israel. The author strives and succeeds in showing how not all people from both sides of the border are evil and that tolerance can be achieved. Though not the best written book, I really enjoyed the message and recommend it for younger readers.

Rating: 4 stars

Words of Caution: There are some war disturbing images as well as scenes where tweens are experimenting with cigarettes. Recommended for Grades 5 and up.

If you like this book try: A Bottle in the Gaza Sea by Valérie Zenatti, Enemy Territory by Sharon E. McKay

Description: Living in the midst of civil war in Beirut, Lebanon, Zeina and her brother face an evening of apprehension when their parents do not return from a visit to the other side of the city.

Review: Game for Swallows gives us a look into one ordinary day of war torn Lebanon in the 1980s. Zeina and her little brother are waiting in the foyer of their apartment for their parents to return from visiting their grandmother in West Beirut. Bombings and sniper fire intensify in their neighborhood, and their neighbors huddle with them in what is the safest location of their building. As the neighbors arrive, Zeina gives us back stories of her neighbors and how the war has touched their lives. As the shootings and bombings continue, many neighbors are planning contingency plans if their country's condition doesn't improve. While the drawings may remind some readers of Persepolis by Marjane Satrapi (which I highly recommend reading if you haven't already done so), I felt wanting more from the graphic novel. I would have liked more historical information in order to really feel all the emotions that the characters feel throughout the story. I also wanted to know more about these people too.

Rating: 3.5 stars

Words of Caution: There are some war disturbing images. Recommended for Grades 9 and up.

If you like this book try: Waltz with Bashir by Ari Folman and David Polonsky
 

Description: Set in the aftermath of Iran's fraudulent elections of 2009, Zahra's Paradise is the fictional story of the search for Mehdi, a young protestor who has vanished into an extrajudicial twilight zone. What's keeping his memory from being obliterated is not the law. It is the grit and guts of his mother, who refuses to surrender her son to fate, and the tenacity of his brother, a blogger, who fuses tradition and technology to explore and explode the void in which Mehdi has vanished.

Review: Zahra's Paradise was an eye opening reading experience. Part political criticism on the lack of citizen's rights to assemble and freedom of speech and part a harrowing struggle of a finding a loved one in the midst of chaos and riots of 2009. The artwork on these pages is stunning, showing the machinations of the corrupt government as well as traces of the beauty and poetry of Iranian life. An array of diverse and carefully drawn characters help and hinder the search for young Mehdi, everyone from a taxi driver to the daughter of a former disgraced general, a print shop owner to shady government officials. Small acts of heroism bring hope to this family, but they also bring consequences. I was really surprised to find out that this story is fictional and not nonfiction, which I had expected it to be.I would recommend this graphic novel to those interested in Iran and the Middle East.

Rating: 4 stars

Words of Caution: There is language, nudity, sex, and scenes of implied rape. Recommended for mature teens and adults only.

If you like this book try: Persepolis by Marjane Satrapi, Students for a Democratic Society by Harvey Pekar

Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, Vol. 1

  In the fall of 2012, DC Comics/Vertigo announced that they will publish the official graphic novel adaptation of Stieg Larsson's Millennium Trilogy, starting with The Girl with Dragon Tattoo, which has also been adapted into Swedish and American films. The publishers will adapt each book in the Millennium Trilogy in two hardcover graphic novel volumes. I was lucky enough to get a sneak peak at the graphic novel before it was published, courtesy of DC Comics/Vertigo and Netgalley.

Description (from the book): Harriet Vanger, a scion of one of Sweden's wealthiest families disappeared over forty years ago. All these years later, her aged uncle continues to seek the truth. He hires Mikael Blomkvist, a crusading journalist recently trapped by a libel conviction, to investigate. He is aided by the pierced and tattooed punk prodigy Lisbeth Salander. Together they tap into a vein of unfathomable iniquity and astonishing corruption.

