A light, comical approach to biography and history that makes it more palatable for those who find more traditional...
From the creators of Action Philosophers comics comes this first in a series of graphic biographies about American presidents beginning, appropriately, with George Washington.
With the assistance of two kids, a black boy and a white girl, and a muscular turkey who move readers in and out of the historical storyline, Van Lente and Dunlavey cover the whole of Washington’s life, with highlights on his roles as a slave owner, officer in the French and Indian War, commander of the Continental Army in the War for Independence, and first president of the United States. Amid the jokey narrative is solid biographical information about Washington and historical facts about his times. Particularly insightful is the depiction of Washington’s presidency, which readers might be surprised to find had plenty of detractors. The creators reveal that partisan politics has been a part of America from the beginning. The black-and-white art is exaggeratedly cartoonish and fun. Readers who appreciate a goofier approach to history, such as Nathan Hale’s Hazardous Tales, will enjoy this graphic biography. One unfortunate oversight is the omission of recommendations for age-appropriate further reading.
A light, comical approach to biography and history that makes it more palatable for those who find more traditional approaches hard to swallow. (maps, timeline, glossary, bibliography) (Graphic biography. 8-12)Pub Date: Feb. 6, 2018
ISBN: 978-0-06-239405-7
Page Count: 128
Publisher: Harper/HarperCollins
Review Posted Online: Nov. 26, 2017
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Dec. 15, 2017
A striking glimpse into Chinese girlhood during the 1970s and ’80s.
Beginning with a breathtaking dream of riding a golden crane over the city of Wuhan, China, Liu Na, recounts her subsequent waking only to discover that Chairman Mao has passed away. The 3-year-old finds this difficult to process and understand, although she is soon caught up in the somber mood of the event. From there, her life unfolds in short sketches. With this intimate look at her childhood memories, Liu skillfully weaves factual tidbits into the rich tapestry of her life. In the section titled “The Four Pests,” she explains about the four pests that plague China—the rat, the fly, the mosquito and the cockroach (with an additional explanation of how the sparrow once made this list, and why it is no longer on it)—and her stomach-turning school assignment to catch rats and deliver the severed tails to her teacher. In “Happy New Year! The Story of Nian the Monster,” she explains the origins of Chinese New Year, her favorite holiday, and her own vivid, visceral reflections of it: the sights, sounds and smells. Extraordinary and visually haunting, there will be easy comparisons to Allen Say’s Drawing from Memory (2011); think of this as the female counterpart to that work.
Beautifully drawn and quietly evocative. (glossary, timeline, author biography, translations of Chinese characters, maps) (Graphic memoir. 9-12)
Pub Date: Oct. 1, 2012
ISBN: 978-0-7613-8115-0
Page Count: 96
Publisher: Graphic Universe
Review Posted Online: April 24, 2012
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Sept. 15, 2012
BOOK REVIEW
Livelier than the typical history textbook but sillier than the many outstanding works on the Civil War available for young...
Travel with Nathan Hale back to 1861 for the famous Civil War battle between the USS Monitor and the CSS Virginia, the war’s first ironclad ships.
Unless readers have read Hale’s One Dead Spy (2012) first, they may well wonder why the famous spy Nathan Hale, hanged for espionage in 1776, is telling this future story of naval warfare during the Civil War. It turns out that Nathan Hale—the spy, not the author—was standing at the gallows when he was swallowed by a giant book of American history. He lives to tell about it and, presumably, other tales of America for future volumes of Hazardous Tales. This volume, completed prior to One Dead Spy, is a wild ride of a graphic novel, featuring not only Nathan Hale, but his hangman, a fox representing Gustavus Fox, Assistant Secretary of the Navy, and the various participants in the battle. Sketched, inked and colored in Photoshop, the two-color, frenetic volume succeeds in presenting the chaos of war. The backmatter is notable for its informative biographies of key players, a timeline, and a small but well-selected bibliography.
Livelier than the typical history textbook but sillier than the many outstanding works on the Civil War available for young readers, this will appeal to both history buffs and graphic-novel enthusiasts. (Graphic historical fiction. 8-12)Pub Date: Aug. 1, 2012
ISBN: 978-1-4197-0395-9
Page Count: 128
Publisher: Amulet/Abrams
Review Posted Online: June 12, 2012
Kirkus Reviews Issue: July 15, 2012
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