by Astrid Desbordes ; illustrated by Pauline Martin ; translated by Linda Burgess ‧ RELEASE DATE: Sept. 1, 2015
A blunt, at times knee-slapping story suitable for perceptive young readers, those unsure of social cues, and global readers...
Hamster—a sarcastic, egocentric, yet still enjoyable protagonist—travels with his band of patient, tolerant timberland friends to the Arctic Circle.
In a series of short, amusing vignettes, Hamster, Mole, Hedgehog, Snail, and Rabbit leave their clearing to visit Bear’s cousin, Polar Bear. Dialogue and offbeat humor move the substantial import forward as small episodes play out. Hamster remains disgruntled and disillusioned; Mole and Hedgehog shy from their innocent, mutual crush; and the group assembles for their unlikely holiday destination: the North Pole. The most successful exchange between characters, titled “Do-it-yourself,” shows Hamster approaching Snail, hoisting supplies and a toolbox. “Snail, I’ve got a job to do. Would you give me a hand?” Snail responds, “Sure, Hamster, what are you making?” Dropping the items onto the ground and flattening a small flower patch, Hamster pivots, giving Snail his back; as he walks away he nonchalantly replies, “A spaceship. Have fun, Snail.” Crushed, like the flower patch, Snail is left alone, giving a whole new meaning to DIY. Martin’s simple, subtle depictions—reminiscent of Bob Shea's and Mo Willems’ character drawings, they are rarely to scale and appear against vast, white or solid-colored backgrounds—adorn Desbordes’ unconventional, comical dialogue.
A blunt, at times knee-slapping story suitable for perceptive young readers, those unsure of social cues, and global readers alike. (Graphic novel. 7 & up)Pub Date: Sept. 1, 2015
ISBN: 978-1-9272-7183-4
Page Count: 126
Publisher: Gecko Press
Review Posted Online: June 9, 2015
Kirkus Reviews Issue: July 1, 2015
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by Astrid Desbordes ; illustrated by Marc Boutavant ; translated by Claudia Zoe Bedrick
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by Astrid Desbordes ; illustrated by Pauline Martin ; translated by Noelia Hobeika
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by Astrid Desbordes ; illustrated by Marc Boutavant ; translated by Claudia Zoe Bedrick
by Dav Pilkey ; illustrated by Dav Pilkey ; color by Jose Garibaldi ‧ RELEASE DATE: Aug. 30, 2016
What a wag.
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New York Times Bestseller
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What do you get from sewing the head of a smart dog onto the body of a tough police officer? A new superhero from the incorrigible creator of Captain Underpants.
Finding a stack of old Dog Mancomics that got them in trouble back in first grade, George and Harold decide to craft a set of new(ish) adventures with (more or less) improved art and spelling. These begin with an origin tale (“A Hero Is Unleashed”), go on to a fiendish attempt to replace the chief of police with a “Robo Chief” and then a temporarily successful scheme to make everyone stupid by erasing all the words from every book (“Book ’Em, Dog Man”), and finish off with a sort of attempted alien invasion evocatively titled “Weenie Wars: The Franks Awaken.” In each, Dog Man squares off against baddies (including superinventor/archnemesis Petey the cat) and saves the day with a clever notion. With occasional pauses for Flip-O-Rama featurettes, the tales are all framed in brightly colored sequential panels with hand-lettered dialogue (“How do you feel, old friend?” “Ruff!”) and narrative. The figures are studiously diverse, with police officers of both genders on view and George, the chief, and several other members of the supporting cast colored in various shades of brown. Pilkey closes as customary with drawing exercises, plus a promise that the canine crusader will be further unleashed in a sequel.
What a wag. (Graphic fantasy. 7-9)Pub Date: Aug. 30, 2016
ISBN: 978-0-545-58160-8
Page Count: 240
Publisher: Graphix/Scholastic
Review Posted Online: May 31, 2016
Kirkus Reviews Issue: June 15, 2016
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by Dav Pilkey ; illustrated by Dav Pilkey ; color by Jose Garibaldi & Wes Dzioba
by Dav Pilkey ; illustrated by Dav Pilkey ; color by Jose Garibaldi
by Dav Pilkey ; illustrated by Dav Pilkey ; color by Jose Garibaldi
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by Dav Pilkey ; illustrated by Dav Pilkey ; color by Jose Garibaldi & Wes Dzioba
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by Dav Pilkey ; illustrated by Dav Pilkey ; color by Jose Garibaldi & Wes Dzioba
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by Dav Pilkey ; illustrated by Dav Pilkey ; color by Jose Garibaldi
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SEEN & HEARD
BOOK TO SCREEN
by J. Torres ; illustrated by David Namisato ‧ RELEASE DATE: Oct. 5, 2021
An emotional, much-needed historical graphic novel.
Sandy and his family, Japanese Canadians, experience hatred and incarceration during World War II.
Sandy Saito loves baseball, and the Vancouver Asahi ballplayers are his heroes. But when they lose in the 1941 semifinals, Sandy’s dad calls it a bad omen. Sure enough, in December 1941, Japan bombs Pearl Harbor in the U.S. The Canadian government begins to ban Japanese people from certain areas, moving them to “dormitories” and setting a curfew. Sandy wants to spend time with his father, but as a doctor, his dad is busy, often sneaking out past curfew to work. One night Papa is taken to “where he [is] needed most,” and the family is forced into an internment camp. Life at the camp isn’t easy, and even with some of the Asahi players playing ball there, it just isn’t the same. Trying to understand and find joy again, Sandy struggles with his new reality and relationship with his father. Based on the true experiences of Japanese Canadians and the Vancouver Asahi team, this graphic novel is a glimpse of how their lives were affected by WWII. The end is a bit abrupt, but it’s still an inspiring and sweet look at how baseball helped them through hardship. The illustrations are all in a sepia tone, giving it an antique look and conveying the emotions and struggles. None of the illustrations of their experiences are overly graphic, making it a good introduction to this upsetting topic for middle-grade readers.
An emotional, much-needed historical graphic novel. (afterword, further resources) (Graphic historical fiction. 9-12)Pub Date: Oct. 5, 2021
ISBN: 978-1-5253-0334-0
Page Count: 112
Publisher: Kids Can
Review Posted Online: June 28, 2021
Kirkus Reviews Issue: July 15, 2021
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by J. Torres ; illustrated by Aurélie Grand
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