Review: I'm not a very big fan of the Millennium Trilogy, but I did enjoy the books. I've yet to see the movie not because I'm afraid the movies will ruin my reading experience, but rather I really don't want to subject myself through the grueling and graphic violence featured in the books. I can distance myself enough from reading those scenes but seeing them acted out on screen is a bit too much for me.
  I know several people who tried the series because it was popular and they wanted to know what all the hype was about, but they were unable to finish it due to the long, dense first half of The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo (and to give you an idea, that long dense first half is about the first 150 pages of a 460 pages book). For these readers, I think the graphic novel will definitely work better for them. The dense subplot filled with Swedish finance corruption is completely stripped away and we are immediately introduced to the mystery that lies in the heart of the book.
  The story and characters have been altered in order to convey emotion and urgency on the page. The plot moves at a steady pace and is separated with two plot lines that weave and will eventually meet in the second novel. One plot line introduces the star of the series, Lisbeth Salander while the other shows how Blomkvist's own troubles and his involvement with the mystery. Major plot points are present and some are explicitly shown such as Lisbeth's boss openly flirting with her and how she is raped and beaten by her 'guardian.'
  I wasn't overly fond of the drawings in this adaptation with the exception of Lisbeth. I found her to be incredibly striking looking. In my head I pictured her more like Noomi Rapace does in the movie. I liked how her physical features allowed her to display her wide emotions raging within her. Just from looking at her eyes you can only imagine all the horrors she has experienced. I wasn't a big of Blomkvist at all in the books and more so in this graphic novel. Unlike Lisbeth, his personality doesn't really come through besides his opinion on an open marriage and his attempt to clear his name from corruption. His depictions are inconsistent from panel to panel and sometimes I had a hard time identifying him with other characters around. There is lots of shading and shadowing in panels that give the book its dark and ominous feel to it.
 Overall, I thought the adaptation was pretty good. It gives readers who are unfamiliar with the story a taste of the series and characters. I'm not sure if I will continue reading the graphic novel series though as I'm a bit over the series all together.
Rating: 3 stars

Words of Caution: There are extremely graphic rape scene that lasts for several panels. There is strong violence and sex scenes. Recommended for mature teens and adults only.

If you like this book try: The Girl Who Played with Fire by Steig Larsson or  Into the Woods by Tana French

Good as Lily

Just a quick note: I will be on vacation when this review posts. I may not or may not have internet access during vacation, but I will play catch-up with your blogs and comments when I get back. 

 Most stories that I've read are generally about people competing with others, but Derek Kirk Kim asks us a different question: what if the person you're trying to up is actually yourself? What kind of person do you want to be and if you saw future self, how would you embrace yourself? All of these philosophical questions and more are discussed in the part coming of age/fantasy, romantic comedy graphic novel called Good As Lily.

Description: Following a strange mishap on her 18th birthday, Grace Kwon is confronted with herself at three different periods in her life. The timing couldn't be worse as Grace and her friends desperately try to save a crumbling school play. Will her other selves wreak havoc on her present life or illuminate her uncertain future?


Review: Grace Kwon's friends throw her a surprise 18th birthday party with a picnic in the park. There they meet a strange vendor who refuses to sell them ice cream, but sells them a pig-shaped pinata instead. When it finally breaks after falling on Grace's head, she learns that it's empty much to her disappointment. Later that night, when she returns to the park, she meets a little girl, a young woman, and an old woman who look eerily like her. It turns out that all of them are named Grace Kwon at different parts of her life, a six year old toddler, a woman in her twenties, and an elderly woman. Now Grace must deal not only with the philosophical concept of encountering her past and future selves, but also with the day-to-day chaos that they create. Each of Grace's selves are dealt well for the most part as the child stealing snacks, the senior citizen smoking cigarettes, and the young woman hitting on Grace's drama teacher. I would have liked the three selves interact more with Grace herself but they are kept at a distance. Grace, the teen, is naturally confused and exhausted seeing her past and future go out of control. The black-and-white pictures are simply drawn, but manage to convey all the emotional highs and lows of this story. The title refers to a subplot so small that readers might not recognize the reference until they've finished the book and taken some time to digest it. Part coming of age, part magical realism, and part romance, Good as Lily has different things to offer different readers.

Rating: 3.5 stars

Words of Caution: There is some sexual innuendos in the book. Recommended for Grades 8 and up.

 If you like this book try: Same Difference by Derek Kirk Kim